Forecasted spend panel

The Forecasted Spend panel displays a breakdown of an epic, capability, or feature’s Forecasted Spend value and how multiple program estimates, also known as program PI forecasts, contribute to the value. Use this spend value as a tool to see how forecasted effort compares against the work item's budget early on.

You’re able to see all of the program PI forecasts that have been entered to generate the Forecasted Spend value of a work item. You can see total Forecasted Spend for the item, as well as a total for each program increment. In addition, you can click into each Forecasted Spend to see a calculation breakdown card that displays the program PI forecast and Program Spend per Point used to perform the calculation.  

You can launch the Forecasted Spend panel for a work item by clicking on the Forecasted Spend value that displays on the following pages for each supported work item type:

• Epics
  • Portfolio Room
  • Status Reports
  • Forecast
  • Spend tab inside Details panels
• Capabilities
  • Portfolio Room
  • Forecast
  • Spend tab inside Details panels
• Features
  • Portfolio Room
  • Status Reports
  • Forecast
  • Spend tab inside Details panels

Use and configure the panel

The Total card at the top displays the counts of program PI forecasts entered for the work item. Select the card to launch the work item’s Details panel, focused on the Forecast tab, where you can review and enter program PI forecasts. 

If program PI forecasts are missing for the work item, you may also click the Forecast programs link inside the blue info box that displays. 

The Program increment dropdown underneath the Forecasts section lets you select which PI to view program PI forecasts from. Select All to view all forecasts.

In the Forecasts section, click a Spend value from a program’s row to display a calculation breakdown card. From this card, you can select the View Spend per Point link to navigate to the Spend per Point report. 

Use the Close button in the top-right corner to dismiss the panel.

Values displayed in the panel

Top of the panel

1. The count of program PI forecast estimates.
2. The count of programs the work item is assigned to.
3. The count of program increments the work item is planned for. Features can only be assigned to a single program increment. 
4. The total Forecasted Spend of the work item. 

Forecasts section

1. The program increment(s) that the work item is planned in.
2. The count of program PI forecasts entered for the work item for the selected PI.
3. The ID of the program. Click to launch the program’s Details panel.
4. The name of the program. Click to launch the program’s Details panel.
5. The program increment the forecast applies to. This column is only displayed when viewing an epic or capability.
6. The Forecasted Spend for the program PI forecast. Click the Spend value to display a calculation breakdown card.

Calculation breakdown cards

1. The program that the program PI forecast was entered for.
2. The Program Spend per Point value from the program.
3. The estimate entered on the Forecast tab of the work item's Details panel for the specified PI and program, expressed in points. If necessary, this value is converted into points using Estimation Conversions settings. 
4. The result of the Program Spend per Point value is multiplied by the program PI forecast.

Interpret the data on the panel

The primary use case of the Forecasted Spend panel is to give you visibility into how scope is developing early on in the lifecycle of an epic, capability, or feature. As part of forecasting, your programs can estimate the effort needed for each PI, and this spend can be used to translate that effort into dollars comparable to the work item’s budget. 

In addition, you can use this panel to surface any forecasts that may be missing for assigned PIs and assigned programs (i.e. the epic is slotted program A and program B to work over PI-1 and PI-2. Program A should have a forecast for both PI-1 and PI-2, and the same for Program B. There should be 4 forecasts in total (even if that means “0” effort is required by a program for a PI). A missing program PI forecast means there could be scope that’s invisible and thus will not provide a total representation of Forecasted spend.