Master Forecast
Contents
View statistics, staffing, and overhead data in the Master Forecast and customize the statistics display in graph or table format.
The views in the Master Forecast are:
- Master Forecast Volumes—Enables you to view the Master Forecast's Interaction Volumes and AHT.
- Master Forecast Staffing—Enables you to view the Master Forecast's Calculated and Required Staffing.
- Master Forecast Overheads—Enables you to view Overhead data, which WFM uses to forecast shrinkage while scheduling.
- Master Forecast Graphs—Displays your choice of statistics for the Master Forecast, using line charts and a table containing forecast values.
To open the views:
- From the Home menu on the toolbar, select Forecast.
- From the Forecast menu on the toolbar, select Master Forecast.
- From the Master Forecast menu on the toolbar, select Volumes, Staffing, Overheads, or Graphs.
- In the Objects tree, select an activity, multi-site activity, Site, Business Unit or Enterprise.
Master Forecast Volumes
Use the Volumes view to display the Master Forecast's Interaction Volumes and AHT. See the toolbar image here the button descriptions below.
This view provides standard date-selection controls and a grid that shows statistics for days or timesteps.
Displaying the Volumes data
To displaying the Volumes data:
- From the Home menu on the toolbar, select Forecast.
- From the Forecast menu on the toolbar, select Master Forecast.
- From the Master Forecast menu on the toolbar, select Volumes.
- In the Objects tree, select an activity, multi-site activity, Site, Business Unit, or Enterprise.
The view displays a graph above a table, each containing the same statistics, and controls that set the data display properties for the graph and table.
Setting the data display properties and date range
Use these controls to customize the Volumes data display in the graph and table:
- Period drop-down list—Change the time range for the graph and the grid by selecting Year, Month, Week, or Planning Period.
If you select Week, you can further adjust each row's time range by selecting 15, 30, or 60 (minutes) from the Granularity drop-down list. - Show Statistics drop-down list—Specify what data is displayed in the graph and table by selecting from these choices: Interaction Volume, AHT, Interaction Volume and AHT.
- Show Columns check boxes—Show (or hide) data columns in the table by selecting or clearing the Volume, Volume %, and AHT check boxes.
- Use standard date-selection controls (in the upper right portion of the window) to jump to a different week within the Master Forecast's date range.
Reading the data
The Volumes table provides columns that display the following statistics:
| Week/Time Step | Identifies the range of dates or timesteps on this row. (The column's label and contents depend on the date range and granularity that you selected above.) |
| [Days or Dates] | If you select the Month date range, each group of columns shows statistics for one full day.
If you select the Week date range, each group of columns indicates one date, the top row shows daily totals, and each lower row shows statistics for one timestep on that date. (Timestep durations depend on the granularity that you selected above.) |
| IV | Shows the interaction volume forecasted for each day or timestep. |
| IV% | Shows this row's percentage of the day's total interaction volume. |
| AHT | Shows the average handling time. |
| Weekly Totals | If you select the Month date range, these columns show weekly totals, or averages, for the IV, IV%, and AHT statistics. |
Cleanup and calculation options
Choose these commands from the Volumes Actions menu or select their icons from the toolbar:
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Cleanup | Opens the Master Forecast Cleanup Window, where you can remove information from the Master Forecast for selected dates and activities. |
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Use Multi-Site Activities | Controls whether WFM Web's calculation of aggregated information includes multi-site activities. You can select this button only if you first select a multi-site activity, Business Unit, or Enterprise in the Objects tree.
If you set this button to On, WFM retains your last selection—in the current view and for all other views that contain multi-site activities—preventing you from having to click it every time you want to display data for the selected multi-site activity. |
Master Forecast Staffing
Use the Staffing view to display the Master Forecast's calculated and required staffing. See the toolbar image here and the button descriptions below.
This view provides standard date-selection controls and a grid that shows staffing levels for days or timesteps.
Displaying the Staffing data
To displaying the Staffing data:
- Follow the steps in Displaying the Volumes data.
- In step 3, select Staffing.
The view displays a graph above a table, each containing the same statistics, and controls that set the data display properties for the graph and table.
Setting the data display properties and date range
Use these controls to customize the Staffing data display in the graph and table:
- Period drop-down list—Change the time range for the graph and the grid by selecting Year, Month, Week, or Planning Period from the Period drop-down list.
If you select Week, you can further adjust each row's time range by selecting 15, 30, or 60 (minutes) from the Granularity drop-down list. - Show Statistics drop-down list—Specifies what data is displayed in the graph and table. Select from these choices: Calculated Staffing, Required Staffing, Calculated and Required Staffing.
- Show Columns check boxes—Show (or hide) data columns in the table by selecting or clearing the Calc (calculations) and Req (requirements) check boxes.
- Use standard date-selection controls (in the upper right portion of the window) to jump to a different week within the Master Forecast's date range.
Reading the data
The Staffing table provides columns that display the following statistics:
| Week/Time Step | Identifies the range of dates or timesteps on this row. (The column's label and contents depend on the Master Forecast that you selected above.) |
| [Days or Dates] | If you select the Month date range, each group of columns shows statistics for one full day.
