What this article covers
Use Setup → Forecast to build forward-looking forecast scenarios (e.g., base case, optimistic, worst case) that you can compare against actuals in Reporting.
This article does NOT cover:
Uploading actuals from your ERP via Excel or CSV → see Excel & CSV uploads.
Running Finstack reports inside Excel via the Office Add-in (a separate report-fetching use of the same Add-in) → see Excel sheet integration.
What is a Forecast? What is a Scenario?
A Forecast is a container. Inside each Forecast you create one or more Scenarios — variants of the same forecast (e.g., Base case, Best case, Worst case). Each scenario has its own structure, method, granularity, and values.
How do I create a new forecast?
Go to Setup → Forecast.
Click Add forecast (top right).
Enter a name and save.
How do I create a scenario inside a forecast?
Click the "+" icon on the right of an existing forecast to add a scenario.
Configure:
Scenario name — e.g., Base case.
Structure — the reporting structure the scenario follows.
Method — how you'll populate the scenario: Excel Add-in, Google Sheets, or Manual (direct entry).
Detail scenario — Consolidated (one forecast covering the whole group) or Per entity (a forecast per entity, with a consolidated view that sums them).
Detail P&L and Balance Sheet — the line-item granularity. Available options depend on the method (see below).
Default time frame — sets the calendar.
Press Save.
🚨 Changes or deletions in Setup → Structure directly affect scenarios that reference that structure.
Which method should I choose?
All three methods support both Consolidated and Per entity scenarios. They differ in where you work and how granular the forecast can be.
Excel Add-in
Where you work: in Excel, via Finstack's Office Add-in (live sync).
Granularity: reporting (mapping) level only.
Multi-entity: a single sheet covers all entities via an entity column.
Best when: your forecast model lives in Excel.
Google Sheets
Where you work: in Google Sheets, linked to Finstack (live sync).
Granularity: reporting (mapping) level only.
Multi-entity: a single sheet covers all entities via an entity column.
Best when: you want team collaboration in a shared sheet.
Manual
Where you work: directly inside Finstack, with optional Excel upload.
Granularity: reporting (mapping) level, General Ledger Account (GLA) level, or cost center level.
Multi-entity: one entity at a time (switch via dropdown).
Best when: you want the most granular forecast, or you need to make quick edits.
Can I forecast at GLA level or cost-center level?
The Detail P&L and Balance Sheet option when creating a scenario sets the line-item granularity of the scenario. Available choices depend on the method:
Reporting (mapping) level — forecast at the level of the lines in your reporting structure. Available in all three methods (Excel Add-in, Google Sheets, Manual).
General Ledger Account (GLA) level — forecast at the individual ledger account level. Available only with the Manual method.
Cost center level — forecast P&L lines per cost center per GLA; the Balance Sheet stays at GLA level. Available only with the Manual method.
If you need GLA-level or cost-center-level granularity, use the Manual method.
Method 1: Excel Add-in
Push scenario values straight from your Excel file to Finstack and back, via the Finstack Office Add-in. Useful when your forecast model is built in Excel.
How do I set up an Excel Add-in scenario?
In Setup → Forecast, create a scenario with Method: Excel Add-in.
Configure Scenario name, Structure, Detail scenario (Consolidated or Per entity).
Use the Finstack Excel Add-in to:
Pull the scenario template into your Excel file.
Populate values in Excel (with your model logic, calculations, additional tabs, etc.).
Push values back to Finstack.
Can I forecast multiple entities in one Excel file?
Yes. For Per entity scenarios, the Excel template includes an entity column — one tab (and thus one file) covers all entities. You do not need a separate file per entity.
For installation and authentication of the Excel Add-in, see Excel sheet integration.
Method 2: Google Sheets
Step 1: Prepare the sheet
Create a Google Sheets, or copy our template. Your forecast model lives in a tab you choose (e.g., Calculations), which feeds (from) the Finstack-managed tabs.
Step 2: Connect the sheet
In Setup → Forecast, create a scenario with Method: Google Sheets.
Configure Scenario name, Structure, Detail scenario (Consolidated or Per entity).
In Finstack, copy the service account email.
In your Google Sheet, share it (top right → Share) with that service account as Editor.
Copy the sheet URL and paste it back into Finstack.
Choose whether to include IC Eliminations and Adjustments, then Save.
Finstack will create two tabs in your sheet:
[Finstack] Actuals — populated by Finstack. Do not edit. Reference these values in your Calculations tab to incorporate actuals into your model.
[Finstack] Forecasts — populated by you (via your Calculations tab). These values are written back to Finstack.
Step 3: Sync forecast values between the sheet and Finstack
Open the scenario in Finstack and click Open (top right) to view the sheet.
In the [Finstack] Actuals tab, click Fetch actuals to refresh with the latest actuals.
In the [Finstack] Forecasts tab, click Upload scenario to push your forecast values back.
Can I forecast multiple entities in one Google Sheet?
Yes. For Per entity scenarios, the Finstack-managed tabs include an entity column — one sheet covers all entities. You do not need a separate sheet per entity.
What happens if I edit on both sides?
🚨 Always sync changes from one side to the other after edits. If you edit values in both Finstack and the sheet without syncing, the two sides will diverge.
