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Note: This feature is currently only available in Preview, for select customers.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• How It Works
  • Manual Scenario Creation
  • Editing Scenario Values
  • Edit Scenario via Copilot
• Comparing Scenarios
• Permissions and Access
• FAQs

Overview

The What-If Forecasting feature in Talkdesk Workforce Management (WFM) enables Resource Planners to simulate and compare the impact of changes to forecast inputs (e.g., contact volume, average handle time, and shrinkage) on staffing and service levels. This tool supports manual scenario creation. If Talkdesk Copilot is enabled for the account, Resource Planners can also use Copilot to create or edit scenarios conversationally.

Benefits:

• Model the impact of changes before they happen.
• Compare multiple scenarios side-by-side, including the baseline forecast.
• Use the guided manual interface, or conversational Copilot when Copilot is available for your account.

How It Works

Manual Scenario Creation

1. Accessing What-If Forecasting:

   • Go to the What-If Forecasting module in WFM.

     

2. Creating a New Scenario:
   • Click Create Scenario.

• Select at least one queue (use tags for filtering).

• Set the scenario timeframe:
  1. Default: 2 weeks.
  2. Maximum: Forecast window of 2 years.

3. Supported Metric Adjustments for What-If:
   • Modify Contact Volume Offered (CVO).
   • Modify Average Handle Time (AHT).
   • Modify the shrinkage percentage for selected queues.

4. Run Scenario:
   • Click Run Scenario. You will receive a notification when the scenario run is complete.

• When a scenario is ready to become part of the production forecast, select Publish. Scenario statuses are Draft, Publishing, and Published.
  • Note: Publishing permanently replaces the production forecast for the selected queues and timeframe with the What-If forecast. Only publish after reviewing the scenario results.

Editing Scenario Values

• Edited values are visually identified so you can distinguish them from the original forecast values.
• Metrics can be edited at the weekly level. WFM distributes a weekly adjustment proportionally across the underlying forecast intervals.
• Use Combined summary to review the CVO and AHT chart and edit daily CVO, AHT, and shrinkage values across the selected queues for the chosen week.
• Use Individual Queues to select a queue and edit queue-specific CVO, AHT, and shrinkage values. After you select Run scenario, review the resulting FTE.
• The table includes CVO, AHT, Shrinkage, and FTE columns for each day in the selected week.
• After you select Run scenario, the FTE column displays the resulting staffing requirement. Until the scenario has run, a dash (—) is displayed.

Edit Scenario via Copilot

Note: This option is displayed only when Talkdesk Copilot is available for the account.

1. Open Copilot:
   • Launch the Copilot chat interface within What-If Forecasting Edit Scenario.
2. Describe Your Requirement:
   • Enter a prompt (e.g., “Increase shrinkage by 5% for Queue A next month”).
   • Copilot assists with queue selection (autocomplete, suggestions, fuzzy matching).
3. Review and Confirm:
   • Copilot summarizes the proposed changes.
   • Confirm the scenario (type “yes” or similar).
   • The UI locks and displays a “processing” state while the scenario is applied.
4. Edit Lock:
   • Only one user can edit a scenario at a time. Others will see a lock until the session is complete.
5. Completion:
   • You will be notified when the scenario is ready for review.

Comparing Scenarios

• Side-by-Side Comparison:
  • Use the dropdown in each scenario legend box to select up to two scenarios, including the baseline.
  • Use the color selector in each legend box to distinguish the selected scenarios.
  • Comparison charts follow the Insights-style layout and display two metrics per chart.
  • Review which parameters and queues were modified in each scenario.
  • 

Permissions and Access

• Who Can Use:
  Only Admins or users with configuration edit permissions can create or edit scenarios.

FAQs

Q: Can I compare more than two scenarios?
A: No. Currently, only two scenarios can be selected for comparison.

Q: What happens if two users try to edit the same scenario?
A: The system locks the scenario for editing by one user at a time to prevent conflicts.

Q: Is there an undo option after confirming changes in Copilot?
A: No, once confirmed, changes are applied and cannot be undone. Use the reset function or create a new scenario if needed.

Q: What is the maximum timeframe for a scenario?
A: The maximum scenario timeframe is 2 years.

If you need further assistance, please contact your Talkdesk representative or get in touch with our Talkdesk Customer Care.