If you select the Week date range, each group of columns indicates one date, the top row shows daily totals, measured in Full Time Equivalents. Each lower row shows statistics for one timestep on that date. (Timestep durations depend on the granularity that you selected above.) |
| Calc | Shows the calculated number of agents for each day (measured in Full Time Equivalents) or for each timestep (measured in single skill equivalents). |
| Req | Shows the required number of agents for each day (measured in Full Time Equivalents) or for each timestep (measured in single skill equivalents). |
| [Weekly Totals] | If you select the Month date range, the columns at right show weekly totals for the displayed statistics. |
Save as template, cleanup, and calculation options
You can use the following buttons on the Staffing toolbar (these commands also appear in the Actions menu):
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Save As Template | Opens the Save as Template Wizard, where you can save Master Forecast data as a forecast template. |
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Cleanup | Opens the Cleanup Master Forecast window, where you can remove information from the Master Forecast for selected dates and activities. |
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Use Multi-Site Activities | Controls whether WFM Web's calculation of aggregated information includes multi-site activities. You can select this button only if you first select a multi-site activity, Business Unit, or Enterprise in the Objects tree.
If you set this button to On, WFM retains your last selection—in the current view and for all other views that contain multi-site activities—preventing you from having to click it every time you want to display data for the selected multi-site activity. |
Master Forecast Overheads
Use the Overheads view to view overhead data, which WFM uses to forecast shrinkage while scheduling. See the toolbar image here and the button descriptions below.
Setting the grid properties and date range
Use these options in the Overheads Grid properties and Date Range panes (near the top) to customize the grid:
- The grid displays data for a period of a year, month, week or planning period. To change the period, click Year, Month, Week, or Planning Period in the Period drop-down list to change the time range that is shown on each row. (WFM Web prompts you to save any unsaved edits before it refreshes the display.)
- If you select Week, you can further adjust each row's time range by selecting a Granularity of 15, 30, or 60 minutes.
- Use the standard date-selection controls to jump to a different week.
Overhead menu
The Overhead drop-down menu displays a list of overheads:
| Grand Total | A read-only statistic; the aggregate overhead for the selected target. |
| Total Planned | A read-only statistic; the aggregate planned overhead for the selected target. |
| Total Unplanned | A read-only statistic; the aggregate unplanned overhead for the selected target. |
Using the grid
The Overheads grid provides columns that display the following statistics:
| Week/Time Step | Identifies the range of dates or timesteps on this row.
(The column's label and contents depend on the date range and granularity that you selected above.) |
| [Days or Dates] | If you select the Month date range, each group of columns shows statistics for one full day.
If you select the Week date range, each group of columns indicates one day. (Timestep durations depend on the granularity that you selected above.) |
| [Weekly Totals] | If you select the Week date range, the columns at right show weekly totals for the displayed statistics. |
Clean up Overhead data
You can use the following buttons on the Overheads Actions toolbar (these commands also appear on the Actions menu):
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Cleanup | Opens the Cleanup Master Forecast window, where you can remove information from the Master Forecast for selected dates and activities. |
Master Forecast Graphs
Use the Graphs view to display Master Forecast data in a line chart and a table containing forecast values. See the toolbar image here and the button descriptions below.
Displaying the Graphs data
To display the Graphs data:
- Follow the steps in Displaying the Volumes data.
- In step 3, select Graphs.
The view displays a graph above a table, each containing the same statistics, and controls that set the data display properties for the graph and table.
Setting the data display properties and date range
Use these controls to customize the Graphs data display in the graph and table:
- Period drop-down list—Change the time range for the graph and the grid by selecting Year, Month, Planning Period, Week, or Day.
- Granularity drop-down list—Specify the increments (granularity) in the data display by selecting from this menu. What choices are available depends upon your selection in the Period drop-down list:
- If you select Year: Monthly, Weekly, or Daily.
- If you select Month: Weekly or Daily.
- If you select Planing Period: Weekly or Daily.
- If you select Week: 15 (minutes), 30 (minutes), 60 (minutes), or Daily.
- If you select Day: 15 (minutes), 30 (minutes), or 60 (minutes).
- Show Statistics drop-down list—Specifies what data is displayed in the graph and table. Select from these choices: Interaction Volume, AHT, Interaction Volume and AHT, Calculated Staffing, Required Staffing, Calculated and Required Staffing, Calculated and multi-skill calculated staffing. Columns in the table are displayed accordingly to the selected statistic.
- Use standard date-selection controls (in the upper right portion of the window) to jump to a different week within the Master Forecast's date range.
Reading the data
The graph shows the statistics, dates, period, and granularity that you selected above. The vertical axis indicates the units shown. If you display multiple statistics, the right and left vertical axes display different units for the two statistics.
The Legend, at the bottom, identifies the colors that the graph uses to represent particular statistics, events, or historical data. The Legend changes depending on the statistics you selected above. Special events appear as markers on the graph.
Cleanup, calculation, and other options
You can use the following buttons on the Graphs toolbar (these commands also appear in the Actions menu):
| Icon | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
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Cleanup | Opens the Cleanup Master Forecast window, where you can remove information from the Master Forecast for selected dates and activities. |
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Use Multi-site activities | Controls whether WFM Web's calculation of aggregated information includes multi-site activities. You can select this button only if you first select a multi-site activity, Business Unit, or Enterprise in the Objects tree.
If you set this button to On, WFM retains your last selection—in the current view and for all other views that contain multi-site activities—preventing you from having to click it every time you want to display data for the selected multi-site activity. |
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Options | Opens the Options dialog box, where you can further customize the graph. |
