Guide Categories
Forecasts
Plan your business future with comprehensive financial forecasting tools.
Overview
Forecasts in Accounter help you predict future financial performance, plan cash flow, and make informed business decisions based on projected scenarios.
These powerful forecasting tools enable you to model different business scenarios, track performance against predictions, and adjust strategies proactively.
Forecast Types
Accounter supports various types of financial forecasts to meet different planning needs:
- Revenue forecasts - Predict future sales and income streams
- Expense projections - Estimate upcoming costs and expenditures
- Cash flow forecasts - Model incoming and outgoing cash movements
- Budget comparisons - Compare actual performance against planned budgets
- Profit & Loss projections - Forecast overall profitability
- Balance sheet forecasts - Project future financial position
Creating Forecasts
To create and configure forecasts:
- Navigate to Settings → Forecasts
- Click New Forecast to create a forecast
- Define forecast parameters and methodology
- Set time periods and reporting intervals
- Input baseline historical data
- Configure growth assumptions and variables
- Set up scenario variations (optimistic, realistic, pessimistic)
- Generate and review forecast reports
- Schedule automatic updates and notifications
Pro Tip
Start with historical data to create more accurate forecasts. Use at least 12 months of data for better predictions and trend analysis.
Forecast Features
Accounter's forecasting system includes powerful features for comprehensive planning:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Multiple Scenario Planning | Create optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic scenarios |
| Trend Analysis | Identify patterns and trends in historical data |
| Variance Reporting | Compare actual results against forecasted values |
| Automatic Updates | Refresh forecasts with new data automatically |
| Rolling Forecasts | Continuously updated forecasts that roll forward |
| Custom Time Periods | Define forecast periods that match your business cycle |
Best Practices
- Use historical data as baseline - Build forecasts on solid historical foundation
- Update forecasts regularly - Keep forecasts current with monthly or quarterly updates
- Consider multiple scenarios - Plan for best, worst, and most likely outcomes
- Document assumptions clearly - Record the reasoning behind forecast inputs
- Monitor actual vs. forecast performance - Track accuracy and adjust methodology
- Involve key stakeholders - Get input from department heads and managers
- Use conservative estimates - Better to exceed conservative forecasts than miss optimistic ones
- Test forecast sensitivity - Understand how changes in key variables affect outcomes
Note
Review and update your forecasts monthly to maintain accuracy and relevance for business planning. Regular updates help identify trends early and improve decision-making.