Forecast downloads/uploads
Please note: This feature is only available in the advanced forecasting module.
Easily download forecasts to a CSV file so that mass changes can be made in Excel (or another spreadsheet program) and then uploaded back into the App, instead of making the changes directly in the App using the multi-item manual forecast adjustment.
Navigation to the forecast download/upload functionality is via the multi-item manual forecast adjustment. Once you have the list of items you wish to review for forecast amendment, simply follow these steps below.
Step 1: Download items to a CSV file
Once you have filtered the items in the multi-forecasting page to get to a manageable list, simply click the Download button to download all of those items to a CSV file.
Step 2: Modify forecasts in your spreadsheet app
Within the file there are four sets of monthly columns:
Hist shows the sales history
Computer is the app generated forecast
Final is the forecast being used (including any manual forecasts)
Upload columns are for your forecast amendments (blank by default)
To make the required changes to the CSV file:
Open the CSV file in Excel, Google sheets, etc.
To amend forecasts, use the columns labelled "Upload". You only need to populate values for the months you want to change.
Save the CSV file.
If you would like to revert manual forecasts back to the computer forecast, simply copy the forecasts from the "Computer" columns into the "Upload" columns. Hint: Manual forecasts can be identified in the CSV file using the column "Manual FC".
Note: It is important to retain column A (important identifiers) and the forecast upload columns (named "Upload: <date>"). Without ALL of these columns the upload of your forecast changes will fail.
Step 3: Upload the CSV file
Click the Upload button then Choose file, locate the CSV file you just saved and the upload will automatically start. Upon completion you will either be notified:
Of any errors processing the file.
That the file has been imported successfully.
Click the Reload now button to refresh the page with the updated forecasts.
Step 4: Apply the forecast changes
Any forecast changes made are not “live” until you click the Apply (tick) button, which applies the adjusted forecasts to the live data. In addition to the Apply button, you can also click Undo to disregard the changes.
After reloading the page, any forecasts that you changed will be highlighted with a green background. In the below example, 5 months of forecast have been changed.
By clicking Apply, all of the changes you made to any forecast in the spreadsheet will be applied and the forecasts will be frozen.
You can also elect to defrost any forecasts which now match the computer forecast using the provided checkbox. This will allow the app to automatically adjust the forecast again. If you prefer that all uploaded forecasts are frozen, even if they match the computer forecast, then be sure to deselect the checkbox.
During this process, you are able to enter a comment this comment will be added against the products with amended forecasts only. This is useful in keeping a record of when and why forecast changes were made.
Step 5: Perform a re-process
A final step to re-process the data is required to have those forecast adjustments impact ordering, classification and status determination.
You may be interested in the following articles to learn more about each function of the Advanced Forecasting Module: