Forecasting planning and analysis

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Forecasting Planning and Analysis

    The Forecast Planning and Analysis feature in ServiceNow allows users to simulate various scenarios, facilitating better decision-making and strategic planning. This tool enables the creation, saving, visualization, and comparison of multiple analyses to enhance forecasting capabilities.

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    Key Features

    • Analysis Contexts: Organize different analyses for specific use cases by grouping them within an analysis context. This helps in managing and comparing all relevant analyses systematically.
    • Creation of Analyses: Model different outcomes by creating analyses based on selected forecast methods and formula parameters. These are essential for making informed future planning decisions.
    • Forecast Generation: Upon creating an analysis, a standard forecast graph is generated, serving as a baseline to visualize potential performance without external changes. Users can also create forecast interventions to explore different outcomes.
    • Comparison of Analyses: After publishing analyses and forecasts, users can compare up to five selected analyses to understand the impacts of different decisions.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing the Forecast Planning and Analysis tools, ServiceNow customers can effectively simulate and assess potential outcomes, aiding in strategic planning and improving decision-making processes. The ability to visualize and compare multiple analyses empowers users to identify the best course of action based on comprehensive data insights.

    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
    Standard 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.