Forecast Locking

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Forecast Locking prevents forecast values from being modified after a planning period has been reviewed and approved. By locking completed planning periods, organizations can preserve approved forecasts, maintain planning consistency, and prevent unintended changes.

Overview #

Forecast Locking is an important part of the forecasting process within SAFIO. Once a forecast has been reviewed and finalized, locking the appropriate planning periods ensures those values remain consistent for purchasing, inventory planning, reporting, and other downstream business activities.

Locking forecasts helps establish a controlled planning process by separating periods that are still under review from those that have been approved. This provides confidence that everyone throughout the organization is working from the same planning assumptions.

Depending on your organization’s forecasting process, forecast locking may be performed by planners, managers, or system administrators.

Before You Begin #

Before locking a forecast, verify that:

All forecast adjustments have been completed.
Stakeholders have reviewed and approved the forecast, if required.
The forecast accurately reflects expected demand for the planning period.
Any required imports or updates have been completed.
You have the appropriate permissions to lock forecast periods.

Step-by-Step Instructions #

[NEED TO BE REVIEWED/UPDATED WITH SAFIO-SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS]

Open the Forecast Editor.
Review the forecast values for the planning period.
Confirm that all required forecast adjustments have been completed.
Initiate the Forecast Locking process.
Verify that the planning period has been successfully locked.

Note: The exact locking process may vary depending on your organization’s configuration and user permissions.

Expected Results #

After successfully locking a forecast:

The selected planning period is protected from further edits.
Forecast values remain available for reporting and analysis.
Users without appropriate permissions cannot modify locked forecast values.
The locked forecast becomes the approved planning baseline until it is intentionally unlocked.

Tips & Best Practices #

Lock forecasts only after the planning review process is complete.
Establish a consistent schedule for locking planning periods.
Limit locking and unlocking permissions to authorized users.
Review forecast values carefully before locking.
Use the Forecast Audit Log to review significant forecast changes prior to approval.

Troubleshooting #

I can’t edit a forecast value.

The planning period may already be locked. Verify the lock status or contact your system administrator.

I don’t see the option to lock forecasts.

Your security role may not include permission to perform forecast locking.

A locked forecast needs to be updated.

If business conditions change after a forecast has been locked, an authorized user may need to unlock the planning period before changes can be made.