Business Central’s native Sales and Inventory Forecast feature draws on Microsoft’s own Azure AI model, but on its own it only displays a static, read-only chart in an item’s fact box. There is no way to act on that forecast directly: no button to push it into demand planning, and no path from the chart to a reorder point or safety stock calculation. If you are searching for the best demand forecasting app for Business Central 2026, Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet from Insight Works turns that same underlying forecast into an interactive worksheet you can actually use. This guide covers its features, benefits, how it compares to native forecasting, real use cases, and how to get started.
What Is Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet and How Does It Work in Business Central?
Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet is a native extension for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, available on Microsoft Marketplace. It is free for one named user in a Business Central online environment, with every feature included at that tier; a paid subscription is only required to add more users or to deploy on-premises, not to unlock additional functionality. It is also one of six components in Insight Works’ broader Enhanced Planning Pack bundle, though it is sold and licensed as a standalone app as well.
Core workflow:
- Confirm Business Central’s native Sales and Inventory Forecast Setup is configured, since Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet builds on that same Azure AI forecasting model rather than running an independent one.
- Install Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet from Microsoft Marketplace into a Business Central online environment.
- Set up a forecast run: item filter, item category, a single location, and a period type (week, month, quarter, or year).
- Choose the number of forecast and past periods, a confidence level, and one of six forecasting algorithms.
- Run the forecast; Business Central flags any item or location that does not have enough posted sales history to forecast from.
- Push the resulting forecast into Business Central’s standard Demand Forecast tables to feed MRP and MPS, or use custom expressions to calculate and push Safety Stock, Reorder Point, Reorder Quantity, and Maximum Inventory onto the item’s Planning FastTab instead.
- Repeat the process one location at a time for companies with multiple locations and SKUs.
Two configuration details worth knowing before rolling this out: at multiple locations, Insight Works’ documentation recommends running the forecast one location at a time rather than all at once, and re-running “Update Demand Forecast” against the same data adds to the prior result rather than replacing it, so it is worth checking existing entries before running it twice.
Key Features of Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet
- Interactive forecast worksheet: Turns Business Central’s native, read-only forecast chart into a worksheet a planner can filter, adjust, and act on.
- Six forecasting algorithms: Choose among six algorithms when running a forecast, rather than relying on a single fixed method.
- Flexible filtering: Filter a forecast run by item, item category, or location for targeted results instead of one global forecast.
- Historical data tuning: Set the number of past periods, forecast periods, and confidence level used to calculate each forecast.
- Two ways to act on a forecast: Push results directly into Business Central’s Demand Forecast tables to feed MRP and MPS, or use custom expressions to calculate planning parameters instead.
- Custom planning formulas: Build reusable expressions, referencing variables like average daily usage and lead time, to calculate Safety Stock, Reorder Point, Reorder Quantity, and Maximum Inventory.
- Sales history validation: Flags items or locations without enough posted sales history to produce a reliable forecast.
- Built on Microsoft’s Azure AI: Uses the same Azure AI forecasting model behind Business Central’s native Sales and Inventory Forecast feature, so there is no separate prediction engine to trust.
Together, these features give the native forecast chart somewhere to go, from a number on a screen to a reorder point Business Central can actually plan against.
Top Benefits for Business Central Users
- Reduce stockouts and overstock by tying reorder points and safety stock to an actual forecast instead of static defaults.
- Improve purchasing decisions with reorder timing based on forecasted demand rather than guesswork.
- Streamline planning parameter maintenance by pushing calculated values directly onto the item’s Planning FastTab instead of editing each item by hand.
- Support cash flow planning by giving financial analysts a clearer view of upcoming inventory investment.
- Gain flexibility to choose the forecasting algorithm and confidence level that fits a given item category or demand pattern.
- Enhance forecast accuracy over time by tuning how much historical sales data feeds each run.
