Forecast Settings
Location-level configuration for forecasting — day parts, operating hours, fiscal calendar, and forecast rules
Overview
Forecast Settings control the foundational parameters that drive how forecasts are generated for each location. These are configured by Admins in the Forecasting > Settings area.
Settings Categories
Forecast Configuration
The forecast configuration group defines the default behavior for forecast generation:
| Setting | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Default Projection Model | Which algorithm to use when auto-generating forecasts | Trailing Average |
| Trailing Window | Number of historical weeks used in trailing models | 6 weeks |
| Forecast Metric | Primary metric to project | Sales Dollars |
| Auto-Generate | Whether forecasts are created automatically when a new week begins | Yes |
| Assigned Locations | Which locations this configuration applies to | All / Selected |
Multiple forecast configurations can exist — one per location or shared across a group.
Operating Hours
Operating hours define when each location is open. These are used to:
- Determine the valid time range for day parts
- Calculate labor hours needed for open hours
- Exclude closed hours from projections
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Day of Week | Monday through Sunday |
| Open Time | When the location opens |
| Close Time | When the location closes |
| Is Closed | Whether the location is closed that day |
Operating hours are grouped — multiple locations can share the same hours group.
Day Parts
Day parts divide the operating day into segments for more granular forecasting and analysis:
| Day Part | Typical Hours | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 6 AM – 11 AM | Morning prep and breakfast service |
| Lunch | 11 AM – 3 PM | Peak mid-day staffing |
| Dinner | 3 PM – 9 PM | Evening service (typically highest sales) |
| Late Night | 9 PM – Close | Reduced staffing, closing duties |
Day parts affect:
- How sales projections are distributed within a day
- Labor matrix staffing levels (different rules per day part)
- Reporting breakdowns on the dashboard
Fiscal Calendar
The fiscal calendar defines your organization's financial periods:
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Week Start Day | Which day begins the operational week | Sunday |
| Period Type | 4-4-5, 4-5-4, or calendar month | Calendar Month |
| Fiscal Year Start | Month and day the fiscal year begins | January 1 |
The fiscal calendar affects:
- How weekly forecasts are bounded
- Period-over-period comparisons on dashboards
- Financial reporting alignment
Configuration Hierarchy
Settings follow a hierarchy with inheritance:
Organization (default for all locations)
└── Location Group (override for a subset)
└── Individual Location (specific override)A setting at a lower level overrides the org-wide default. This allows you to configure most settings once at the org level while customizing specific locations that have different needs.
Managing Settings
- Navigate to Forecasting in the sidebar
- Click the Settings gear icon
- Select the category tab (Configuration, Hours, Day Parts, Calendar)
- Choose the scope (Org-wide or specific location)
- Make changes and click Save
Changes to settings do not retroactively modify existing published forecasts. They take effect on the next forecast generation.