What is Deal Age?
Also known as: Open deal age, days in pipeline
Deal Age is how long an open deal has sat in the pipeline — the days since it was created. Average open deal age flags stalled deals that inflate pipeline without ever closing.
What is Deal Age?
For open deals, age = today − create date. Unlike sales cycle length (measured on closed deals), deal age is measured on deals still in flight — the "how long has this been sitting?" number.
How to use it
Track average open deal age and flag deals older than your typical sales cycle. A deal aged well past the average cycle is statistically unlikely to close and is probably stale pipeline.
Deal Age vs Sales Cycle Length
Sales cycle length is backward-looking (how long won deals took); deal age is present-tense (how long open deals have waited). A rising average age while cycle length holds steady means deals are stuck, not just slow.
Why it matters
Aging deals are the main source of inflated, untrustworthy pipeline. Regularly pruning or re-qualifying old deals keeps coverage and forecast numbers honest.