# Scenario Forecast

Scenario Forecast shows time-phased projections of your planned changes — when they take effect, headcount and cost over time, and before/after comparisons.

## Accessing

Open any scenario > click the view dropdown > select **Forecast**.

<figure><img src="https://2094208261-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCZc46qaaBbVmMuYXPfgz%2Fuploads%2FyEKTinHrmRjDOaXxoGKk%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=c410f285-b638-4d42-9630-9ed017b2944e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Configuration

* **Row aggregator** — Department, Location, Country, Employee Type, Manager, Job Title, or any custom field
* **Metric** — Headcount (count of positions) or Cost (monetary projection)
* **Monetary fields (cost view)** — Select which compensation components to include: Salary, Bonuses, Allowances, Stock, Benefits, custom fields
* **Time period** — Monthly (detailed hiring plans), Quarterly (most common for planning and reporting), Yearly (multi-year strategy, shows up to 5 years)

**Before / After / Changes toggle:**

* **Show Before** — Main Org baseline extended over time

<figure><img src="https://2094208261-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCZc46qaaBbVmMuYXPfgz%2Fuploads%2FA98QTUVSDKhxohtam7LC%2FScreenshot%202026-03-05%20at%201.42.58%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=a1609ca6-b6d3-4295-87cc-8b59e694f68e" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* **Show After** — All scenario changes applied; view full proposed state

<figure><img src="https://2094208261-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCZc46qaaBbVmMuYXPfgz%2Fuploads%2FBtRP3VEuDb7v3QToqSPS%2FScreenshot%202026-03-05%20at%201.43.18%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1caf3262-446e-4de9-a7ea-e475ea5ff5c6" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* **Show Changes** — Delta only (+ and −); most useful for communicating impact

<figure><img src="https://2094208261-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FCZc46qaaBbVmMuYXPfgz%2Fuploads%2FXAD1h2XTW84B1HiaQ0ZS%2FScreenshot%202026-03-05%20at%201.43.41%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=1d0cd05b-4937-4805-9373-9102dfd19777" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## How Effective Dates Work in Forecast

When you change a position's department with an effective date of July 1, 2026:

* **Through Q2** — the position appears in its original department
* **From Q3 onward** — the position appears in its new department

Without an effective date, changes are treated as immediate — the position appears in the new state for all time periods.

**Example (Show After, Quarterly):**

| Department      | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
| --------------- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Network Ops     | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 |
| Ops & Logistics | 30 | 30 | 35 | 35 |

5 positions moved in Q3.

## Common Use Cases

**Phased hiring plan** — Add positions with hire dates across Q1–Q4 > Monthly/Quarterly > Headcount > Show Changes → see exactly when each hire hits headcount and cost.

**Phased reorg** — Assign different effective dates to different teams > Quarterly > Show Changes → see the gradual transition by department.

**Budget impact** — Make changes (promotions, hires, closures) > Cost view > Salary + Bonus > Show Changes → quarterly cost delta per department.

**Scenario comparison** — View Scenario A in Forecast (note projections) > open Scenario B > compare timing and magnitude.

## FAQ

**Can different positions in the same scenario have different effective dates?** Yes — each position can have its own effective date

**What's the difference between Hire dates vs. effective dates?**

Use hire dates for new positions being filled; use effective dates for changes to existing positions (reorganizations, transfers, attribute changes).

## Related Articles

* [Time-Based Planning](https://docs.agentnoon.com/scenarios/time-based-planning)
* [Forecast Overview](https://docs.agentnoon.com/forecast/overview)
* [Forecast Navigation](https://docs.agentnoon.com/forecast/navigation)