Creating a Forecast or Rolling Forecast Layout

Create a forecast or rolling forecast layout to look back at Actuals data for time periods before a cut-over date, and look ahead to forecast data for subsequent time periods.

Prerequisites

The table in your story should have a version with data that you want to use for the forecast periods. If it does not have one, you can use Version Management to create one. For more information, see Creating Versions.

Context

The Forecast Layout tab has the following sections:

  • Layout

    Layout fields Information
    Look back on Select the version to use for looking back.
    Look ahead on Select the version for forecasting or looking ahead.
    Cut-over date
    Options for cut-over date:

    • Today: The current date; this is the default choice.

    • Specific Date: In Select member for <Time>, select the date.

      You can also set a dynamic time filter.

    • Last Booked (Actuals): This means the latest date of data entered for the Actuals version.

  • Timeframe: options include the following:

    Type: Forecast Granularity:
    • Quarter
    • Month
    Look back additional: number of intervals
    • Year
    • Quarter
    • Month
    Look ahead additional: number of intervals
    • Year
    • Quarter
    • Month
    Type: Rolling Forecast  
    Look back: number of intervals
    • Year
    • Quarter
    • Month
    Look ahead: number of intervals
    • Year
    • Quarter
    • Month
  • Calculation: has one field – Sum for – which has the following options:
    • Cut-over Year
    • All
    • Look ahead
    • None
  • Additional Versions: if you have more versions, you can use them in your layout.

Procedure

  1. Select your table.
  2. In the Builder tab, select Start of the navigation pathCross-tab Next navigation step  Forecast LayoutEnd of the navigation path.
  3. In the Layout section, select the versions to look back on and look ahead on, as well as a Cut-over date.
  4. In the Timeframe section, select the Type and the granularity options.
  5. In the Calculation section, select a sum option.
  6. Choose Apply.

Results

The table now shows actual and forecast values. The Builder panel displays the Forecast information for Cut-over date and Sum for.