Rolling Forecast

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to perform predictive forecasting

One of the built-in planning functions in SAC is a rolling forecast configuration that allows users to define a “look back and look forward” template for a rolling forecast visualization.

Using the rolling forecast layout, users can access a rolling forecast panel to setup and define their visualization.

  1. Within the current story select Edit (If not already in the edit view).

  2. Add a new Canvas Page to your current open story. Select the Add (+) button then select Add Canvas Page.

  1. Use the left Side Panel button to display the list of assets which can be added to the story.

  2. Drag and drop the table widget onto the canvas. You will see that the same data source as before is already assigned.

  1. As we are using the same Data Source as before, Accounts should already be selected under Rows. (If not, please add it back in via Add Dimension under Rows).

  1. Under Columns select Organisation and Date.

  1. Click on Version under Filters

  1. Set the filters to Actual and Forecast. Then select OK.

  1. Under Columns select the filter icon for Date then select the Filter by Member…

  1. Expand 2020.

  1. Expand Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4.

  2. Select each month within each quarter individually to select monthly time frame (if you select them at Quarter Level it will only select the Quarter itself).

  3. Continue with this step for all the months within the quarters.

  4. Select OK when all months have been selected.

  1. Once the months have been selected the following table is returned.

Note

You can increase the size of your table by dragging it from the bottom right.

  1. To view some of the data, expand Net Income > Operating Income > Organization > North America.

Note

Once

  1. Right-click on the Date cell.

  2. Select Show/Hide.

  3. Select Unbooked.

  1. Notice that we can see 12 months of booked and unbooked data for 2020 for both the Actuals and Forecast Versions.

We now want to setup a rolling forecast layout to see 2020 by month and configure our Actuals and Forecast view.

  1. In the Builder Panel under the Table Structure section, select the Cross-tab icon and select Forecast Layout.

  1. You can ignore the warning message by selecting OK.

  1. This will bring up the Forecast Layout configuration panel. Configure the panel as follows:

  • Look back on: Actual

  • Look ahead on: Forecast

  • Cut-over date : Last booked (Actuals)

  • Type: Rolling Forecast

  • Look back: 3 (Month)

  • Look ahead: 9 (Month)

  • Sum for: Cut-over Year

  1. Then select Apply.

This will now set up the visualization to show 12 months of Actuals and Forecast data based on when the month of Actuals data is booked. In this scenario we have 3 months of Actuals data and 9 months of Forecast data. If a change is applied to the Actuals data set the visualization will automatically update and adjust the visualization.

  1. You can examine the changes made by the forecast in the table by yourself.

  2. Save your Story.

One of the built-in planning functions in SAC is a rolling forecast configuration that allows users to define a “look back and look forward” template for a rolling forecast visualization.

Using the rolling forecast layout, users can access a rolling forecast panel to setup and define their visualization.

  1. Within the current story select Edit (If not already in the edit view).

  2. Add a new Canvas Page to your current open story. Select the Add (+) button then select Add Canvas Page.

  1. Use the left Side Panel button to display the list of assets which can be added to the story.

  2. Drag and drop the table widget onto the canvas. You will see that the same data source as before is already assigned.

  1. As we are using the same Data Source as before, Accounts should already be selected under Rows. (If not, please add it back in via Add Dimension under Rows).

  1. Under Columns select Organisation and Date.

  1. Click on Version under Filters

  1. Set the filters to Actual and Forecast. Then select OK.

  1. Under Columns select the filter icon for Date then select the Filter by Member…

  1. Expand 2020.

  1. Expand Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4.

  2. Select each month within each quarter individually to select monthly time frame (if you select them at Quarter Level it will only select the Quarter itself).

  3. Continue with this step for all the months within the quarters.

  4. Select OK when all months have been selected.

  1. Once the months have been selected the following table is returned.

Note

You can increase the size of your table by dragging it from the bottom right.

  1. To view some of the data, expand Net Income > Operating Income > Organization > North America.

Note

Once

  1. Right-click on the Date cell.

  2. Select Show/Hide.

  3. Select Unbooked.

  1. Notice that we can see 12 months of booked and unbooked data for 2020 for both the Actuals and Forecast Versions.

We now want to setup a rolling forecast layout to see 2020 by month and configure our Actuals and Forecast view.

  1. In the Builder Panel under the Table Structure section, select the Cross-tab icon and select Forecast Layout.

  1. You can ignore the warning message by selecting OK.

  1. This will bring up the Forecast Layout configuration panel. Configure the panel as follows:

  • Look back on: Actual

  • Look ahead on: Forecast

  • Cut-over date : Last booked (Actuals)

  • Type: Rolling Forecast

  • Look back: 3 (Month)

  • Look ahead: 9 (Month)

  • Sum for: Cut-over Year

  1. Then select Apply.

This will now set up the visualization to show 12 months of Actuals and Forecast data based on when the month of Actuals data is booked. In this scenario we have 3 months of Actuals data and 9 months of Forecast data. If a change is applied to the Actuals data set the visualization will automatically update and adjust the visualization.

  1. You can examine the changes made by the forecast in the table by yourself.

  2. Save your Story.

Learning
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