Introduction

Forecast Scenarios allow you to model different budget assumptions and staffing scenarios by layering adjustment overrides on top of your baseline position data. This enables side-by-side comparison of cost projections without modifying your approved position records.

Every organization has a Baseline scenario that represents the current approved state of your position data. You can then create Forecast scenarios that modify how adjustments are applied, allowing you to explore "what if" questions such as the impact of changing benefit rates, adding shift differentials, or excluding certain costs from a projection.

Accessing Forecast Scenarios

Forecast Scenarios are located under Position Settings. Navigate to the settings area and select Forecast Scenarios from the navigation. Access requires the Forecast Scenario permission.

The Baseline Scenario

The Baseline scenario is automatically created for your organization and represents the current approved truth for position calculations. It cannot be edited, deleted, or renamed. There is exactly one Baseline scenario per organization, and it is always marked as the default.

Baseline scenarios do not have an effective date or forecast start date, as they always reflect current approved values.

Creating a Forecast Scenario

To create a forecast scenario:

  1. Navigate to Forecast Scenarios and click Create Forecast Scenario.
  2. Enter a Name for the scenario. Names must be unique within your organization.
  3. Optionally enter a Description to explain the purpose of the scenario.
  4. Optionally set an Effective Date, which is the as-of date for evaluating approved position data.
  5. Optionally set a Forecast Start Date, which is the date from which forecast adjustment overrides begin applying. If both dates are provided, the effective date must be on or before the forecast start date.
  6. Click Save Changes.

Your organization may have a limit on the number of forecast scenarios that can be created. If you have reached the maximum, the create button will be unavailable.

Adjustment Overrides

Adjustment overrides are the core feature of forecast scenarios. They allow you to modify how baseline adjustments are applied within a scenario without changing the underlying adjustment records.

Each override targets a specific baseline adjustment and applies to a defined scope: a specific Position, Job Code, or Department.

Override Actions

There are two override actions:

  • Exclude: Removes the specified baseline adjustment from calculations within the target scope. For example, you could exclude a night shift differential from all positions in a particular department to model the cost impact of eliminating that differential.

  • Replace: Substitutes the specified baseline adjustment with a different adjustment within the target scope. For example, you could replace a 5% annual bonus with a 3% bonus for all positions under a specific job code to model a reduced bonus scenario.

Adding an Override

From the scenario detail page, click Add Override in the Adjustment Overrides section. Configure the following:

  1. Action: Choose Exclude or Replace.
  2. Scope: Choose whether this override applies at the Position, Job Code, or Department level.
  3. Source Adjustment: Select the baseline adjustment to exclude or replace.
  4. Replacement Adjustment: If the action is Replace, select the adjustment to use instead.
  5. Target: Select the specific position, job code, or department this override applies to, based on the chosen scope.
  6. Click Save Override.

Removing an Override

From the scenario detail page, click the remove button next to the override you wish to delete. You will be asked to confirm the removal.

Added Adjustments

In addition to overriding existing baseline adjustments, forecast scenarios allow you to add entirely new adjustments that only apply within the scenario. This is useful for modeling the introduction of new costs or benefits that do not yet exist in your baseline data.

Each added adjustment targets a specific scope: a Position, Job Code, or Department.

Adding an Adjustment to a Scenario

From the scenario detail page, click Add Adjustment in the Added Adjustments section. Configure the following:

  1. Adjustment: Select the adjustment to add to this scenario.
  2. Scope: Choose whether this adjustment applies at the Position, Job Code, or Department level.
  3. Target: Select the specific position, job code, or department this adjustment applies to, based on the chosen scope.
  4. Click Add Adjustment.

Removing an Added Adjustment

From the scenario detail page, click the remove button next to the added adjustment you wish to delete. You will be asked to confirm the removal.

Editing and Deleting Scenarios

You can edit a forecast scenario's name, description, effective date, and forecast start date from the scenario detail page by clicking Edit. The Baseline scenario cannot be edited.

To delete a forecast scenario, click Delete from the scenario detail or update page. Deleting a scenario permanently removes all of its overrides, added adjustments, and any cached calculation data. The Baseline scenario cannot be deleted.

Need Help?

If you have questions about forecast scenarios, please contact us or email us at support@ftetree.com.