Manage forecast templates in the WFM web

One of the last steps to finalizing the forecast is to apply the skill and workload templates. Skill templates define planning factors such as service level, shrinkage, and efficiency that are used when calculating staffing requirements. Workload templates define the expected workload volume, open hours, and intraday arrival pattern for a workload. Apply the previously created standard workload day templates to add the intraday arrival pattern for each day of the week. The intraday arrival pattern defines the distribution within the day and the volume is defined by the long-term forecast.

If you work with preferences, you must apply the workload day templates before opening the preference period. This is important to verify the open hours for each day.

Handle any deviations from the standard volume or intraday arrival pattern.

EXAMPLE   
  • The workload is closed on a bank holiday—Create and apply a special workload day template that is set as closed.
  • The workload has reduced open hours on a bank holiday—Create and apply a special workload day template with reduced open hours and an adjusted intraday pattern.
  • A television commercial is planned and will likely cause higher call volumes—Add a campaign percentage for calls for the affected period.
  • An up-sell campaign is planned and will likely cause a longer average talk time—Add a campaign percentage for talk time for the affected period.
  • You want to use a higher shrinkage percentage for January when the level of sick leave is higher—Create a special skill template and apply it for January.

Continue to revise the forecast as new information is available. This can be done also when the period is scheduled, and the schedule published.

NOTE   To automatically adjust the shrinkage values for the near future, use dynamic shrinkage. See Manage dynamic shrinkage for more information

Prerequisites

  • You have the Forecasts permission.
  • The skill and workloads are created.

NOTE   If there are seasonal variations, create long-term forecasts for the workloads for the period and scenario you want to work with. Although, they are not required. Volumes can be defined by the workload day templates.

Page location

WFM > Forecasts > Templates

Procedures

Open an existing template

Open an existing forecast template to review its settings or make updates. You can also create a new template from the same page.

  1. On the Forecasts page, in the Actions column, click the Edit templates icon.

  2. Click the Workload or Skill tab.

  3. Select a skill and workload from the Skill and Workload drop-down lists.

  4. If you want to modify an existing template, on the left side of the page, select an existing template. Alternatively, click Add new template to create a new template.

Create a skill template

You can create or edit existing skill templates. The skill templates do not use historical data and therefore do not include the historical data step.

NOTE   You can follow the below steps to create a template or you can create a template by saving an existing forecast cell on the Forecasts page as a template.

  1. After you click an existing template or add a new template, edit the table cells, where necessary.

  2. Review the updated workload pattern and make any required adjustments.

  3. Click Save to save the template.

Create a workload template

Use historical data to create a forecast template based on past workload patterns. You can select historical data using a relative period, a specific date range, or a single date. After applying the historical data, you can smooth the generated values to reduce the effect of unusual fluctuations.

IMPORTANT   This procedure applies to workload templates only. Skill templates do not use historical data and therefore do not include the historical data step.

NOTE   You can follow the below steps to create a template or you can create a template by saving an existing forecast cell on the Forecasts page as a template.

  1. After you click an existing template or add a new template, edit the table cells, where necessary.

  1. In the Select historical data window, select one of the following options:

    • Number and unit to use a rolling historical period, such as the last 8 weeks, 3 months, or 1 year.

    • Date range to use a specific start and end date.

    • Single date to use data from one specific day.

  2. Click Add. The selected historical period is added to the list.

  3. Repeat the process to include additional historical periods if required, or remove periods that you do not want to use.

  4. Click Filter to review the historical data included in the template calculation. Clear the Included check box for any historical dates that you want to exclude and then click OK.

  5. Click Apply historical data. The system uses the selected historical data to generate the workload pattern for the template.

  6. Review the generated workload pattern in the chart and interval table.

  7. Under Smoothing, select the relevant smoothing levels. Higher smoothing levels create a smoother workload pattern by averaging each interval with surrounding intervals.

    EXAMPLE   If a smoothing factor of 5 is applied, the value for each interval is calculated as the average of that interval, the two intervals before it, and the two intervals after it.

  8. Click Apply smoothing to reduce the effect of unusual variations in the selected metrics and update the workload pattern.

  9. Review the updated workload pattern and make any required adjustments.

  10. Click Save to save the template.

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