Replacing management's crystal ball with a spreadsheet program

As soon as the words “planning” and “control” are mentioned, the word “forecasting” is sure to follow. Next come several important questions: Should forecasting be the special domain of experts, or become a management tool? Can management obtain accurate and mathematically valid projections without investing in special hardware or software? The answer is that the basic tools required to prepare sound forecasts are readily available in most companies today.