# Forecasting

The Forecasting connection generates time series predictions from historical data, letting your assignments produce data-driven projections for demand, revenue, inventory, and any other time-ordered metric.

## Setup

No setup is needed. The Forecasting connection is automatically available to all assignments.

## Capabilities

* **Time series forecasting** — Predict future values based on historical trends and patterns in your data. Supports multiple time frequencies including hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly data.
* **Anomaly detection** — Flag unusual data points in historical time series by fitting prediction intervals and identifying values that fall outside the expected range.
* **Confidence intervals** — Return prediction ranges alongside point estimates so you can plan for best-case and worst-case scenarios.
* **Exogenous variables** — Incorporate external factors (such as promotions, holidays, or weather) into forecasts for more accurate predictions.

## Key Benefits

* **No data science required** — Get forecasts from historical data without building or maintaining statistical models.
* **Built into any workflow** — Include forecasting as a step in any assignment, combining it with data retrieval, analysis, and reporting.
* **Range-based planning** — Confidence intervals give you a realistic spread of outcomes, not just a single number.
* **Broad applicability** — Apply forecasting to demand planning, financial projections, inventory management, workforce scheduling, or any time-ordered dataset.

## Works Well With

* **Snowflake, Google BigQuery, or Databricks** — Query historical data from your data warehouse and feed it into the Forecasting connection to produce forward-looking projections.
* **Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel** — Pull forecast results into spreadsheets for planning, reporting, or sharing with stakeholders.
* **Slack or Microsoft Teams** — Post forecast summaries or alerts when projected values cross key thresholds.