Generating Your First Forecast
The final onboarding step creates your initial demand forecasts.
What Happens
When you click Generate Forecast:
- Analysis: StockWise analyzes your synced order history
- Pattern detection: Sales patterns are identified
- Prediction: Future demand is calculated for each variant
- Status assignment: Inventory health is determined
The Forecast Process
Duration
Forecast generation typically takes 1-3 minutes depending on your catalog size.
Progress Indicator
You'll see a progress indicator while forecasts are being generated.
Completion
Once complete, you'll see a success message and can proceed to the final step.
What Gets Generated
For each product variant:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Daily consumption | Average units sold per day |
| Demand forecast | Predicted sales for forecast period |
| Days remaining | How long current stock will last |
| Inventory status | Health classification |
| Reorder point | When to place new orders |
Understanding Your Results
Forecast Period
By default, StockWise generates 30-day forecasts. This can be adjusted in settings.
Initial Accuracy
First forecasts are based solely on historical patterns. Accuracy improves as:
- More data accumulates
- Patterns become clearer
- You refine threshold settings
Products Without Forecasts
Some products may show limited forecasts if:
- No recent sales history
- Newly added products
- Insufficient data points
These will improve as sales data accumulates.
After Forecast Generation
Completing Onboarding
Click Finish Setup to complete onboarding and access your dashboard.
Immediate Next Steps
- Review dashboard: Check inventory status across products
- Identify critical items: Note any "Order Now" or "Out of Stock" items
- Set up notifications: Configure alerts for low stock
If Forecast Generation Fails
Common Causes
- Insufficient order history
- Network connectivity issues
- Very large catalog timing out
Solutions
- Wait a moment and try again
- Refresh the page
- Contact support if issues persist
Minimum Data Required
For forecast generation to succeed:
- At least some products with order history
- Minimum 14 days of data recommended
- Products with inventory tracking enabled
Forecast Accuracy Expectations
With 14-30 days of data
- Basic directional forecasts
- May have higher variance
- Suitable for general planning
With 30-90 days of data
- More reliable predictions
- Better pattern detection
- Good for operational decisions
With 90+ days of data
- Best accuracy
- Seasonal patterns captured
- Suitable for strategic planning
Tips for Better Forecasts
- Ensure data quality: Accurate inventory in Shopify
- Include enough history: More data = better forecasts
- Be patient: Accuracy improves over time
- Monitor and adjust: Review forecast vs. actual regularly
Congratulations! You've completed onboarding. Explore your dashboard →