Why Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet Is the Best Choice for Business Central
Business Central’s native Sales and Inventory Forecast feature already runs on Microsoft’s Azure AI model, so the gap is not the underlying prediction, it is what happens after. Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet builds directly on that native feature rather than replacing it, adding the filtering, tuning, and output options needed to turn a forecast into a usable purchasing or planning input. Other third-party forecasting apps for Business Central, including Auto Inventory Forecast with AI and EazyStock, offer their own take on demand forecasting, but Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet’s free single-user tier and its direct use of Microsoft’s own forecasting model set it apart.
| Feature | Native Business Central | Other Forecasting Apps | Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet from Insight Works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Included, forecast chart only | Varies, typically a separate subscription | Free for one user; paid to add users or go on-premises |
| Forecasting engine | Azure AI (Sales and Inventory Forecast) | Own or third-party model, varies by vendor | Same Azure AI model Business Central already uses |
| Forecast output | Static, read-only chart in the item fact box | Varies by vendor | Interactive worksheet with filtering and tuning |
| Algorithm choice | One, fixed | Varies by vendor | Choice among six algorithms |
| Push to Demand Forecast tables | Not available | Varies by vendor | Built in, feeds MRP and MPS directly |
| Planning parameter automation | Manual, one item at a time | Varies by vendor | Formula-driven Safety Stock, Reorder Point, Reorder Quantity, and Maximum Inventory |
| Filtering | None | Varies by vendor | By item, item category, or location |
| Setup | Native feature, no install needed | Separate install and configuration | Native extension from Microsoft Marketplace, working with Business Central’s existing forecast setup |
Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet wins because it makes Business Central’s own forecasting model usable, without asking a company to trust or configure a separate prediction engine.
Real Customer Results and Use Cases
- Inventory Manager: Pushes a tuned forecast into Business Central’s Demand Forecast tables, resulting in reorder points that track actual demand instead of a static default.
- Purchasing Manager: Uses a custom expression built on average daily usage and lead time, resulting in safety stock levels that update as sales patterns shift.
- Supply Chain Planner: Filters a forecast run by item category, resulting in separate, more accurate forecasts for fast-moving and slow-moving product lines.
- Financial Analyst: Reviews forecasted demand alongside current inventory levels, resulting in a clearer view of upcoming inventory investment for cash flow planning.
“The native forecast chart in Business Central just sat there. Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet gave us a way to actually push that forecast into a reorder point.” (Anonymous user)
“Being free for one user made it easy to try against a few item categories before deciding whether to add more licenses.” (Anonymous user)
How to Get Started with Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet in Business Central
- Visit Microsoft Marketplace and search for Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet, or reach it from the Insight Works product page.
- Confirm Business Central’s native Sales and Inventory Forecast Setup is configured for the items or locations you plan to forecast.
- Install Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet into your Business Central online environment.
- Set up a forecast run: item filter, location, period type, forecast periods, confidence level, and algorithm.
- Choose whether to push results into the Demand Forecast tables or set up custom expressions for planning parameters instead.
Pricing: Free for one named user in a Business Central online environment; a paid subscription is required to add users or to deploy on-premises. Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet is also available bundled with five other planning tools, including Item Planning Review and Enhanced Planning Worksheet, as part of Insight Works’ Enhanced Planning Pack.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best demand forecasting app for Business Central?
For Business Central users who want to act on Microsoft’s own forecasting model rather than just look at it, Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet stands out as the best demand forecasting app for Business Central, since it turns the native, read-only forecast chart into an interactive worksheet that can push results into Demand Forecast tables or planning parameters.
Is Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet really free?
It is free for one named user in a Business Central online environment, with every feature included at that tier. A paid subscription is only needed to add more users or to deploy on Business Central on-premises.
Does Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet replace Business Central’s native forecasting?
No. It works directly with Business Central’s native Sales and Inventory Forecast Setup and Microsoft’s Azure AI forecasting model rather than running an independent prediction engine; it adds the filtering, tuning, and action options the native feature does not have on its own.
Can Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet forecast multiple locations at once?
Companies with multiple locations and SKUs should run the forecast one location at a time, per Insight Works’ documentation; running it across multiple locations in a single pass can cause only the first SKU to update correctly.
Does Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet work with other Insight Works planning apps?
Yes. It is sold as a standalone app but is also one of six components in the Enhanced Planning Pack, alongside tools like Item Planning Review, a manual, usage-based alternative for teams not ready to rely fully on an AI-driven forecast.
Conclusion
Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet closes a specific gap in Business Central: a native forecasting model with no way to act on its own output. By turning that forecast into an interactive worksheet, with algorithm choice, custom planning formulas, and a free single-user tier, it makes a strong case as the best demand forecasting app for Business Central, for companies that already have sales history to forecast from. Ready to put your Business Central sales history to work? Install Enhanced Forecasting Worksheet from Microsoft Marketplace today or contact your Microsoft Partner for a demo.