Forecasting planning and analysis

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Forecasting Planning and Analysis

    The Forecasting Planning and Analysis feature in ServiceNow allows customers to simulate various scenarios to improve planning accuracy. It supports creating, saving, visualizing, and comparing multiple forecast analyses, helping organizations make more informed decisions based on potential future outcomes. This feature is available for installation from the ServiceNow Store and accessed via the list icon after installation.

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    Key Features

    • Analysis Contexts: These group related analyses for specific use cases, enabling systematic organization and management of multiple forecasts. Customers define an analysis context by selecting a metric (manual, automated, or calculated) and specifying forecast periods and historical data usage (minimum 12 historical periods required).
    • Analysis Creation: Within an analysis context, users create multiple analyses by selecting forecasting methods and adjusting formula parameters. Each analysis models different outcome scenarios based on changes or interventions.
    • Forecasts: Each analysis generates a standard forecast graph representing baseline metric performance without external changes. Customers can create forecast interventions by adjusting input parameters to explore alternative outcomes. Both standard and adjusted forecasts are visualized for comparison.
    • Comparison of Analyses: After publishing, customers can compare up to five analyses visually via comparison graphs. This helps understand how different interventions impact forecasts and supports strategic planning. Note that parameters cannot be changed after publishing.

    Practical Use and Benefits

    ServiceNow customers can leverage this feature to simulate and compare multiple forecasting scenarios, providing a comprehensive view of possible future states. The structured approach—using analysis contexts and multiple analyses—ensures thorough consideration of relevant data and assumptions. Visualizing standard and adjusted forecasts side-by-side aids in identifying the best course of action and mitigating risks. The ability to compare analyses directly helps users make data-driven, strategic decisions that improve planning outcomes.

    You can use the forecast planning and analysis feature to simulate various scenarios. The forecast planning and analysis tools enable for the creation, saving, visualization, and comparison of multiple analyses, enabling better planning.

    You can install Forecast planning analysis from the ServiceNow Store. After installation, you can navigate to Forecast planning analysis by selecting the list icon List icon..

    Analysis contexts

    An analysis context is used to group different analyses for a specific use case. This context enables you to organize and manage multiple analyses within a single, cohesive structure. Creating an analysis context involves selecting a metric definition or a metric that you want to simulate and specifying the number of periods to forecast and the number of previous periods of data to use. By setting up an analysis context, you can help confirm that all relevant analyses are considered and compared systematically, providing a comprehensive view of potential outcomes.
    Note:
    You can choose a manual, automated, or calculated metric definition when creating analysis contexts. You must have at least 12 periods of historical data for forecast planning analysis. This provides the necessary foundation for simulating different analyses.

    Analysis creations

    An analysis is a simulation that models different outcomes based on specific interventions or changes. After creating an analysis context record, you can create different analyses. You can create the analysis by selecting the forecast method and adjusting the formula parameters. These analyses can be used to compare the outcomes with other analyses and make informed decisions for future planning.

    Forecasts

    After creating an analysis record, a standard forecast graph and adjustable parameters are generated. This standard forecast acts as a baseline, showing how the metric would likely perform if no external changes were made. The original values used for the forecast are displayed for each of the parameter fields. In the following example a calculated metric definition is used to display the forecast model.

    The following example shows a generated standard forecast.
    Figure 1. Example of importing a template
    IStandard forecast. For the text description, refer to the text that preceded this example.

    You can create forecast interventions, to explore different possible outcomes by updating input parameters. A graph is generated showing the standard forecast and the new adjusted forecast.

    The following example shows a generated standard and adjusted forecast.
    Figure 2. Example of importing a template
    Adjusted forecast. For the text description, refer to the text that preceded this example.
    After creating and publishing multiple analyses and forecasts, you can compare the analyses and view a graph that captures the data for each analysis you select.
    Note:
    After publishing an analysis and forecast, you can't change the parameters.

    By comparing these analyses, you can better understand the potential impacts of your decisions, aiding in more strategic and informed planning.

    The following example shows a generated comparison graph for two different analyses.
    Figure 3. Example of a Comparison
    Comparison of two analysis as a forecast graph. For the text description, refer to the text that preceded this example.
    Note:
    You can select up to five analysis records for comparison. If the selected analysis have adjusted values, those are plotted in the comparison. Otherwise, the standard forecast values are plotted.