1. Place the cursor in the planning table on the key figure (if you are planning the characteristic view) or the characteristic (if you are planning the key figure view) for which you want to carry out a forecast.
2. Select the columns of the periods you want to be forecasted by choosing Edit ® Select.

See also Selecting Columns in the Planning Table.

3. Choose Edit ® Forecast. Or, if you are planning product group or material sales quantities in the standard planning table, choose Edit ® Sales plan ® Forecast ® Execute.

The Model Selection dialog box appears.

4. Specify the start and finish dates of the period for which you want to forecast data.
5. Specify the start and finish dates of the historical period on which the forecast is to be based.



In standard SOP, the forecast is based on consumption data (historical usage data). In flexible planning, the historical values on which the forecast is based are actual data; that is, the forecast is based on the key figure values updated to information structures from the operational applications. In the case of level-by-level planning, you can define the forecast profile such that the forecast is based on consumption data or on the consumption data of a reference material. You maintain the reference material in the material master record.

6. Analyze the time series and, if necessary, correct the historical values (see Analyzing the Time Series and Modifying the Historical Values). Alternatively, you can base the forecast on the corrected historical values of the previous forecast version by setting the Corr. vals indicator in the forecast profile.
7. Check to see if the forecast profile displays settings you want to use. If not, choose a different forecast profile with Forecast profile.



Do not try to choose a different forecast profile by using the possible entries button in the field Profile.

8. Choose Perform forecast.

The Forecast Parameters dialog box appears.

9. Define the forecast parameters for the selected model.
10. Choose Perform forecast.

A dialog box displaying the forecast results appears (see Interpreting the Forecast Results).



If the forecast results are not what you expected, check the settings in your forecast profile.

11. If necessary, change the forecast results (see Changing the Forecast Results).
12. Flag the forecast results for saving in one of two ways:

– Choose Copy results if you want to copy the forecast results into the planning table.

– Choose Save if you want to save the forecast results in the forecast versions database but do not want to copy the forecast results into the planning table. The prerequisite for saving the results to the forecast database is that you have not set the indicator Do not save to forecast DB in Customizing (the Customizing activity is Set parameters of info structures and key figures).

13. To save the forecast version, you must save the planning version by choosing Planning ® Save in the planning table.

Forecast Versions

How to Run the Forecast with Mass Processing