Sales must be constantly monitored to ensure that targets are being reached and revenue is being generated.

The best way to do this is by comparing sales against pre-determined targets which have been defined in the sales plan. The revenue generated from sales should also be tracked against the company’s budget.
 
Sales achieved should be reported on a regular basis so monitoring can take place.  It is sometimes not always obvious when a deal has been closed, so a reporting template to record sales may be helpful in this process.  This template can also capture prospects that are being worked on so there is an overall view of the sales pipeline. 

In the monitoring process, it is good to understand why a sale has been successful, and why a sale was not made or lost. This can help you re-adjust your approach or learn about your competitors so that the sale can be won the next time. 

Remember a sale is not a sale until you get paid.  Monitoring of sales should take payment into account, and any individual remuneration based on sales (commissions, bonuses, etc) should be contingent on having the money in the bank.