Illustrative data: actual delivery is 80% of the plan to date. Recovering the full 300,000 goal still requires a feasible remaining delivery rate.
Use the metric the campaign is actually committed to deliver, such as impressions or spend. A campaign can be on pace for spend while missing another performance objective, so label every calculation.
The examples below assume an even daily plan and complete reporting days. If the campaign uses a custom curve, dayparting, frontloading, or another schedule, compare against that planned curve instead of treating elapsed calendar time as the plan.
Calculate planned delivery to date
For an even flight, planned delivery to date equals total goal multiplied by elapsed flight time divided by total flight time. Use the same timezone and a consistent treatment of partial days.
Calculate the pacing index and shortfall
Pacing index equals actual delivery divided by planned delivery to date, multiplied by 100. A result of 100% matches the plan, while a result below 100% is behind that plan.
Calculate the required remaining daily rate
Subtract actual delivery from the goal, then divide by the remaining delivery days. This shows what recovery requires; it does not establish that recovery is feasible.
Find the constraint before changing the pace
- Check request availability on the contracted inventory.
- Inspect targeting, frequency caps, and creative eligibility.
- For deals, compare requests, bids, rejections, and wins.
- Look for creative rendering failures and reporting delays.
- Compare achievable remaining delivery with the required rate.
Choose a realistic recovery action
Correct an actual setup error first. If the setup matches the agreement but eligible inventory is insufficient, propose a change to reach, flight dates, or the goal for approval. Do not silently remove restrictions promised to the client.
Review the result after enough reporting has accumulated. Check whether the new rate is sustainable and whether it creates an overdelivery risk later in the flight.
Communicate pacing clearly
Report the goal, delivered amount, planned amount, pacing index, remaining requirement, and known constraint together. Include the time window and assumptions so another person can reproduce the calculation.
When no delivery time remains, do not divide by zero or present a catch-up rate. Report the final shortfall and the next commercial or operational step.
Test your reasoning: Calculate a recovery rate
Original simulated exercise. This is not a real client case.
A campaign has an even 20-day plan.
Evidence available
- Goal: 200,000 impressions.
- After 10 complete days: 80,000 delivered.
- Ten complete delivery days remain.
What average rate is required from now on?
Read the answer and next check
120,000 impressions remain, requiring 12,000 per day. That is 20% above the original 10,000 daily plan.
Next check: Confirm eligible inventory can support that rate and identify why the campaign fell behind.