Many Forecast Pro users rely on the software’s expert selection capability to choose the appropriate forecasting techniques and generate the forecasts, and then “tweak” the forecasts as needed. One way to adjust a forecast is to change the forecasting method used; when you do this, a “forecast modifier” appears next to the item in the Navigator to record and maintain your selection. A second option for adjusting the statistical forecast is to apply overrides.
In this edition of Tips and Tricks, we explain how to import overrides and modifiers into Forecast Pro directly from Excel which can save substantial time if you work with large data sets.
Forecast Pro’s Expert Selection system can generate thousands of forecasts automatically; however, the automatic forecasting approach can fall short if the historical data do not represent a typical demand pattern for a given item because of certain events. For example, an unexpected large order may inflate the forecast for the following year, or a stockout may skew the forecast in the other direction. Similarly, promotional activity may occur at different times year-over-year. In this edition of Tips and Tricks, we’ll show you how to build Event Models in Forecast Pro to account for the impact of events, and introduce you to the new Event Manager in Forecast Pro TRAC Version 3.1 and Forecast Pro Unlimited Version 8.1.
