Understanding and using the forecast vs actual page (EAP)

While the forecast page serves as a forward-looking planning tool, the Forecast vs. actual page provides a retrospective view, focusing on what was predicted compared to what actually happened and the causes of any variance.


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Workforce Management (WFM) or Workforce Engagement Management (WEM)







Summary: ◀▼
The forecast vs actual page helps you compare predicted and actual inbound volume, staffing, average handle time, and service levels. It shows variances and recent trends to improve planning and staffing decisions. You can view data by workstream and time intervals, analyze staffing needs versus attendance, and track SLA performance to better manage support operations and adjust resources based on real outcomes.





This feature is currently in an Early Access Program (EAP). You can
sign up for the EAP here.
While the forecast page serves as a forward-looking planning tool, the Forecast vs.
actual page provides a retrospective view, focusing on what was predicted compared to what
actually happened and the causes of any variance.
The forecast vs. actual page includes actual results, historical context, and
reconciliation adjustments when workstream definitions change. It displays a comparison of
your forecasted data and the actual outcomes for inbound volume, staffing, and average handle time at a given date and time. It also
shows your actual service levels and indicates whether these have been
met or missed.
For example, you usually receive about 50 tickets around 3 PM each day. However,
today you’ve already seen a sudden increase to 70 tickets at that time. The short-term
forecast takes this recent information into account and adjusts the expected number of tickets
for the next hour to help you plan more effectively.
The forecast vs actual page displays your forecasted data compared to the actual
outcomes for inbound volume, staffing, and average handle time. It also shows your actual service levels and indicates whether these have been met or
missed.
This article contains the following topics:

Accessing and using the Forecast
vs actual page
Understanding the Forecast vs
actual page

Related articles:

Understanding WFM forecasting



Accessing and using the Forecast vs actual page

You must be a WFM admin or have permission to access the Forecast vs actual
page.

To access and use the forecast vs actual page

In Workforce management, click the agent folder ( ) in the navigation bar, then select Forecast vs
actual.
You can take any of the following
actions:


Filter workstreams: Click the filter icon ( ) to display comparison data for all
workstreams (default) or only the ones you select.

Choose a date: Click the date picker or use the arrow icons to select the
date you want to display comparison data for.

Choose a time breakdown: Use the drop-down arrow to view the data by hour,
30 minutes, or 15 minutes.

Choose a layout: Click the graph icon ( ) to switch between displaying a table
(default) or a graph of your inbound
volumes.

Show or hide each inbound volume graph: Click the eye icon ( ) next to each inbound volume indicator to show
or hide it:
Forecast
Short term forecast
Actual



Export CSV: Create an export of the report for the selected date.







Understanding the Forecast vs actual page

On the forecast vs actual page, you can navigate to past and future dates.
Future dates can’t display actual results, average handle time, and service level
data.
Sources for each data column vary but primarily come from forecasts, real-time Zendesk data, and internal WFM storage APIs.
The forecast vs actual report contains four sections:

Inbound volume
Staffing
Average handle time
Service level



Inbound volume

On the Forecast vs actual page, the inbound volume section includes the
following data for the selected workstreams:


Forecast: Your predicted inbound ticket volume. The inbound volume is
calculated based on all available historical data, which can range from a minimum
of 30 days to a maximum of 2 years, depending on the amount of data in your
account.

Short term forecast: The inbound volume calculations based on the
actual results from the last 24 hours of data. The formula combines two averages: 24
hours and the selected upcoming time interval (hour, 30 minutes, or 15 minutes) to
adjust the forecast, reflecting the most recent trends. It uses the
following values:
Forecasted ticket count: This is the predicted number of inbound
tickets for the selected upcoming time interval.
Recent historical data: To enhance accuracy and adaptability, the
calculation considers recent actual results alongside forecasted ticket
numbers.


It averages the inbound volume over the last 24 hours for the
exact time interval you're interested in. It also averages the inbound volume over the
last hour to provide more current context. The formula combines these two averages (24
hours and 1 hour) to adjust the forecast, reflecting the most recent trends.
Finally, it divides the original forecasted ticket count by the average of
these recent volumes to normalize it.


Actual: The actual numbers of inbound tickets received for each
workstream. Each time a ticket matches a workstream, it’s counted, meaning the same
ticket may be counted more than once if it’s updated and meets the conditions for
another workstream.

Note: Workstream condition changes can affect the forecast vs. actual results because
actual results keep the original condition "as it was" at the event time, while the
forecast recalculates history using current workstream definitions "as they
are."



S vs A Net (Short term vs Actual net volume): The difference between
the actual volume and the short term forecasted volume. If you don't change the
workstream after its creation, the historical volume in Forecast matches the Actual
results on S vs A Net. However, if you change one of the workstream conditions, Actual
results display the inbound volume associated with the original workstream condition up
to the point of change, while the Forecast page shows the volume using the new
workstream conditions. This results in different values.




Staffing

The staffing section of the Forecast vs actual page includes the following data
for the selected workstreams:


Required: The number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) required to meet
the forecasted volume. It's generated based on the set staffing parameters.

Scheduled: The number of FTEs scheduled according to your Schedule page.

Actual: The number of scheduled FTEs actually in attendance based on
your Agent activity.

R vs A Net (Required vs Actual net volume): The difference between
the required and actual staffing.



Tip: If you sort the data by 30 minutes, the staffing Required and Scheduled
columns should match the required and scheduled staffing panel values on your Schedule page for
the selected workstream. Make sure to publish shift updates and account for different timezones to ensure the Forecast vs
actual page has the most up-to-date information.




Average handle time

On the Forecast vs actual page, the average handle time section includes the
following data for the selected workstreams:


Forecast: The forecasted average handle time (AHT) for the specified
interval.

Actual: The actual AHT for that interval.




Service level

On the Forecast vs actual page, the service level agreement (SLA) data is taken
directly from Zendesk and depends on the SLA policies set in your account. The service level section
includes the following data for the selected workstreams:

Actual: The actual service level percentage for each interval.

Met: The number of tickets that met the SLA.

Missed: The number of tickets that didn't meet the SLA.




SLA data is not displayed for voice workstreams.




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