Forecasting planning and analysis

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Forecasting planning and analysis

    The Forecast planning and analysis feature in ServiceNow allows customers to simulate various scenarios by creating, saving, visualizing, and comparing multiple forecast analyses. This capability supports better strategic planning by enabling detailed exploration of potential future outcomes based on historical data and adjustable parameters.

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    This feature is available via installation from the ServiceNow Store and is accessible through the application’s navigation menu.

    Key Features

    • Analysis Contexts: Organize multiple analyses under a specific use case by selecting a metric definition or metric to simulate, along with defining the number of forecast periods and historical data periods (minimum 12 required). This ensures systematic consideration and comparison of relevant analyses.
    • Analysis Creation: Develop simulations based on different forecast methods and customizable formula parameters to model varied outcomes. Analyses are created within the framework of an analysis context.
    • Forecasts: Each analysis generates a standard forecast graph representing expected metric behavior without external changes. Users can create forecast interventions by adjusting input parameters, resulting in an adjusted forecast graph to explore alternate scenarios.
    • Comparison of Analyses: After publishing forecasts, customers can compare up to five analyses side-by-side via graphical views. The comparison highlights standard or adjusted forecast values, providing clear insights into the impact of different assumptions and decisions.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Empowers informed decision-making by simulating multiple future scenarios based on historical data and parameter changes.
    • Facilitates structured forecasting through organized contexts that group related analyses for comprehensive evaluation.
    • Supports dynamic planning by enabling forecast interventions and visual comparisons that reveal potential impacts of various strategies.
    • Ensures data-driven forecasting with a prerequisite of sufficient historical data (minimum 12 periods), improving reliability of simulations.

    Next Steps

    Customers interested in leveraging this capability should install the Forecast planning and analysis application from the ServiceNow Store, then proceed to:

    • Create analysis contexts by selecting appropriate metrics and defining forecast periods.
    • Build analyses by choosing forecast methods and adjusting parameters to simulate different scenarios.
    • Generate and publish forecasts, create interventions as needed.
    • Compare published analyses to identify optimal planning strategies.

    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.