🕷️ Crawler Inspector

[Vai al contenuto principale](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/#main-content) [Accedi](https://www.zendesk.com/it/login/) [Zendesk Centro assistenza](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/) [Azienda](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/) - [Contattaci](https://www.zendesk.com/it/contact/) - [Chi siamo](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/) - [Stampa](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/press/) - [Eventi](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/events/) - [Opportunità di lavoro](https://www.zendesk.com/company/careers/) - [Inclusione e appartenenza](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/belonging/) - [Sostenibilità](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/sustainability/) - [Legale](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/legal/) [Contattaci](https://www.zendesk.com/it/contact/) [Italiano](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/) - [English (US)](https://www.zendesk.com/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/) - [English (UK)](https://www.zendesk.co.uk/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/) - [Français](https://www.zendesk.fr/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/) - [Deutsch](https://www.zendesk.de/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/) Prodotti - [Zendesk per il servizio clienti La soluzione di assistenza completa](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/) - [Zendesk per l'assistenza ai dipendenti Tratta i dipendenti come se fossero clienti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/employee-service/) - [Piattaforma Sunshine Veloce, aperta e flessibile](https://www.zendesk.com/it/platform/) - [Marketplace App, integrazioni e partner](https://www.zendesk.com/it/marketplace/) Prezzi - [Zendesk per il servizio clienti La soluzione di assistenza completa](https://www.zendesk.com/it/pricing/) Soluzioni - [Grande azienda Conversazioni su vasta scala](https://www.zendesk.com/it/business/enterprise/) - [Piccole e medie imprese Crescere è superare le difficoltà](https://www.zendesk.com/it/business/smb/) - [Startup Per iniziare con il piede giusto](https://www.zendesk.com/it/business/startups/) - [Settori di attività Come soddisfare le esigenze del mercato](https://www.zendesk.com/it/industries/) [Demo](https://www.zendesk.com/it/demo/) Risorse - [Blog Guide, report e prassi ottimali](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/) - [Eventi e webinar Impara, ovunque tu sia](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/events/) - [Community Impara e interagisci con altri utenti Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/programs/zendesk-community/) - [Servizi professionali Ottieni un aiuto pratico, un’assistenza dedicata o una guida esperta](https://www.zendesk.com/it/customer-experience/professional-services/#professional-services/) - [Novità di Zendesk Dai un’occhiata agli ultimi aggiornamenti sui prodotti](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/it/sections/4405298877338-What-s-New-in-Zendesk/) - [API e sviluppatori Informazioni per sviluppare usando Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/developers/) - [Partner Come individuare o diventare un partner Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/partner/) - [Testimonianze dei clienti Scopri cosa significa successo con Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/why-zendesk/customers/) - [Sicurezza e affidabilità Il tuo business è al sicuro con Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/trust-center/) - [Zendesk Centro assistenza](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/) [Prova gratuita](https://www.zendesk.com/it/register/)[Demo](https://www.zendesk.com/it/demo/) [Prova gratuita](https://www.zendesk.com/it/register/) [Blog Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/) [Best practice](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/best-practices/) Per soluzione prodotto - [Customer experience](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/customer-experience-best-practices/) - [Intelligenza artificiale e automazione](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/artificial-intelligence/) - [Chat e messaggistica](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/messaging/) - [Centro assistenza](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/help-center/) - [Metriche e dati](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/customer-service-metrics-data/) - [Esperienza dei dipendenti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/employee-experience/) - [App e integrazioni](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/apps-integrations/) Per ruolo - [Assistenza clienti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/service/) - [IT](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/it/) - [Vendite](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/sales/) - [Partner](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/partners/) [Settori di attività](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/industries/) - [Retail](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/retail/) - [Servizi finanziari](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/financial-services/) - [Settore manifatturiero](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/manufacturing/) - [Tecnologia](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/software/) - [Sanità](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/healthcare/) [Strumenti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/tools-and-media/) - [Strumenti e modelli](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/tools-and-templates/) - [Guide](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/guide/) Guide in evidenza - [Che cos’è il servizio clienti?](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/customer-service-skills/) - [Che cos'è un sistema di ticketing? (+ 3 modi in cui le aziende utilizzano questi sistemi)](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/ticketing-system/) [Insight utili](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/executive-insights/) - [Ricerca e trend](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/customer-service-trends/) - [Report](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/reports/) - [La voce del management](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/leadership/) Ricerca [Blog Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/) Ricerca 1. [Sales analytics](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/sales-analytics/) 2. Exponential smoothing [Sales analytics](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/guide-sales-analytics/) - [Sales forecasting](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/5-essential-sales-forecasting-techniques/) - Exponential smoothing - [Sales data](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/good-sales-data/) - [Sales forecast template](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/download-sells-free-sales-forecast-template/) - [Sales forecasting model](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/sales-forecasting-anxiety/) - [Improve sales forecasting accuracy](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/optimize-your-sales-forecasting-process/) - [Sales report](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/sales-report/) - [Percentage of sales method](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/percentage-of-sales-method/) - [Data-driven sales approach](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/data-driven-sales-approach/) - [Value chain analysis how-to](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/value-chain-analysis/) - [Break-even point](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/break-even-point/) - [White space analysis](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/white-space-analysis/) ## [Article](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/article/) • 7 min read # How to leverage the exponential smoothing formula for forecasting Using exponential smoothing to predict your future sales will give you the data you need to make the best decisions in every area of your company. Josh Bean Director, Marketing  When it comes to setting quotas, sales managers like to turn to a quick and easy annual run rate (ARR). But we’ve seen that an ARR is far from the most precise metric. Though the exponential smoothing formula is a more complicated sales forecasting method, it is arguably better and can be used to more accurately predict product life cycles, future sales, and even the number of virus infections across a variety of industries. As such, we think using the exponential smoothing forecasting method provides you with the data you need to make the best decisions in every area of your company. ## What is exponential smoothing? Exponential smoothing is a way of analyzing data from specific periods of time by giving more importance to the newer data, and less importance to the older data. This method produces “smoothed data,” or data that has the noise removed, allowing patterns and trends to be more visible. When it comes to projecting sales, the interpretation of data run through an exponential smoothing forecast gives this method an edge because the exponential smoothing formula assigns more weight to the most recent sales performance data. For example, if you are using exponential smoothing to analyze 12 months’ worth of sales revenue, the exponential smoothing formula will put more weight on last month’s earnings than on the prior year’s. That’s one of the biggest differences between exponential smoothing forecasting and a simple annual run rate. A run rate will project out numbers from one period to an entire year, assuming those numbers will remain steady going forward. With exponential smoothing, you can decide how much weight is placed on more recent data by choosing a smoothing constant between .1 and 1 (the (α) in the formula below) in your exponential smoothing formula. The larger the value of the constant, the more weight given to recent data.  If algebra was your least favorite subject in school, you may have broken into a cold sweat at this point. Don’t worry—with Excel, running an exponential smoothing forecast is easy, as the calculations are done for you. ## How to set up an exponential smoothing forecast in Excel The good news is that you don’t need to be a math major to perform exponential smoothing calculations. In fact, if you have a recent version of Excel, you don’t even need to choose your own smoothing constant. While older versions of the program require you to manually enter the smoothing constant, the newest versions of Excel will automatically determine that portion of the equation for you. Nowadays, when it comes to smoothing your own sales data, all you need to know is how to use the Excel built-in exponential smoothing model or [function FORECAST.ETS](https://support.office.com/en-US/article/forecast-ets-function-15389b8b-677e-4fbd-bd95-21d464333f41). ### Step one: Create a worksheet with your data To get started setting up your exponential smoothing forecast, organize your data into a chart like the one below. Tip: Your timeframe or sales data may look different. The example below organizes data by month and in dollar amounts. But you might, for example, organize your data by quarters and units sold.  ### Step two: enter your target date Choose a separate cell on the same worksheet, and enter your target date—the future month, quarter, or year that you’re attempting to forecast with the exponential smoothing model. When using this model, it’s important to remember that exponential smoothing forecasts become less accurate the further into the future they predict.  ### Step three: Run the excel forecast.ets function At this point, you can create a separate “Sales Forecast” column by adding in the function FORECAST.ETS. This formula will use exponential smoothing to predict the sales for the target date added in Step Two.  The FORECAST.ETS formula will prompt you to enter data for the following fields: **Target Date:**This is the date you’re trying to forecast. In our example, this is cell **D2**. **Values:** This is the sales data you want to analyze for your forecast. In our example, this is cells B2:B13. **Timeline:** This is the period you are analyzing for your forecast. In our example, this involves cells **A2:A13**.   ## The science of sales In this ebook, you'll learn what it means to forgo educated guesses in favor of strategies that are measurable, repeatable, and insightful. [Read now](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/business-needs-science-sales/) **Seasonability:** This is an optional feature that will look for seasonal trends in your data and take them into account if you enter a “1.” You could also manually specify the length of the seasonal pattern by entering a positive number, such as 12 for monthly data or 52 for weekly data (it will actually let you go as high as 8,760, the number of hours in a year). We suggest keeping things simple and just entering a “1” until you are comfortable tweaking the exponential smoothing model on your own. There’s also the option of typing “0” if you don’t want the formula to account for seasonal trends at all. **Data Completion:** This optional feature will fill in and complete any data gaps in your data. Enter “1” for data completion or “0” if you want missing values to be treated as zeroes. **Aggregation:** This is another optional function that specifies how the function should treat duplicates in your data. It is best to examine your data for any duplicate inputs before you run the exponential smoothing model. This field should not affect your forecast if your data is accurate, so you can enter the default “1.”  Here’s what the equation looks like with all of the appropriate cell ranges and numbers in their place. Once you fill out all of the values and press enter, you’ll be presented with the sales forecast calculated for your target date based on the exponential smoothing model.  In our example, the predicted sales for our target date is \$27,725. If we change the target date, we can also easily see the projection for other months further into the future. ## Step FOUR: view your data at a glance You also have the ability to create a visual forecast worksheet that can make this data easier to process at a glance. **For PC users:** Highlight your data\>go to the Data tab\>click on the Forecast Sheet button\>click Create. You’ll be given a [helpful line graph](https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/excel-forecast-function/). **For Apple Mac users:** Highlight both your actual and forecast data, \>go to the Insert tab\>select a 2-D Line Graph to create your chart.  In our example, the actual sales results from the past year are signified by the blue line, while the orange line represents what the exponential smoothing formula forecasts will happen over the next four months. It’s easy to get lost in spreadsheets, but once you have learned how to use the exponential smoothing formula, it is surprisingly simple to understand the forecasts using the tools in Excel. ## Improve your bottom line with better forecasting tools The exponential smoothing model delivers results that can be used to make decisions in many areas, from financial planning to sales quotas. While the exponential smoothing formula may seem complicated at first, with this “how-to” guide, we’ll have you charting sales like a pro in no time. It’s impossible to predict the future exactly, but using the exponential smoothing model allows you to confidently take actions based on your model’s predictions. Of course, predicting sales is not the only type of forecasting that matters to your company. You’ll also want to know which leads are most likely to pay off, which deals are closest to closing, and how any forecasting tool is going to affect your sales goals and bottom line. These are the questions answered by [Zendesk Sell’s Sales Forecasting feature](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041031834-Sales-Forecasting-in-Deals-and-Reports), which takes your data and automatically calculates and populates sales forecasts with a micro-level focus. As an automated forecasting tool, the feature provides insights into every deal in your pipeline on a [dashboard for your sales analytics](https://www.zendesk.com/sell/features/sales-dashboard/), including an Estimated Close Date and Win Likelihood for each one. To learn more, take a look at these essential [sales forecasting techniques](https://www.zendesk.com/blog/5-essential-sales-forecasting-techniques) on how to further leverage your data to create accurate sales forecasts. Thanks to [sales reporting tools](https://www.zendesk.com/sell/features/sales-reporting-software/) like Excel and Zendesk, you can operate your business with confidence in your sales forecast data.   ## The science of sales In this ebook, you'll learn what it means to forgo educated guesses in favor of strategies that are measurable, repeatable, and insightful. [Read now](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/business-needs-science-sales/) ## Pubblicazioni correlate   ## [Article](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/article/) 9 min read ### [What is sales revenue? Ultimate guide on how to calculate it](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/sales-revenue/) Sales revenue is a key metric to monitor. Learn how to use the sales revenue formula so you can gauge your company’s continued viability and forecast more accurately. [Sales Forecasting](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/sales-forecasting/)[Sales strategy](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/sales-strategy/)   ## [Article](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/article/) 10 min read ### [What is white space analysis? The ultimate guide to addressing unmet customer needs](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/white-space-analysis/) Read our ultimate guide on white space analysis, its benefits, and how it can uncover new opportunities for your business today. [Sales productivity](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/sales-productivity/)[Sales strategy](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/sales-strategy/)   ## [Article](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/article/) 16 min read ### [73 important sales statistics for 2026](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/sales-statistics/) From sales funnel facts to sales email figures, here are the sales statistics that will help you grow leads and close deals.   ## [Article](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/tags/article/) 9 min read ### [Break-even point (BEP): What it is and how to calculate it](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/break-even-point/) The break-even point is a major inflection point in every business and sales organization. Learn what it is and how to figure it out. #### The science of sales In this ebook, you'll learn what it means to forgo educated guesses in favor of strategies that are measurable, repeatable, and insightful. [Read now](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/business-needs-science-sales/)   #### Dalla tua parte per assistere i tuoi clienti ## I nostri prodotti - [Zendesk per il servizio clienti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/) - [Zendesk per l'assistenza ai dipendenti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/employee-service/) - [Piattaforma Sunshine](https://www.zendesk.com/it/platform/) - [Marketplace](https://www.zendesk.com/it/marketplace/) - [Aggiornamenti dei prodotti](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/it/sections/4405298877338-What-s-New-in-Zendesk/) ## Funzioni principali - [Sistema di emissione dei ticket](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/ticketing-system/) - [Messaggistica e chat](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/messaging/) - [Centro assistenza](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/help-center/) - [Voce](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/voice/) - [Forum della community](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/community-forum/) - [Generazione rapporti e analisi](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/analytics/) - [Answer Bot](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/ai/) - [Software per il servizio clienti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/ticketing-system/customer-service-management-software/) - [Software di ticketing per help desk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/help-desk-software/ticketing-system/) - [Software per chat](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/messaging/live-chat/) - [Knowledge base](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/help-center/knowledge-base-software/) - [Software per forum](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/help-center/community-software/) - [Software per help desk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/help-desk-software/) - [Assicurazione qualità](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/quality-assurance/) - [Gestione della forza lavoro](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/workforce-management/) - [Protezione e privacy dei dati avanzate](https://www.zendesk.com/it/service/customer-data-privacy-protection/) ## Risorse - [Sicurezza](https://www.zendesk.com/it/trust-center/) - [Assistenza prodotti](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/) - [Richiedi una