Opportunities created is the count or total value of qualified deals a rep adds to the pipeline in a period. It is the leading output of prospecting: after a meeting qualifies, the deal is logged as an opportunity with a value and a stage. Because deals take months to close, the opportunities you create this month are the coverage you live on next quarter. It is a forward metric, not a retrospective one.
In plain English
Opportunities created is "what did I add to the funnel." It is the number that feeds your future forecast and quota. Without a steady stream of new opportunities, coverage drains and the quarter ends empty no matter how well you close what is there.
Why it matters to you
Closing is a lagging result of creating opportunities months earlier. Reps who obsess over activity and meetings but not on created opportunities are busy without a machine. In reviews, "I added X opportunities worth Y" is the strongest proof of a sustainable pipeline. It is the metric that separates one-quarter flashes from consistent performers.