Qvinci's 2nd Generation Forecasting & Modeling Tool: The What If Cashflow & Forecasting Optimizer

Overview

Qvinci includes an easy-to-use “What If” predictive business intelligence tool designed to help organizations plan for uncertainty and model future outcomes. Users can create a virtually unlimited number of What If scenarios and forecasts to evaluate the potential impact of COVID-19 or any other future disruption on income, expenses, and cash positions over time.

The What If tool enables users to manipulate financial assumptions and immediately see the financial impact in near real time. This allows for more informed decision-making and helps businesses determine:

• If and when additional funding may be required

• Which costs may need to be reduced or eliminated

• How operational changes affect future cash flow

This functionality is especially valuable for franchisees, dioceses, business units, advisors, and their clients when planning ahead of financial pressure rather than reacting after it impacts the bottom line.

The What If tool pulls last month’s Profit & Loss data and the current total cash balance, then builds a 12-month forecast assuming performance continues at the same pace. Users can adjust any Chart of Accounts line item by month, and the forecasted income, expenses, and running cash balance will automatically update to reflect the changes.

Getting Started

A. Filter an Entity

1. Log in at web.qvinci.com

2. Click Reports & Libraries from the left navigation

3. Select Libraries

4. At the top center of the page, click Filter Entities

5. Filter to a single entity and click Apply Filters

    

B. Open the What If Forecast Template

1. Navigate to the Qvinci Gallery tab

2. Search for “BI-What If – Cashflow & Forecasting Optimizer (N)”

3. Click the Preview button located to the right of the report title

    

C. Create a What If Forecast Model

1. Click the Edit button in the bottom-left navigation

2. Enter a name to identify your new model and click Submit

3. You are now inside your new What If Model and ready to begin forecasting

Using What if Forecast

Step 1. Program the What If Options Setup

Choose a Reference Period Range, then press Enter. There are three available options:

Option 1: Single

Uses one specified month (within the last two years) as the forecast baseline.

• First What If Month – First month to forecast (format: Apr 2021)

• Beginning Reference Month – Month used as the baseline (format: Apr 2020)

Option 2: Range

Uses the average of a selected beginning and ending month (within the last two years) as the baseline.

• First What If Month – First forecast month

• Beginning Reference Month – First month in the averaging range

• Ending Reference Month – Last month in the averaging range

Option 3: Seasonal

Uses the same months from a selected historical year (within the last two years).

• First What If Month – First month to forecast

• Reference Season Year – Year used as the seasonal baseline

❗ Note: Seasonal What If columns reference the same month from the selected baseline year.
For example, selecting 2019 as the reference year means:

Jan 2020 What If → Jan 2019

Feb 2020 What If → Feb 2019

Mar 2020 What If → Mar 2019

Step 2: Edit the What If Forecast Model

A. Adjust Forecast Values Using Percentages

• Modify forecast values by changing the What If % column

• Changes made anywhere else will not be retained

❗ Important: You must use the What If % column for forecast adjustments. Forecast behavior by option:

Single – Repeats the reference month forward; % modifies only What If values

Range – Repeats the averaged value forward; % modifies only What If values

Seasonal – Uses the same month from the reference year; % modifies only What If values

B. Add Future Projected Transactions

Use the Other Accounts section of the P&L to add items not found in historical data.

1. Replace Other Account Name with the desired account (e.g., PPP Loan, Owner Contribution)

2. Enter dollar values in the What If columns only

❗ Note: Dollar values must be entered only in the What If columns. Any other edits will not be retained.

C. Monitor Cash Flow and Save Frequently

• Monitor the Running Cash Balance chart as changes are made

• Click Save (Capture) in the bottom-left navigation

⚠️ Warning: Always save frequently. Closing the page without saving will result in losing all changes.

Step 3: Monitor Actual vs What If

1. Review Actual values monthly to ensure they remain within What If expectations

2. Adjust operations as needed to stay aligned with the forecast roadmap

❗ Note: While export to Excel is available, Qvinci recommends maintaining all updates within the platform to preserve forecast logic and automatically receive updated Actual data at sync.

Reopening a What If Forecast Model

1. Click Reports & Libraries

2. Select Libraries

3. Click Filter Entities

4. Filter to the same entity used when the model was created and click Apply Filters

Use an Existing Model

1. Navigate to the Qvinci Gallery

2. Search for “BI-What If – Cashflow & Forecasting Optimizer (N)”

3. Click the arrow to expand the model list

4. Select Use Model

Best Practice Guidance(Important!)

• Use the Other Accounts section to manually enter transactions not present in the P&L (e.g., loans, transfers, cash infusions).

• Use one financial file per What If Model. While Qvinci can consolidate models, defining a “likely reality” is most effective at the single-entity level.

• Use a typical year as your reference period. Stale or abnormal data (such as pandemic-affected periods) may distort forecasts.

Accountants Using What If for Clients

Qvinci’s What If tool enables accountants to help clients define a “likely reality” and build a clear financial roadmap.

Recommended approach:

1. Link and sync the client file to Qvinci

2. Open BI-What If – Cashflow & Forecasting Optimizer (N)

3. Preview the template

4. Select reference periods and starting months

5. Review the running cash balance

6. Export to Excel without modification

7. Share with the client for discussion

8. Adjust What If values collaboratively

9. Monitor Actual vs What If monthly

Using What If for Franchisees

Franchisors can deploy a consistent forecasting tool across the entire network:

1. Link and sync all franchisee files

2. Customize the What If template with Qvinci Customer Success

3. Save the template to the admin MINE folder

4. Pin the report to franchisee dashboards

5. Distribute guidance to franchisees

6. Advisors review and adjust forecasts routinely

This approach has been successfully deployed across thousands of franchise locations with minimal setup effort.

Have Questions? We're More Than Happy to Help!

Schedule a call with Customer Success below or email us at support@qvinci.com

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