---
name: revenue-forecast-backtest-ledger
description: Compare a frozen forecast with actual results and separate driver error from changed reporting scope without rewriting the old forecast.
license: CC-BY-4.0
---

# Revenue Forecast Backtest Ledger

## Inputs
Timestamped frozen forecast, approved actual revenue by period and segment, driver definitions, currency and reporting adjustments.

## Workflow
1. Confirm the forecast was frozen before the measured period. A revised forecast is not the original prediction.
2. Align actuals and forecast on currency, period, segment and revenue basis. Block percentage comparisons when scope differs.
3. Compute actual minus forecast and percent error as (actual minus forecast)/forecast. If forecast is zero, percent error is undefined; report the amount only.
4. Separate evidenced driver misses from unexplained error and scope changes. Return a backtest ledger without changing the forecast or claiming causation from correlation.

## Output contract
period/segment | frozen forecast | actual | amount error | percent error | driver evidence | scope change | review

## Fictional acceptance test
Fictional frozen forecast is $5,000 and comparable actual revenue is $4,000: error is -$1,000 and -20%. Another segment forecast is zero and actual is $200: amount error is $200; percent error stays undefined.

## Review gates
Recompute signs and denominators. Actual cash receipts are not interchangeable with revenue. Keep the frozen source unchanged.

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Method source: https://www.salesforce.com/ap/blog/what-is-revenue-forecasting/