2768779 - Best practice: Why the additional input doesn't affect the forecast result when Running a Forecast in a Time Series Chart in SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC)

• Best practice: Why the additional input doesn't affect the forecast result when Running a Forecast in a Time Series Chart in SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC) 

• SAP Analytics Cloud 2019.6.0

Scenario 1:

1. Log on to SAC tenant.
2. Create a new story with Time Series chart on sample model [BestRunJuice_SampleModel].
3. Select [Gross Margin] as Measures axis and [Date] as Time axis.
4. Choose Add Forecast icon from action menu and then select any one of forecast method (Automatic Forecast, Linear Regression, Triple Exponential Smoothing).
   => Please note the forecast result shown in the chart.
5. Selecting Additional Forecast Input from action menu.
   => Additional Forecast Input panel will be shown on the right.
6. Click Add Additional Input to add any one account object like [Discount].
   => Warning message "None of the additional inputs are being considered in the forecast due to a lack of future values." will be shown.
7. Click Apply button.
   => The new forecast result will be same as the result of step 4.
   => The additional input added in step 6 which is expected as a potential forecast influencer doesn't affect the forecast result.

Scenario 2:

1. Log on to SAC tenant.
2. Create a new story with Time Series chart on sample model [BestRunJuice_SampleModel].
3. Select [Gross Margin] as Measures axis and [Date] as Time axis.
4. Filter on [Date] dimension to select less than 12 months in the middle period (like all months in year [2015] while all year range is from 2014 to 2016).
5. Choose Add Forecast icon from action menu and then select any one of forecast method (Automatic Forecast, Linear Regression, Triple Exponential Smoothing).
   => Once the forecast is performed, a color-coded Forecast link is displayed above the chart.
   => Please note the forecast result shown in the chart
6. Select Additional Forecast Input from action menu.
   => Additional Forecast Input panel will be shown on the right.
   => Only 1 period is available for the slider.
7. Click Add Additional Input to add any one account object like [Discount].
8. Click Apply button.
   => The new forecast result will be same as the result of step 5.
   => The additional input added in step 7 which is expected as a potential forecast influencer doesn't affect the forecast result.

• For scenario 1, the additional input will be considered in the forecast only when it has data in the forecast period.

  For example, if the data of [Gross Margin] shown in the chart is between Jan 2014 and Dec 2015,
  and the forecast period is between Jan 2016 and Apr 2016, the account object [Discount] used as Additional Input
  will be considered in the forecast only when it has data in the forecast period (between Jan 2016 and Apr 2016).

  That's why you will get the warning message "None of the additional inputs are being considered in the forecast due to a lack of future values."

• For scenario 2, the number of data points shown in the chart only support to perform the forecast in one period per SAP KBA 2768235.
  In this case, the additional input won't affect the forecast result due to a lack of data points.

• For scenario 1: ensure that the account object used as additional input has data in the forecast period.
• For scenario 2: change date filter to include more data points to be larger than 12 shown in the chart.

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