Marked content is Forecast Pro TRAC only
Forecast Pro Projects allow you to save your forecasting session so that you can return later and pick up where you left off or share the session with others. The Project saves the data, forecasts, overrides, Hot List, modifiers and all other information associated with the project as it exists when you save it. This data can also be exported to separate files which can be used, among other things, to share your work with others.
Additionally, Forecast Pro can export various types of output data including the fifteen following reports, which can be reviewed and customized on the Reports tab and exported from the Export tab.
Numeric Output Files can contain time series output such as history, forecasts, fitted values and confidence limits as well as statistical output such as the forecasting model specification and summary statistics. These files can be saved in text, spreadsheet, ODBC or XML formats. You can include output for either all items forecasted, for the currently displayed items including any filters applied or just for the Hot List. If you will be importing forecasts into another application, these are typically the files you will want to use.
Formatted Forecast Reports can be saved to Excel. You can save these reports for the currently displayed item, all items on the Hot List or all items forecasted. The Excel workbook will include a separate worksheet for each item containing a graph (optional) and the on-screen Forecast Report. These reports are convenient if you wish to present the forecasts and/or models used to colleagues.
The Item Report can be saved to Excel. This report can contain Pareto information, statistical output such as the forecasting model specification and summary statistics as well as time series output such as history, forecasts, fitted values and confidence limits. You can include output for either all items forecasted, for the currently displayed items including any filters applied or just for the Hot List.
The Outlier Report can be saved to Excel. This report lists items where outliers have been detected and/or corrected.
The Override Report can be saved to Excel. This report lists items where overrides and/or comments have been made.
[TRAC] Forecast Tracking Reports can be saved to Excel. You can save these reports for the currently displayed item, all items on the Hot List or all items forecasted. The Excel workbook will include a separate worksheet for each item containing a graph (optional) and the on-screen Tracking Report. These reports are only available if the database includes at least one archived forecast for the given item.
[TRAC] The Forecast vs. History, Forecast vs. Archive, Forecast Accuracy, FVA Global, Waterfall and Custom reports are all types of Exception Reports that can be saved to Excel. Each of the reports is helpful for reviewing history, forecasts, overrides, archived forecasts, external data and identifying unusual items that may need more review and customization.
[TRAC] The Mapping Report can be saved to Excel. This report lists all mapped history currently in your project.
[TRAC] The Product Mapping File and Mapped History File can be saved to Excel. These files are exported in the required formats for Mapping Files. Exporting these files and importing through the Data Manager is a convenient way to update mapped histories each forecast period.
Each of the above reports may be exported for all items in the project, for items on the Hot List or for only items included in the Current Display (including filters). The following sections discuss forecast projects and the output files listed above in more detail.