Excel forecasting is a key skill for analysts, enabling precise predictions to guide strategic decisions. Key techniques include linear trend analysis, seasonality, and data visualization.

In conclusion, mastering the use of Excel’s TREND and FORECAST functions can significantly enhance your data analysis capabilities.

Use historical data to forecast trends to use in sales, budgets, marketing and more. Excel provides accessible tools to create a graph and display the linear equation.

Excel 2016 provides a new tool called Forecast Sheet that automatically calculates and plots your upper and lower forecast boundaries based on your desired level of confidence.