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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251028
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SUMMARY:Online Workshop: Business Forecasting Techniques\, Best Practices & Application Using Forecast Pro
DESCRIPTION:October 28-30\nWorkshop Registration\n\n\n\n\nContents\n\nWorkshop Overview\nOne-on-One Post Workshop Consulting Session\nWho should attend?\nAgenda-at-a-glance\nRegistration\nInstructors\n\nWorkshop Overview\nYou will leave this comprehensive three-day educational course with an understanding of forecasting techniques\, including how they work and how to apply them in a real business environment. The workshop surveys the most commonly used business forecasting methods and will cover the following: \n\nHow various forecasting methods work\nPros and cons of each method\nHow to implement best practices in Forecast Pro (via demonstrations using real-world examples)\n\nThe core of the workshop is 13.5 hours of live interactive presentations presented over a 3-day period. During the live sessions you will have the opportunity to pose questions to the instructors in real time as well as interact with the other attendees. \nThe workshop also includes 2 weeks of access to the workshop’s streaming channel. The streaming channel provides on-demand access to prerecorded versions of the 8 modules presented in the live sessions along with 4 additional modules not covered in the live sessions. \nOne-on-One Post Workshop Consulting Session\nHave you ever run into a forecasting challenge and wish you had an expert you could turn to for help? Now you can! \nWorkshop attendees have the exclusive opportunity to add a personalized one-hour consulting session with one of the instructors. Take advantage of this limited offer to spend time with a forecasting expert at the significantly reduced price of $100! \nThis exclusive consulting session is your opportunity to apply what you learned in the workshop with hands-on guidance from an expert. This time is personalized to your specific needs\, whether that’s addressing specific challenges you’re facing\, working one-on-one with an instructor using your own data\, or gaining invaluable insights from a forecasting expert. \nThis session can be booked at your convenience\, but must be completed within 30 days after the conclusion of the workshop. Feel free to include any other members of your team that may benefit from this exclusive consulting session. \n \nWho should attend?\nThe workshop is valuable for anyone whose job responsibilities include preparing or analyzing forecasts—some prior knowledge of statistics is helpful but not essential. The tutorials use Forecast Pro and real-world data to provide a deeper understanding of the forecasting methods and to show best practices; these lessons are applicable regardless of which forecasting software your organization uses. \n \n  \n \n\n\n\nAgenda At-a-GlancePresentation DescriptionsAgenda At-a-Glance\nDay 1\nIntroduction to Forecasting \nExponential Smoothing \nDay 2\nEvent-Index Models \nForecast Accuracy and Evaluation \nIdentifying Problems in Your Forecasting Process \nDay 3\nForecasting with Machine Learning \nMultiple-Level Forecasting \nNew Product Forecasting \nAdditional On-Demand Presentations\nComponents of Data \nExtensions to Exponential Smoothing \nBox-Jenkins (ARIMA) Models \nDynamic Regression \nPresentation Descriptions\nIntroduction to Forecasting\nA broad overview of business forecasting and its various uses within the organization. Topics include approaches to forecasting\, features of data\, the role of judgment\, selection of appropriate forecasting methods for varied data sets and resources for forecasters. \nExponential Smoothing\nA survey of exponential smoothing techniques with particular emphasis on the Holt-Winters family of models. Topics include the pros and cons of using these models\, when they are best used\, how they work\, identifying model components\, parameter optimization and model diagnosis. \nEvent-Index Models\nEvent-index models extend the functionality of exponential smoothing models by providing adjustments for promotions\, strikes and other non-calendar-based events. This session addresses how these models work\, how and when they should be used\, and how to customize their design to best suit your needs. \nForecast Accuracy and Evaluation\nA detailed look at evaluating the accuracy of forecasting methods. Topics include the distinction between within-sample and out-of-sample errors\, a survey of error measurement statistics\, a summary of findings from forecasting competitions\, and an explanation of how to use both real-time tracking reports and simulations as predictors of model performance. \nIdentifying Problems in Your Forecasting Process\nApproaches for focusing on critical items when forecasting large volumes of data. Topics include evaluating and forecasting SKU data\, filtering and ABC (Pareto) classification\, outlier detection and correction\, exception reporting and measuring accuracy across multiple time series. \nForecasting with Machine Learning\nThis session overviews the basics and benefits of forecasting with machine learning (ML). Topics include the basics of machine learning powered forecasting\, when ML is likely to improve your forecasts\, how to use the completely automatic ML option in Forecast Pro and how to build custom ML models in Forecast Pro. \nMultiple-Level Forecasting\nThis session explores hierarchical forecasting techniques. Topics include the need for