SECTIONSServices Forecasts
In Services Forecasting, each forecast, whether for a project, a practice, or a region, is a plan record. When you view or work with a forecast, you are working with a plan. Forecasts are typically embedded on a project, practice, or region record page, so that you can view them directly from the relevant record. Because of this, the Certinia Help uses the term forecast to refer to a plan in Services Forecasting.
Forecast Table
The forecast table is the primary interface for viewing and working with forecast data. The forecast table consists of columns, rows, and cells.
Columns contain dimension values grouped together to establish a hierarchy. The lowest level of the column header represents the measure. For more information about dimensions and measures, see Dimensions and Measures.
Rows are organized using a tree view, where group rows provide subtotals and the lowest-level rows hold the individual data values. You can expand and collapse groups to focus on the level of detail you need.
Each cell is uniquely identified by its combination of dimension values and a measure. The cell displays the numeric value of the measure for that specific combination.
Dimensions
A dimension stores categorical data that organizes the forecast table. For example, the dimensions in a forecast can represent time periods, projects, practices, regions, milestones, and so on. Dimensions are displayed as either columns or rows in the forecast table.
The dimensions used in Services Forecasting forecasts are automatically created when the feature is enabled. For a full list of dimensions, see Services Forecasting Dimensions.
Measures
A measure stores a quantitative value in a forecast cell. For example, the measures in a forecast can represent revenue amount in corporate or record currency. The numeric value displayed in each cell is the value of the measure for the cell's combination of dimension values.
The measures used in Services Forecasting forecasts are automatically created when the feature is enabled. Measures that include (Corporate Currency) in their name are automatically linked to the unit that represents your corporate currency. For a full list of measures, see Services Forecasting Measures.
Forecast Data
Forecast data is sourced from Services Forecast Live dataset in Analytics. The dataset contains forecast data for your operational records, such as projects, milestones, assignments, and opportunities. Scheduled processes periodically refresh the data in the background to ensure that your forecasts reflect the latest operational data. A separate process then updates the Services Forecast Plans dataset with data from your forecasts, including any adjustments that you make. A separate process then combines the data from both datasets into the Services Forecast Reporting. The Services Forecast Reporting dataset powers dashboards that you can use for reporting. For more information, see Services Forecasting Scheduled Processes.
There are two types of forecasts in Services Forecasting:
- Project forecasts display the actual and forecasted revenue and cost for a single project. For more information, see Project Forecasts.
- Practice and region forecasts aggregate project and opportunity data across a practice or region. For more information, see Practice and Region Forecasts.
Project forecasts can roll up into practice and region forecasts, establishing a parent-child relationship between them. For more information, see Relationships Between Forecasts.