Answer
What causes deals to slip?
Last updated June 23, 2026Markdown version
Deals slip when the customer is not progressing fast enough to support the close date. The deal may still be real, but timing breaks when the next meeting, decision process, stakeholders, approvals, or urgency do not match the date in the CRM.
What to check first
- No completed call or meeting in the normal review window
- No next meeting
- Close date moved before
- Legal, procurement, security, or finance has not started
- Decision maker is not involved
- Customer urgency is unclear
- The deal has stayed in the same stage too long
Definition
Deal slippage means an open deal moves out of the expected close period. In your CRM, it usually appears as a changed close date, but the risk often starts earlier.
Why deals slip before the date changes
A close date is a field. The customer still has to move through a buying process. If meetings slow down, approvals are unknown, or the next step is vague, the deal can be slipping even before the rep updates the CRM.
How to check slippage in your CRM
Review deals closing this month or quarter. Look for recent close date changes, no next meeting, long stage age, no recent customer response, missing stakeholders, and forecast categories that look stronger than the deal's progress.
Common causes of deal slippage
| Cause | What it means | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Weak urgency | The customer has no strong reason to act now | Why would they buy this month? |
| No mutual next step | The seller may be chasing the deal alone | What is scheduled? |
| Unmapped approval path | The team does not know what must happen before signature | Who approves and in what order? |
| Late paper process | Legal or procurement timing may be ignored | Has the process started? |
| One contact | The deal depends on one person | Who else is involved? |
Example
A deal is supposed to close Friday, but procurement has not started, the signer has not joined a call, and the next meeting is only a rep follow-up. The close date may still be in the CRM, but the deal is already slipping.
How Data Parrot helps
Data Parrot flags slippage risk with close date confidence, deal status, deal health, purchase intent, and risk reasons tied to CRM activity.
Frequently asked questions.
Is a slipped deal always a bad deal?
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No. A slipped deal may still close. The issue is that the timing no longer deserves the same trust.
What is the first sign a deal may slip?
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A common first sign is no recent completed call or meeting and no next step on the calendar.
How should managers handle slipped deals?
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Managers should review why the date changed, what must happen next, and whether the forecast category should change too.
Review your revenue data with Data Parrot.
Data Parrot is an AI revenue intelligence platform for CEOs, CROs, and revenue leaders that monitors every deal, pipeline movement, and customer interaction so you can trust the forecast, catch slippage early, and focus the team where it matters.