Forecast, the AI-Native Platform for Financial, Resource & Project Management, has released Advanced Analytics (AvA). This new analytics module is built on the leading analytics platform Sisense.
Rather than build its own BI solution, Forecast has sensibly opted to embed an analytics platform. Users can view, update or create reports enabling them to become both reactive and proactive with the AvA.
Forecast CEO Dennis Kayser explained further, saying, “Introducing AvA is the logical next step for us, to help generate maximum value for our customers. Leveraging AvA, it’s now possible to build specific reports and dashboards to serve any need, utilizing data from any system connected to Forecast, and thus providing a full 360-degree view of their entire company.”
What does AvA deliver?
Ava provides three core pieces of functionality:
The intelligent analytics provided by the Sisense platform enables organisations to leverage the data already held within Forecast. AvA provided four ready-made dashboards and meaningful data visualisations immediately. The four dashboards provide resourcing, revenue, profitability, and project portfolio performance insights. As users enter data into Forecast, such as time entries, task estimates, and rate card information the data is visualised in real-time with AvA.
There is no requirement for training to gain instant benefits from AvA. Importantly, users can also customise their dashboards and visualisations to see information pertinent to their role or authority.
Amalie Kaysen, VP of Product at Forecast, commented, “Advanced Analytics gives our customers the power to surface the insights they need to answer critical business questions. AvA is based on robust data that lives in Forecast underpinned by proven BI technology from our partners at Sisense.
“By connecting everything into our engine, with Advanced Analytics, we are able to leverage data so that business leaders can understand questions like when they need to hire, how to increase profitability, and how to improve the success rates of their project portfolio, enabling users to identify the pain-points that are holding their business back, as well as highlighting opportunities for growth.”
Customers selecting AvA will gain access to ready-to-use analytics software. They can also nominate a dashboard designer that will receive the training and support to extend the analytics platform further. While Forecast is available for a 14-day trial, it is not apparent whether this extends to AvA.
The advantage of Sisense
In leveraging the Sisense platform for Forecast, customers who want to take their analysis a step further can do so. It is possible to filter, splice and segment data in multiple ways. What isn’t clear is which features of the Sisense platform are available within Forecast, nor what the new solution costs.
Damantha Boteju, Forecast’s Chief Technical Officer, noted in the press release, “The best analytics tools generate more questions than they answer”. That is certainly the case in this instance. Forecast is hosting a webinar on Wednesday 19th Jan, 4 pm GMT, which will reveal the capabilities of this new platform for Forecast.
Paul Scholey, VP of International at Sisense, who will also speak at the webinar, noted, “It’s exciting to partner with innovative companies like Forecast that are infusing analytics with AI-powered insights to help business leaders make better, more accurate decisions at scale.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with such a leader in project and resource management that is revolutionising how CEOs, CFOs, COOs and Project Directors unlock the value of their data through dashboards, build their own customised reports and reap the efficiencies of real-time reporting.”
Enterprise Times: What does this mean
First, it’s great news for Forecast customers who now have access to a mature and innovative BI Platform. Forecast no longer needs to allocate as many resources to developing report writing. However, it will be interesting to see whether they plan to add to the initial four dashboards offered.
For Sisense, this is a new embedded analytics customer that is a rising star in the PPM space. Forecast is on a growth trajectory after it raised $19 million in a Series A funding round led by Balderton. What else has Forecast planned for 2022?
