All of us sometimes wish we could see into the future in order to make better decisions or prepare for what lies ahead. For controllers, this is a daily reality – they have to analyze, look ahead, plan and manage. But how do you create forecasts that go beyond simple extrapolations?

The lecture offers a compact introduction to time series forecasting. What types of time series are there? What do patterns such as seasonality and trends tell us? Which methods – from simple to advanced – deliver reliable results?

In addition to the methodological understanding – explained in an understandable way and with examples from planning and reporting – the possibilities in modern BI tools are also highlighted, using Power BI and Microsoft Fabric as examples. Modern AI approaches such as automatic model selection or generative forecasts show how forecasting is becoming more accessible today.

We show how forecasts can be easily created using algorithms and machine learning – for more possibilities in planning, forecasting and communication. Participants receive practical impulses to take forecasting to a new level, automate it and refine it in a targeted manner.