Use of the Forecast Function for Predicting Future Sales

[FireandRain]

Hello,

I am a total newbie at forecasting and have a question about the forecasting function.

I have three months worth of sales data for 8 SKUs. I need to predict the next six months of sales for these SKUs. Would the =FORECAST(x, known_y's, known_x's) function work for me here?

Here's the set up I have with some dummy numbers. So I need to predict April to Sept-17 sales data:

SKU	Jan-17	Feb-17	Mar-17	Apr-17	May-17	Jun-17	Jul-17	Aug-17	Sep-17
1	1,111	2,222	3,333
2	2,222	3,333	4,444
3	3,333	4,444	5,555
4	4,444	5,555	6,666
6	5,555	6,666	7,777
7	6,666	7,777	8,888
8	7,777	8,888	9,999

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I used the =FORECAST(x, known_y's, known_x's) function to get the following answers:

SKU	Jan-17	Feb-17	Mar-17	Apr-17	May-17	Jun-17	Jul-17	Aug-17	Sep-17
1	1,111	2,222	3,333	4480	5646	6775	7942	9108	10237
2	2,222	3,333	4,444	5591	6757	7886	9053	10219	11348
3	3,333	4,444	5,555	6702	7868	8997	10164	11330	12459
4	4,444	5,555	6,666	7813	8979	10108	11275	12441	13570
6	5,555	6,666	7,777	8924	10090	11219	12386	13552	14681
7	6,666	7,777	8,888	10035	11201	12330	13497	14663	15792
8	7,777	8,888	9,999	11146	12312	13441	14608	15774	16903

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These are the formulas behind the numbers:

SKU	42766	=+EOMONTH(N2,1)	=+EOMONTH(O2,1)	=+EOMONTH(P2,1)	=+EOMONTH(Q2,1)	=+EOMONTH(R2,1)	=+EOMONTH(S2,1)	=+EOMONTH(T2,1)	=+EOMONTH(U2,1)
1	1111	2222	3333	=FORECAST($Q$2,N3:P3,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N3:$P3,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N3:$P3,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N3:$P3,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N3:$P3,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N3:$P3,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)
2	2222	3333	4444	=FORECAST($Q$2,N4:P4,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N4:$P4,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N4:$P4,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N4:$P4,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N4:$P4,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N4:$P4,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)
3	3333	4444	5555	=FORECAST($Q$2,N5:P5,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N5:$P5,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N5:$P5,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N5:$P5,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N5:$P5,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N5:$P5,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)
4	4444	5555	6666	=FORECAST($Q$2,N6:P6,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N6:$P6,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N6:$P6,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N6:$P6,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N6:$P6,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N6:$P6,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)
6	5555	6666	7777	=FORECAST($Q$2,N7:P7,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N7:$P7,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N7:$P7,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N7:$P7,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N7:$P7,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N7:$P7,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)
7	6666	7777	8888	=FORECAST($Q$2,N8:P8,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N8:$P8,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N8:$P8,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N8:$P8,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N8:$P8,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N8:$P8,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)
8	7777	8888	9999	=FORECAST($Q$2,N9:P9,$N$2:$P$<wbr>2)	=FORECAST($R$2,$N9:$P9,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($S$2,$N9:$P9,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($T$2,$N9:$P9,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($U$2,$N9:$P9,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)	=FORECAST($V$2,$N9:$P9,$N$2:$<wbr>P$2)

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Is this an appropriate way to use the forecast function? Is my use of the month in question the right "x" (cells Q2, R2,S2, T2,U2, V2) and the months I have data for the right "known_x's" (N2:P2)?

I can send this excel sheet if that is helpful. I REALLY appreciate your help! Thank you!