Top 12 Planning & Forecasting Tools You Should Be Using

              Accurate planning and forecasting are critical components of any business plan. They allow you to test the viability of your business model and make adjustments before entering the market. At the same time, you can find out what will happen in the future, which in turn helps you to make better decisions about how your business should grow and develop. Trying to predict what the future holds for any business can be difficult, especially if you don’t have the right tools in place. But Synoptix Software is an integrated, comprehensive business forecasting software solution that can help you to do just that – for both short-term and long-term planning. Here we look at Synoptix’s 12 excellent tools and facets that can help you plan and forecast your resource needs:

Cash Flow Analysis 

Cash flow analysis is an essential part of any business forecasting software. And by tracking cash flow over time, you can see how changes in your business affect its financial performance. This metric reflects how much cash is coming into a company, as well as how much money is being spent on a regular basis. Cash flow analysis is used to monitor these figures over the course of time, so they’re available when needed. It helps you understand the timing of cash inflows and outflows, so you know when you’ll have enough funds on hand to pay your bills and make investments. This is done by analyzing the relationship between cash flows, assets, and liabilities.

Financial Modeling

A financial model is a spreadsheet that predicts future company performance based on historical data and assumptions about future performance and market conditions. Synoptix business forecasting software allows you to test different scenarios and evaluate their potential impact on the business with a view toward making informed decisions about future growth. By projecting financial indicators, such as revenue, profits, and expenses, you can make smart investment decisions or design new products.

Workforce Cost Planning

This intuitive business forecasting software tool helps you determine how much you’ll need to spend on labor costs each year. With this information, you can determine whether or not your company will be profitable and how much money needs to be invested in order to meet payrolls. At the same time, it can stay within budget limits while still meeting staffing needs for new hires or expansion plans.

Balance Sheet Analysis

A balance sheet enables you to take an in-depth look at the assets, liabilities, and equity of your organization at a specific point in time. This business forecasting software tool helps you see how well your company is performing financially and identify areas where you’re overspending and where you should invest more money. That way, you can make adjustments as necessary so that your company remains profitable over time.

Expert Reports

Expert reports are like mini-audits that give you an unbiased look at how efficient your company is running — without breaking the bank or taking up too much time. These reports can also show if there are any issues with employee morale or productivity that may be affecting your bottom line.

Budget Income Statement

It is a simple yet powerful business forecasting software tool to track your revenue and expenses over time and develop a budget. This solution also provides you with a comparison between actual results and your budgeted results at any given time during the year. You can also use this information to make better decisions about where you should allocate resources and whether or not you’re hitting your goals.

Revenue Forecasting

A solid revenue forecast is essential for any company looking to scale, as well as plan ahead for major events like tax season that impact sales volumes significantly. A good system will take into account past performance, current trends, and other factors, such as seasonality and macroeconomic conditions. It also helps you identify potential risks that may negatively impact revenue performance in the future.

Internal Assessments

An organization’s effectiveness is determined by whether it has achieved its goals or not and how well it uses its resources to achieve these goals. You can use this business forecasting software tool to evaluate yourselves internally, so you can identify areas where you need improvement or changes. In addition, it helps assess how effectively you have used your resources to achieve its goals over time (long-term).

Production Control Charts

By using this robust business forecasting software tool, you can monitor your inventory levels and see if there are any trends or patterns that need immediate intervention. This makes it easier for you to identify problems before they become too big to deal with easily and make informed decisions about production. They also help you keep track of raw material availability, which can be used to plan ahead.

Supply Chain Forecasting

In order to stay profitable and competitive, you need to forecast demand accurately, order more raw materials or goods if necessary, and reduce stock levels if they’re getting too high. Supply chain forecasting helps companies plan ahead by calculating demand based on historical data or projected sales figures at various levels within the supply chain (including raw materials). Forecasts are updated regularly based on changes in demand or production capacity. This helps keep costs down by reducing inventory levels as needed during peak periods of sales activity (and vice versa at slower times).

Real-Time Team Collaboration

When you’re working with a team, it’s important to have a business forecasting software tool that streamlines team collaboration and communication. To start off on the right foot with team collaboration in an effective manner, we suggest using Synoptix Software. From creating budgets to tracking progress, you can use it for complete project management so everyone is on the same page at all times and that no one gets left behind.

Dashboard Reporting

Dashboard reporting makes it easy for users to view key metrics about their business in one place. This can help them make informed decisions about their marketing strategies, product development efforts, and future financial performance. Planning and forecasting tools aren’t just for large companies with huge budgets — they’re also useful for small businesses that need to keep their operations running smoothly. So, if you’re looking for best-in-class business forecasting software to take control of your company’s future, Synoptix Software has you covered! To learn more about how we can help you take your business to the next level, call 866.214.6008.