Trend Forecast Help

[MIVELD]

Hi, Wonder if anyone can help

I am trying to predict some future sales volumes for a hand full of
customers

I have up to 3 years monthly volume sales data.

I can;t seem to get any of the excel worksheet functions to work
(TREND, FORECAST etc)

I do not have enough variables x,y etc

2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004
November 2004 December 2005 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005
April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005
October
LONDON 30 19 39 30 31 31 46 48 26 53 38 44
OXFORD 19 13 44 18 34 35 33 30 31 50 30 50
PLYMOUTH 66 46 51 73 80 38 60 54 24 47 52 50
PORTSMOUTH 20 12 36 22 15 16 20 9 28 4 18 19
MANCHESTER 36 77 45 35 55 52 44 33 5 28 44 30
B'HAM 77 93 139 102 132 55 92 143 109 50 86 110
How would i forecast the next 6 months in linear

Thanks

Al

 

[mangesh_yadav]

Enter the data for london in range A2:L2. In range A1:L1 enter 1 to 12,
and then drag forward till 18. In cell M2 enter the formula:
=TREND($A$2:$L$2,$A$1:$L$1,M1)
and drag to copy to your right.

This example simply shows how TREND works, and it does not guarantee
the accuracy of the method for your forecasting purpose.

Mangesh

 

[MIVELD]

Thanks. It has produced some forecasts now

30 19 39 30 31 31 46 48 26 53 38 44 46 48 49 51 53 54


Do you know another function which would be more appropiate for my
needs.

If so any suggestions would be great

Thanks

Al

 

[mangesh_yadav]

As you said in your first post, you need a linear model, TREND an
FORECAST functions are what you would want to use. Both of them woul
produce the same result in your case.

Manges