Bookings Backlog Total
Total dollar value of all signed contracts that have not yet been recognized as revenue — the visibility window into future revenue at a point in time. Closely related to sales.bookings_backlog; this entry serves as the FlowSubform `start` slot for the per-period bookings-backlog flow (open + new bookings − recognized − cancellations = close). Common pitfall: omitting cancellations from the flow leaves a phantom backlog that overstates future revenue visibility — every backlog flow needs an explicit cancellation line even when zero. — Sales KPI, I'mBoard-authored (editorial tier).
I'mBoard-authored (editorial tier)
No public third-party standard anchors this KPI yet, so I'mBoard authors and maintains the definition — transparently labeled as editorial tier. See the ontology methodology for the published vs editorial tier system and the back-attribution workstream.
Rogue ID: sales.bookings_backlog_total
Type: Currency
Domain: Sales
Definition
Total dollar value of all signed contracts that have not yet been recognized as revenue — the visibility window into future revenue at a point in time. Closely related to sales.bookings_backlog; this entry serves as the FlowSubform start slot for the per-period bookings-backlog flow (open + new bookings − recognized − cancellations = close). Common pitfall: omitting cancellations from the flow leaves a phantom backlog that overstates future revenue visibility — every backlog flow needs an explicit cancellation line even when zero.
Formula
Bookings Backlog Total at period close = Σ TCV of all signed contracts − Σ revenue recognized to date against those contracts. Equivalent to ASC 606 RPO. The per-period flow: opening backlog + new bookings (TCV signed in period) − revenue recognized in period − cancellations = closing backlog.Why it matters
Quantifies how much of forward revenue is already contracted — high ratios of backlog to forward plan = high revenue predictability. Boards use it to assess whether the business has visibility or is running quarter-to-quarter on pipeline conversion.
How to interpret
Backlog at year-end ≥ 1.0× next-year ARR plan is the conventional "visible year" benchmark for Series B+ subscription companies (industry folk-wisdom — anchored to public-SaaS RPO disclosure norms but not a published cross-company threshold). Track the cancellation share of the flow — rising cancellations as a % of opening backlog signal contract instability.
Related KPIs
sales.bookings_backlogsales.total_revenuesales.arrsales.carrsales.new_business
Source
I'mBoard editorial — authored and maintained by I'mBoard, first published 2026-04-01. No third-party standard is cited for this KPI; when one emerges, the definition is back-attributed and promoted to the published tier (a minor version bump). Read the ontology methodology for the published vs editorial tier system, attribution rules, and dispute process.
Stage relevance
| Company stage | Priority |
|---|---|
| Series A | Core |
| Series B | Core |
| Series C+ | Core |
| Public | Core |
Suggested for stages: Series A, Series B, Series C+, Public.
Default owning functions
- Finance
- Sales
Machine-readable
- This KPI as JSON:
/api/ontology/sales/bookings_backlog_total.json - All Sales KPIs:
/api/ontology/sales.json - Full catalog:
/api/ontology/index.json
Bookings Backlog Changes
Structured bridge that reconciles opening bookings backlog to closing backlog through the period's new bookings, conversions to revenue, post-contract losses, and value adjustments (starting + new − converted − lost + increases − decreases = ending). The bespoke sales card reads this typed object to show the backlog motion. Distinct from the editor's `sales.bookings_backlog_total` FlowSubform container — this is the typed `IBookingsBacklog` the feed card consumes. Common pitfall: an ending value that does not reconcile because conversions to recognized revenue were not netted out. — Sales KPI, I'mBoard-authored (editorial tier).
Customer Acquisition Cost
Fully-loaded sales-and-marketing (S&M) expense incurred to acquire one new customer during the period. Per the SMSB standard, the CAC numerator includes salaries + commissions + benefits + travel + marketing programs + tooling — i.e. all S&M costs, not just direct-attribution paid acquisition. The denominator is new logos, not deals. Common pitfall: omitting fully-loaded comp (especially BDR/SDR base salary and CS-team cost-of-sale where they participate in expansion) understates CAC and inflates every downstream efficiency metric. The board cares about CAC alongside CAC Payback and the CAC Ratio family — single-number CAC is a building block, not a verdict. — Sales KPI anchored to SaaS Metrics Standards Board.