In EstateMaster DM, why did the remaining cost forecast change after I entered an actual below budget? Should I use Manual to freeze it?
propfessor.Companion exampleThe short answer
Check the line’s Reforecast Mode first. Automatic (A) mode redistributes the remaining balance across the remaining defined periods. Single (S) mode moves the difference into the next period. No Reforecasting (N) leaves the other future periods unchanged. Manual is not a freeze switch: it disables the input assumptions and resets the cash flow for manual entry.
A Automatic · S Single · N No Reforecasting
Work through it
- Read the current mode before changing anything.
- Compare the actual, the remaining forecast and the total for that same cost line.
- Choose the treatment that matches the forecast decision. Do not select Manual merely to stop a redistribution.
| Illustrative mode | Period 1 actual | Future periods 2 / 3 / 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic (A) | £30,000 | £70,000 / £70,000 / £70,000 | £240,000 |
| Single (S) | £30,000 | £90,000 / £60,000 / £60,000 | £240,000 |
| No Reforecasting (N) | £30,000 | £60,000 / £60,000 / £60,000 | £210,000 |
Original simplified illustration of a single evenly spread line, with no other overrides. Manual is omitted because you must enter its cash flow yourself.
You can tell whether the movement is the configured forecast rule, rather than a data-entry error.
Which mode is the correct one?
That depends on whether the lower actual changes the expected total or merely shifts expenditure into later periods. Decide that first, then use the mode that represents the decision.
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