demo](https://www.zendesk.com/it/demo/) - [Blog](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/) - [Formazione](https://training.zendesk.com/) - [Partner](https://www.zendesk.com/it/partner/) - [Webinar](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/events/#webinars) - [Testimonianze dei clienti](https://www.zendesk.com/it/why-zendesk/customers/) - [Servizio](https://www.zendesk.com/it/customer-experience/) - [Zendesk Centro assistenza](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/) ## Azienda - [Chi siamo](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/) - [Stampa](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/press/) - [Eventi](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/events/) - [Opportunità di lavoro](https://www.zendesk.com/company/careers/) - [Inclusione e appartenenza](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/belonging/) - [Sostenibilità](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/sustainability/) - [Contattaci](https://www.zendesk.com/it/contact/) - [Mappa del sito](https://www.zendesk.com/it/sitemap/) - [Stato del sistema](https://status.zendesk.com/) - [Zendesk Foundation](https://www.zendesk.org/) - [Zendesk Ventures](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/ventures/) - [Legale](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/legal/) ## Preferiti - [Che cos’è Zendesk](https://www.zendesk.com/it/what-is-zendesk/) - [Zendesk per le imprese](https://www.zendesk.com/it/business/enterprise/) - [Zendesk per le piccole imprese](https://www.zendesk.com/it/business/smb/) - [Zendesk per startup](https://www.zendesk.com/it/business/startups/) - [Tendenze dell'esperienza clienti](https://cxtrends.zendesk.com/it?utm_medium=webpromo&utm_source=footer&utm_campaign=Other_Channel_Organic_other_EMEA_2024_CXT-2025_webpromo_footer) *** ## Iscriviti per ricevere notizie e aggiornamenti da Zendesk. [Termini di utilizzo](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/agreements-and-terms/terms-of-use/)[Informativa sulla privacy](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/agreements-and-terms/privacy-notice/)[Informativa sui cookie](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/agreements-and-terms/cookie-notice/)[Impostazioni Cookie](https://www.zendesk.com/it/blog/leverage-exponential-smoothing-formula-forecasting/#onetrust-show-cookie-settings)[Trust Center](https://www.zendesk.com/it/trust-center/)[©Zendesk 2026](https://www.zendesk.com/it/company/legal/)

When it comes to setting quotas, sales managers like to turn to a quick and easy annual run rate (ARR). But we’ve seen that an ARR is far from the most precise metric. Though the exponential smoothing formula is a more complicated sales forecasting method, it is arguably better and can be used to more accurately predict product life cycles, future sales, and even the number of virus infections across a variety of industries. As such, we think using the exponential smoothing forecasting method provides you with the data you need to make the best decisions in every area of your company. ## What is exponential smoothing? Exponential smoothing is a way of analyzing data from specific periods of time by giving more importance to the newer data, and less importance to the older data. This method produces “smoothed data,” or data that has the noise removed, allowing patterns and trends to be more visible. When it comes to projecting sales, the interpretation of data run through an exponential smoothing forecast gives this method an edge because the exponential smoothing formula assigns more weight to the most recent sales performance data. For example, if you are using exponential smoothing to analyze 12 months’ worth of sales revenue, the exponential smoothing formula will put more weight on last month’s earnings than on the prior year’s. That’s one of the biggest differences between exponential smoothing forecasting and a simple annual run rate. A run rate will project out numbers from one period to an entire year, assuming those numbers will remain steady going forward. With exponential smoothing, you can decide how much weight is placed on more recent data by choosing a smoothing constant between .1 and 1 (the (α) in the formula below) in your exponential smoothing formula. The larger the value of the constant, the more weight given to recent data.  If algebra was your least favorite subject in school, you may have broken into a cold sweat at this point. Don’t worry—with Excel, running an exponential smoothing forecast is easy, as the calculations are done for you. ## How to set up an exponential smoothing forecast in Excel The good news is that you don’t need to be a math major to perform exponential smoothing calculations. In fact, if you have a recent version of Excel, you don’t even need to choose your own smoothing constant. While older versions of the program require you to manually enter the smoothing constant, the newest versions of Excel will automatically determine that portion of the equation for you. Nowadays, when it comes to smoothing your own sales data, all you need to know is how to use the Excel built-in exponential smoothing model or [function FORECAST.ETS](https://support.office.com/en-US/article/forecast-ets-function-15389b8b-677e-4fbd-bd95-21d464333f41). ### Step one: Create a worksheet with your data To get started setting up your exponential smoothing forecast, organize your data into a chart like the one below. Tip: Your timeframe or sales data may look different. The example below organizes data by month and in dollar amounts. But you might, for example, organize your data by quarters and units sold.  ### Step two: enter your target date Choose a separate cell on the same worksheet, and enter your target date—the future month, quarter, or year that you’re attempting to forecast with the exponential smoothing model. When using this model, it’s important to remember that exponential smoothing forecasts become less accurate the further into the future they predict.  ### Step three: Run the excel forecast.ets function At this point, you can create a separate “Sales Forecast” column by adding in the function FORECAST.ETS. This formula will use exponential smoothing to predict the sales for the target date added in Step Two.  The FORECAST.ETS formula will prompt you to enter data for the following fields: **Target Date:**This is the date you’re trying to forecast. In our example, this is cell **D2**. **Values:** This is the sales data you want to analyze for your forecast. In our example, this is cells B2:B13. **Timeline:** This is the period you are analyzing for your forecast. In our example, this involves cells **A2:A13**. **Seasonability:** This is an optional feature that will look for seasonal trends in your data and take them into account if you enter a “1.” You could also manually specify the length of the seasonal pattern by entering a positive number, such as 12 for monthly data or 52 for weekly data (it will actually let you go as high as 8,760, the number of hours in a year). We suggest keeping things simple and just entering a “1” until you are comfortable tweaking the exponential smoothing model on your own. There’s also the option of typing “0” if you don’t want the formula to account for seasonal trends at all. **Data Completion:** This optional feature will fill in and complete any data gaps in your data. Enter “1” for data completion or “0” if you want missing values to be treated as zeroes. **Aggregation:** This is another optional function that specifies how the function should treat duplicates in your data. It is best to examine your data for any duplicate inputs before you run the exponential smoothing model. This field should not affect your forecast if your data is accurate, so you can enter the default “1.”  Here’s what the equation looks like with all of the appropriate cell ranges and numbers in their place. Once you fill out all of the values and press enter, you’ll be presented with the sales forecast calculated for your target date based on the exponential smoothing model.  In our example, the predicted sales for our target date is \$27,725. If we change the target date, we can also easily see the projection for other months further into the future. ## Step FOUR: view your data at a glance You also have the ability to create a visual forecast worksheet that can make this data easier to process at a glance. **For PC users:** Highlight your data\>go to the Data tab\>click on the Forecast Sheet button\>click Create. You’ll be given a [helpful line graph](https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/excel-forecast-function/). **For Apple Mac users:** Highlight both your actual and forecast data, \>go to the Insert tab\>select a 2-D Line Graph to create your chart.  In our example, the actual sales results from the past year are signified by the blue line, while the orange line represents what the exponential smoothing formula forecasts will happen over the next four months. It’s easy to get lost in spreadsheets, but once you have learned how to use the exponential smoothing formula, it is surprisingly simple to understand the forecasts using the tools in Excel. ## Improve your bottom line with better forecasting tools The exponential smoothing model delivers results that can be used to make decisions in many areas, from financial planning to sales quotas. While the exponential smoothing formula may seem complicated at first, with this “how-to” guide, we’ll have you charting sales like a pro in no time. It’s impossible to predict the future exactly, but using the exponential smoothing model allows you to confidently take actions based on your model’s predictions. Of course, predicting sales is not the only type of forecasting that matters to your company. You’ll also want to know which leads are most likely to pay off, which deals are closest to closing, and how any forecasting tool is going to affect your sales goals and bottom line. These are the questions answered by [Zendesk Sell’s Sales Forecasting feature](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041031834-Sales-Forecasting-in-Deals-and-Reports), which takes your data and automatically calculates and populates sales forecasts with a micro-level focus. As an automated forecasting tool, the feature provides insights into every deal in your pipeline on a [dashboard for your sales analytics](https://www.zendesk.com/sell/features/sales-dashboard/), including an Estimated Close Date and Win Likelihood for each one. To learn more, take a look at these essential [sales forecasting techniques](https://www.zendesk.com/blog/5-essential-sales-forecasting-techniques) on how to further leverage your data to create accurate sales forecasts. Thanks to [sales reporting tools](https://www.zendesk.com/sell/features/sales-reporting-software/) like Excel and Zendesk, you can operate your business with confidence in your sales forecast data.