Overview
The Project Start Month in Castaway acts as a reference point for your timeline rather than a fixed anchor for your data. Changing it does not delete existing data - because data sits in positional month slots (month 0, 1, 2...) rather than being tied to specific calendar months, it shifts along with the new start date.
The steps required to realign your data depend on what exists in your Project at the time of the change. This article walks through each scenario.
Scenarios
| Scenario | Complexity |
|---|---|
| 1. No data added yet | Simple - change freely |
| 2. Projected data only, no actuals | Moderate - export and reimport projected data |
| 3. Actuals only, no projected data | Moderate - clear and reimport actuals |
| 4. Both actuals and projected data | Complex - requires multiple steps |
| 5. Actuals, projected data and saved Budget or Forecast snapshots | Most complex - additional manual steps required |
Scenario 1: No Data Added Yet
If no budget values or actuals have been entered, you can change the Project Start Month freely without any further steps.
- Go to Overview > Project Details > Edit.
- Update the Project Start Month as required.
- Click Update.
Scenario 2: Projected Data Only, no Actuals
- Go to Forecast > Upload and click Build Upload Forecast Data Template. Save the file as a backup of current projected data.
- Go to Overview > Project Details > Edit and update the Project Start Month and click Update.
- Generate a new Upload Forecast Data Template to reflect the revised time periods.
- Copy your existing forecast values, from the backup, into the appropriate columns in the new template.
- Upload the completed new template via Forecast > Upload > Click to Upload.
If you have added extra years to your Project, Castaway may automatically populate the new periods by copying forward prior projection data. Review and adjust these values where necessary before uploading.
Scenario 3: Actuals Only, no Projected Data
CRITICAL: If your actuals were manually entered, export your P&L and Balance Sheet reports to Excel for all relevant periods before clearing - use Expand All in the report view settings to capture all detail lines.
- Clear all actuals data from the Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss and Other Data screens.
- Go to Overview > Project Details > Edit and update the Project Start Month and click Update.
- Reimport actuals via your integration source.
Scenario 4: Both Actuals and Projected Data
CRITICAL: If your actuals were manually entered, export your P&L and Balance Sheet reports to Excel for all relevant periods before clearing - use Expand All in the report view settings to capture all detail lines.
- Go to Forecast > Upload and click Build Upload Forecast Data Template. Save the file.
- Roll your Active Actuals Month back to the beginning of the Project so all projected data is available.
- Go to Overview > Project Details > Edit and update the Project Start Month and click Update.
- Generate a new Upload Forecast Data Template and copy your projected values into the appropriate columns.
- Upload the completed template via Forecast > Upload > Click to Upload.
- Clear all actuals data and reimport using your integration source.
Scenario 5: Actuals, Projected Data and Saved Budget / Forecast
CRITICAL: If your actuals were manually entered, export your P&L and Balance Sheet reports to Excel for all relevant periods before clearing - use Expand All in the report view settings to capture all detail lines.
This is the most complex scenario. Saved Budgets and Forecasts are 'snapshots' of your data and are not included in the standard Upload Forecast Data Template and require additional manual steps to recreate.
- Before making any changes, export your P&L and Balance Sheet reports to Excel for all periods in both Budget and Forecast view. Use Expand All in the report view settings to capture all detail lines. These exports will serve as your reference for recreating the snapshots.
- Follow all steps in Scenario 4 above to restore your actuals and projected data.
- Manually update the Upload Forecast Data Template with the relevant Budget or Forecast values using your exported reports as a reference.
- Upload the template and resave the Budget or Forecast via Manage Budgets. To replicate both a saved Budget and Forecast, you will need to update the Projected data for each one to save them. Saving the 'oldest' data first is recommended so the final state of your Projected data is your most recent.
This process can be time-consuming. We recommend assessing whether recreating the both or any snapshots is necessary before proceeding. Consultation with our support team is advised.
If you need any assistance please contact our support team at: support@castawayforecasting.com