forecasting at various levels\, product vs. geographical hierarchies\, reconciliation strategies\, top-down vs. bottom-up approaches\, the use of proportional allocation and adjustment for seasonality. \nNew Product Forecasting\nThis session explores various approaches for forecasting new products. Topics include the pros and cons of different methods based on a product’s classification and a review of popular methods including item supersession\, forecast by analogy and the Bass diffusion model. \nComponents of Data\nAn in-depth look at the different components found in time series data including trends\, seasonal patterns\, business cycles\, trading-day variations\, interventions (events) and noise. Discussion includes the forms the components can take\, spotting local vs. global components\, interpretation of business cycle indicators and the use of decomposition routines. \nExtensions to Exponential Smoothing\nThis session examines three useful extensions to the exponential smoothing model family. The first is the NA-CL model which will often improve forecast accuracy for data sets that exhibit a “selling season” whereby the majority of the demand occurs at specific times of the year (e.g.\, snow shovels\, flu vaccines\, etc.). The second is the Croston’s Intermittent Demand Model which is used to forecast data that exhibit frequent zero demand periods. The third is the Custom Component Model which allows some of the components to be estimated from the data and others to be customized by the forecaster. \nBox-Jenkins (ARIMA) Models:\nAn exploration into the use of ARIMA models for business forecasting. Topics include the advantages/disadvantages of using these models\, how and when they should be applied\, automatic identification procedures and model diagnostics. \nDynamic Regression\nA detailed look into the ins and outs of regression fore­casting. Topics include when regression models are best applied\, how to build the models\, ordinary least squares\, leading indicators\, lagged variables\, Cochrane-Orcutt models\, hypothesis testing and the use of “dummy” vari­ables. \n\n\nRegistration\n\n\n\nOctober 28-30\nWorkshop Registration\n\n\n\n\nRegistration Fee: The registration fee is $595 USD per attendee. A Team Discount price of $495 per attendee is available to organizations registering 3 or more attendees. As a workshop attendee\, you can add a private one-hour post workshop consulting session with an instructor for an additional $100. This session can be booked at your convenience\, but must be completed within 30 days after the conclusion of the workshop. \nClass size: Due to the interactive nature of the live presentations\, attendance is limited to 25 and attendees will be registered on a first-come-first-served basis. \nHours:  \nOctober 28-30\, 2024: The workshop will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day (USA Eastern Daylight Time (UTC/GMT -4 hours)). \nCancellation Policy: The workshop is limited in size and we ask that if you must cancel to please inform us as soon as possible. Attendees may receive a full refund if cancellation is made 14 days or more prior to the start of the workshop. Registrants who fail to attend or cancel less than 14 days before the start date are not entitled to receive a refund. Personnel substitutions may be made at any time. \n\n\n \n\n\nInstructors\n\nEric Stellwagen\n \nEric Stellwagen is the co-founder of Business Forecast Systems\, Inc. (BFS) and the co-author of the Forecast Pro software product line. With more than 30 years of expertise in the field\, he regularly presents workshops and publishes on the topic of business forecasting\, and is widely recognized as a leading educator on the subject. Drawing upon his extensive consulting experience helping organizations to address their forecasting challenges\, Eric infuses his classes with practical approaches and uses real-world data to illustrate concepts. He has worked with many leading firms including Coca-Cola\, Kraft\, Merck\, Nabisco\, Owens-Corning and Verizon and has presented workshops for a variety of organizations including APICS\, the International Institute of Forecasters (IIF)\, the Institute of Business Forecasting (IBF)\, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)\, and the University of Tennessee. Eric served on the board of directors of the IIF for 12 years and is currently serving on the practitioner advisory board of Foresight: The International Journal of Applied Forecasting. \nFranklin Rea\n \nFranklin Rea brings over 15 years of expertise in data analysis\, technology\, marketing operations\, and mathematics to his role at BFS. With a background in the enterprise software sector\, Franklin has navigated varied industries such as cyber-security\, campaign management\, and sales training and enablement. In addition\, he has worked as a college-level mathematics instructor.  At BFS\, Franklin serves as a trainer and solutions consultant\, assisting clients in maximizing their utilization of the Forecast Pro software\, and providing a problem-solving approach and valuable insights to everyday forecasting questions. Franklin holds an M.S. in Mathematics from Northeastern University and received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOctober 28-30\nWorkshop Registration
URL:https://www.forecastpro.com/event/october-2025-online-workshop-business-forecasting-techniques-best-practices-application-using-forecast-pro/
LOCATION:Live Online Interactive Workshop
CATEGORIES:Forecast Pro Event
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