The Forecasting Main Grid

The structure and function of the main Fathom forecast grid

Updated over a week ago

Contents:


The Layout of the Main Grid

Once you create a forecast, you’ll be taken to the main forecasting grid, accessed by the ‘Telescope’ icon on the left sidebar. The main grid houses the forecast Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet, the Drivers grid, and the Cash Flow Statement.

In the main grid, you’re able to view up to 12 months of actuals or past financial data and up to 36 months or 3 years worth of forecast data. These periods can be viewed by scrolling from left to right on the main grid, allowing you to see how the actuals are flowing into the forecast.

From the main grid, you can modify the value of line items, change value and timing profiles, and drill into yourto view the impacts on accounts.

💡Pro Tip: The layout of the P&L and Balance Sheet is determined in ‘Step 3 - Chart of Accounts’ in the entity’s Settings. The classifications of accounts, whether or not headings and subheadings exist, and which accounts are housed under those headings or subheadings are all determined in the Settings.

You can click on a heading to expand or collapse it, allowing you to view individual account movements or the overall subtotals.

Within the main grid you’re also able to see the impact of any microforecasts you have added to the baseline forecast. Showing the breakout of the associated financial results with these events. You can toggle between all of the scenarios that have been set up to seamlessly compare the financial outcomes of different predicted performance and events across the business or group.


Forecast Chart of Accounts

Profit & Loss

By clicking into a cell, you can view the calculation rules, or ‘value rules,’ applied to an account on the Profit & Loss. This will open a menu on the right that will show you the default rule being used to calculate your forecast values and the applied timing profiles.

By clicking on any account name, the right hand editing panel will open, giving you an overview of the value and timing profile timeline, as well as the option to change the account linkages and any tax rules applied to this account.

Balance Sheet

On the Balance Sheet, clicking into a cell will open a menu on the right where you can review impacts from the Profit & Loss and any microforecasts that contribute to the Balance Sheet account. From here, you can click the 'Magnifying Glass' icon to see a detailed view of the movements that impact the Balance sheet.

From this menu you will also be able to add schedules or journals to account for one-off or recurring Balance Sheet movements, including loan repayments and depreciation calculations.

Drivers Grid

The Drivers grid will display all non-financial data & metrics used within the forecast as variables in formulas. You can add new drivers and their data from the Drivers Grid or via an Excel import. Like the Profit & Loss, clicking a cell will reveal the rule being used to calculate future values.

Cash Flow Statement

The Cash Flow Statement is not interactive like other areas of the main grid. You can scroll from left to right, but you cannot change value or timing profiles from the Cash Flow Statement. Instead, the changes you make in the Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet will impact the Cash Flow Statement and the statement will update accordingly. This way you can always check in on your operating, financing, and investing cash flow streams while you are forecasting in Fathom.


Viewing Gross Profit, Operating Profit, EBIT, EBITDA & Net Income

To add subtotals, including Gross Profit, Operating Profit, EBIT, EBITDA, and Net Income on the main forecasting grid,

  1. Go to the the Forecasting tool

  2. Access the main forecasting grid by clicking on the 'Telescope' icon on the left sidebar

  3. Click the 'Three lines with three dots' icon in the top right corner of the forecasting tool

  4. In the menu that opens on the right side of the screen, toggle on the option to view 'P&L Subtotal Rows'. If turned on, the toggle will be green.

  5. Select the layout you want to view, either 'Standard' or 'EBITDA' layout


Viewing Quarterly and Yearly Totals

To switch between viewing monthly, quarterly, and yearly totals for the forecast, select the bolded and underlined ‘Monthly’ at the top right of the main grid. This will reveal a dropdown menu where you’re able to toggle the view.

It is only possible to set value rules, timing profiles, schedules & journals at the monthly level of the forecast.


Next steps

Continue the 'Forecast Creation & Setup Workflow' by choosing from one of the next steps below:

What you want to do:

Where to go next:

Tailor and customise your forecast with value rules

Import or create drivers to use as variables in formula value rules

Forecast Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Unearned/Deferred Revenue, and Prepaid Expenses


Additional knowledge & common questions:

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