Configure Planning Time and Actuals

This guide aligns a planning model's calendar, actuals, and forecast periods.

Before You Start

• Identify the decision horizon.
• Confirm the latest closed source period.
• Refresh the required planning sources.
• Save a named version before changing an established timeline.
• Tell active collaborators when the change affects shared views or reviews.

1. Choose Granularity

Open Model settings and select:

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Yearly

Choose the smallest period the decision requires.

2. Set the Date Range

Enter the start and end periods.

Check that the range includes:

• enough actual history to establish the starting point
• every forecast period needed for the decision
• seasonal periods when seasonality matters
• any covenant, board, or cash milestone under review

Changing granularity aligns dates to the selected period boundaries. Review the resulting start and end after the change.

3. Configure the Display

Choose the display settings needed by the audience.

• Turn on Use relative dates for Month 1, Quarter 1, or Year 1 sequences.
• Turn on Start relative dates at 0 when the model convention starts at Period 0.
• Turn on Use fiscal years and select the fiscal start month when needed.
• Turn on Highlight today to mark the current period visually.

Display settings do not refresh source data or move the actuals boundary.

4. Verify Actuals

1. Open the source controls.
2. Refresh each required source.
3. Wait for success or review the error.
4. Compare one known source period with the model.
5. Check units, signs, currency, and dimension mapping.

Do not move the last actual date beyond an unverified period.

5. Set the Last Actual Date

Turn on Last actual date and select the latest reviewed period.

The selected period becomes the cut-off for imported data. The next period becomes the first forecast period.

Check:

• actuals end at the boundary
• forecast formulas begin after the boundary
• no assumption unintentionally overwrites an imported period
• the first forecast period has every required opening balance

6. Recalculate and Review

If calculation is automatic, wait for the status to return to Up to date.

If manual mode is active:

1. Select Run calculation.
2. Wait for completion.
3. Review any failed or stale status.
4. Check the first forecast period.

7. Roll Forward After Close

When a new period closes:

1. Save a version of the pre-close forecast.
2. Refresh actuals.
3. Verify the newly closed period.
4. Open the roll-forward control.
5. Review included sources and linked models.
6. Move the last actual date.
7. Recalculate.
8. Compare the new forecast with the saved pre-close version.

Use a version label such as Pre-close forecast, June.

8. Update Views and Exports

Review saved views, charts, and export definitions after a timeline change.

Confirm:

• expected periods remain visible
• fiscal labels still make sense
• relative-date views still describe the right sequence
• comparison versions remain comparable
• exported columns match the new horizon

Troubleshoot

The new actual period does not appear

Refresh the source, confirm the dataset includes the period, and check the model's source link and date range.

The first forecast period is blank

Check opening balances, formulas, last actual date, and whether inputs begin in the correct period.

The model cannot shorten the range

Clear or move the last actual date first. Then check formulas or artifacts that reference removed periods.

A comparison version is marked Not comparable

The saved version can use a different granularity or currency. Preview it for context rather than treating the values as a direct comparison.

The roll-forward changed a linked model unexpectedly

Restore the pre-roll version if necessary, then repeat with the correct linked-model and source scope.

Next Steps

• Planning Time and Actuals
• Connect Planning Data and Actuals
• Review, Restore, and Export a Planning Model