Why does Finstack return an error or not create tabs in my Google Sheet?
The most common cause: the file is an Excel file (.xlsx) opened in Google Sheets, not a native Google Sheet. Finstack's integration cannot read or write tabs on an Excel file in that mode.
To fix this:
Open the sheet in Google Sheets.
Go to File → Save as Google Sheets (top-left menu).
A new native Google Sheet is created.
Use the URL of that new sheet when connecting to Finstack.
You can tell a sheet is in Excel mode by the .xlsx label next to the title at the top.
Why is my Google Sheet disconnected from Finstack?
A connected Google Sheet typically becomes disconnected for one of two reasons:
The reporting structure has changed in Finstack (most common). If you updated the structure in Setup → Structure, the Finstack-managed tabs in your Google Sheet no longer match. Open the scenario and use Reset sheet in Finstack — this recreates the [Finstack] Actuals and [Finstack] Forecasts tabs based on the current structure (existing data in those tabs is lost).
The Google Sheet is no longer reachable. Common variations: the sheet was moved to the trash, the Finstack service account lost Editor access, ownership was transferred, the sheet was moved to a folder or Shared Drive where the service account doesn't have access, the [Finstack]-managed tabs were deleted, or Google Workspace sharing policies tightened. Restore the sheet at its original URL and re-share it with the Finstack service account as Editor. Once access is restored, the Reset sheet button becomes available — use it to recreate the managed tabs.
If the issue persists, reach out via the chat interface within Finstack.
How do I refresh the sheet after changing the Forecast structure?
Use Reset sheet (top right of the linked Google Sheet). This recreates the Finstack-managed tabs based on the current Forecast structure. Existing data in those tabs is lost.
You can link Google Slides to your Google Sheet to build management report slides that auto-update with the latest values.
Method 3: Manual (with Excel import)
Enter values directly inside Finstack, or work offline via a static Excel file that you download, edit, and re-upload. Useful when you want the most granular forecast (GLA or cost center level) or just need to make quick edits.
How do I enter forecast values directly in Finstack?
Open the scenario.
For Per entity scenarios, select the entity via the dropdown in the top-right corner. The Consolidated option shows the sum across entities.
Enter values:
Type directly into cells, or
Copy-paste row-by-row from a spreadsheet (Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V).
Use whole numbers; costs and other negatives are indicated with a minus sign.
Switch between P&L and Balance Sheet via the tabs (top left). The Cash Flow forecast is derived automatically from both, using the CFS references in Setup → Mapping.
How do I import or export a static Excel file?
You can also work offline via a static Excel file:
Click Export (top right) to download the current scenario as an Excel file.
Edit values in Excel (no live sync; this is a one-off file).
Click Import to upload the file back. You can do a full upload or upload only specific periods — periods not present in the file retain their previous values.
This is not the same as the Excel Add-in method. The Add-in syncs live; this is a manual download/upload of a static file. Use this when you don't have the Excel Add-in installed, or you just want a quick offline edit.
The Excel import/export within the Manual method covers one entity at a time, matching the dropdown workflow. To cover all entities in a single file, use the Excel Add-in method instead.
How do I view a specific timeframe?
Use the calendar icon (top right) to filter by months, quarters, or years.
Can I forecast for multiple entities at once?
Consolidated scenarios model a group-level forecast covering the entire organisation. This aligns with All entities selected in the Reporting filter.
Per entity scenarios hold a separate forecast per entity. The *Consolidated* view in Reporting shows the sum across entities.
For Per-entity scenarios:
Excel Add-in and Google Sheet methods: all entities live in one spreadsheet with an entity column — no need to maintain separate files per entity.
Manual method: switch between entities using the dropdown (top right). Update each entity separately. Excel import/export within this method covers one entity at a time.
How do I update or delete a forecast or scenario?
Use the pencil icon to rename, and the garbage-bin icon to delete a forecast or scenario.
How do forecasts appear in Reporting?
Forecasts mirror the structure of your P&L and Balance Sheet (Setup → Structure). When multiple entities are selected in the entity filter, Per-entity forecasts are automatically aggregated.
To view scenarios tied to a specific structure, select the matching structure in the Reporting filter.
How do I handle intercompany (IC) transactions in forecast scenarios? Can I apply IC eliminations to a scenario?
Finstack does not currently apply automatic IC eliminations to forecast scenarios.
The recommended approach is to build your forecast at both Consolidated and Per-entity levels in parallel:
Consolidated scenario (Detail scenario: Consolidated) — enter group-level figures directly. IC eliminations are not needed because you're modelling the consolidated outcome, not the underlying entity flows.
Per-entity scenario (Detail scenario: Per entity) — enter values per entity, without manually applying eliminations. The consolidated view of this scenario will be overstated because IC transactions between entities are not eliminated.
Use the Consolidated scenario for the true group-level forecast. Use the Per-entity scenario for entity-level analysis, knowing the rolled-up total is inflated by un-eliminated IC.
Tip: give your scenarios distinguishable names so you can tell them apart at a glance in Reporting. A common convention is to use a prefix — e.g., Conso Base case 2026 and Entity Base case 2026.