Likely ranges for sales, cash and stock, built from your own history, with the assumptions written down.
What it is
Planning stock, staff and cash is easier when you have a sensible view of what’s coming. Most businesses already have the history to build one, in their shop and accounting software.
We build forecasts from your own data in Shopify, WooCommerce, Xero, QuickBooks, Sage or NetSuite. They show a likely range rather than a single number, with every assumption written down, and we update them as new data comes in.
Getting your accounting software set up first? See Accounting and finance systems.
Who it’s for
Businesses planning stock, staff or cash, owners preparing for seasonal peaks, and teams who want a better starting point than last year plus a guess.
Questions we can answer
Examples of the questions we can answer:
- What might sales look like next quarter?
- When are we likely to run short of stock?
- When could cash get tight?
- How much does the time of year affect demand?
What’s included
- Questions first: what you need to plan, and how far ahead.
- History check: your past data cleaned and checked, so the forecast starts from solid ground.
- Forecast: a likely range for sales, cash or stock, with seasonal patterns taken into account.
- Assumptions: written down in plain English, so you can see what would change the picture.
- Scenarios: what happens if things go better or worse than expected.
- Updates: optional monthly or quarterly refreshes, compared with what actually happened.
What you get
- A forecast shown as a likely range
- Written assumptions
- Better and worse scenarios
- A plain-English summary
- Optional regular updates
What we measure
- Forecast against actual
- Width of the forecast range
- Stock-outs
- Excess stock
- Cash low points spotted early
Done properly
- A range, not a promise: forecasts are estimates. We show how uncertain they are, and never present them as guarantees.
- Assumptions in writing: every forecast comes with the assumptions behind it, so you can challenge them.
- Secure access: named accounts, read-only wherever possible, and our access removed when the work ends.
Questions
How accurate will the forecast be?
It depends on your data and how steady your business is. We show a range rather than a single number, and compare each forecast with what actually happened.
How much history do we need?
More helps, especially to see seasonal patterns. We check what you have during the free audit and tell you honestly what’s possible.
Is this financial advice?
No. We’re not accountants. Forecasts help you plan, and your accountant still advises on tax and finance.
Can it update itself?
We can refresh it monthly or quarterly, or put it on a dashboard that updates automatically. See Business intelligence.
Pricing: bigger projects start with a fixed-price data audit from £950 + VAT. One-off analysis from £750 + VAT, with the questions and price agreed upfront. Regular reports from £350 + VAT a month. Every project starts with a free audit.
Delivered by: in-house by Studios 6.
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Talk to us about forecasting
Planning stock, staff or cash? Book a free audit and we’ll show you what your history can tell you.