Auto Predict and Predictive Planning: Handling Negative Predictions with GenAI

Auto Predict and Predictive Planning now handle negative values in predictions based on the account and whether it’s valid for the account to have negative predicted values. Optionally, the prediction engine can use GenAI when needed to decide how to process values.

Applies To: FreeForm, Planning

Not all accounts are valid to have negative predicted values, for example, accounts such as headcount or units sold. Other accounts, such as marketing expense, could have negative predicted values. 

Auto Predict and Predictive Planning can now check the account to determine whether predictions can have negative values, and then apply adjustments during the post prediction process if needed.

Optionally, you can use GenAI if needed to help determine whether predictions can have negative values.

To select options for handling negative predictions:

  1. For Auto Predict:
    1. From the Home page, click IPM, and then click Configure.
    2. Select an Auto Predict job or create a new one.
    3. On the Configure page of the IPM Configuration wizard, click Show Advanced Options, and in the Prediction Constraints area, select Adjust Invalid Negative Predictions. With this option selected, the prediction engine checks historical data to determine how to handle negative prediction values.
    4. Optionally, select Detect non-negative measures using GenAI to use GenAI if needed to determine how to handle negative prediction values.
  2. For Predictive Planning:
    1. After you run a Predictive Planning prediction on a form, in the results area, click (Settings) and then click Prediction Options.
    2. In the Prediction Constraints area, select Adjust Invalid Negative Predictions. By default this option is off.
    3. Optionally, select Detect non-negative measures using GenAI to use GenAI if needed to determine how to handle negative prediction values.

Once a prediction is generated, if negative predicted values are found, Auto Predict and Predictive Planning use this process for determining how to handle the negative values:

  1. If Adjust Invalid Negative Predictions is selected: Check historical data and see how it is handled. If historical data has negative values, then negative values are valid for predictions, and no further are steps taken.
    If historical data does not have negative values, and Detect non-negative measures using GenAI is selected, move to the next step.
    If historical data does not have negative values, and Detect non-negative measures using GenAI is not selected, then negative predictions are adjusted to zero.
  2. If Detect non-negative measures using GenAI is selected, use GenAI and LLM to validate the account details such as account name, alias name, account type, hierarchy type, parent name and determine whether it’s valid to have negative predicted values.
  3. Apply adjustments during post prediction processing.
    For an account that can’t have negative predictions, the negative values are adjusted to zero.

The downloadable Auto Predict report now shows details about adjusted negative predictions. See the new columns: Adjusted Negative Predictions Count and Updated Negative Predictions Period.

Business Benefit: Negative values are handled properly for all predictions.

Steps to enable and configure

GenAI must be enabled for Detect non-negative measures using GenAI to work. If GenAI is not enabled, only historical values are checked for negative prediction values.

To enable GenAI:

  1. From the Home Page, click Application, and then click Settings.
  2. In the Enable AI section, select Generative AI and then click Save.

Tips and considerations

Auto Predict and Predictive Planning first process negative predictions if negative values are found, and then process predictions with decimal values. See “Auto Predict and Predictive Planning: Handling Decimal Values in Predictions with GenAI” for information on how Auto Predict and Predictive Planning handle decimal values in predictions.

Key resources