Best Way to Forecast with this Data

[pplpeople8]

Hi -

I need help determining the best way to forecast for the following year end forecast value.

The 'Xs' represent the data I have available to me to leverage. Ideas??? Thanks!!!

[TABLE="width: 500"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Months:[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Total[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2018[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]*FORECAST*[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2017[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2016[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2015[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[TD]x[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[AhoyNC]

Re: Best Way to Forecast with this Data - HELP!

Maybe this link on forecasting will help.
With you only showing X for data its hard to give any ideas - is there a trend, is the data seasonal, are the past years representative of this year, etc?

http://highered.mheducation.com/site...01_ch03qxd.pdf

 

[pplpeople8]

Re: Best Way to Forecast with this Data - HELP!

Hi AhoyNC -

The past years would be representative of this year, but with a greater weight on the most recent months/years.

Regarding trend, there should be some.

The above table would be for one Expense Account. I have this table x 100 Expense Accounts. So I'm trying forecast for each account, which would then supply my TOTAL forecast of all accounts.

 

[ELLKK]

Re: Best Way to Forecast with this Data - HELP!

I am guessing you have the data in monthly numbers, right, and want the results in monthly as well? This is a good tool for forecasting, but it breaks it out into weekly and daily numbers so probably wouldn't work for you???