08.03 Planning Scenarios
A scenario is a named container that holds a set of planning figures. One might be called Budget FY2026, another Q2 Forecast, another Stretch Target. Each scenario is entirely separate — they can be reported over side by side or in isolation, and submitting to one doesn't affect another.
Here is a video, or read below.
FastClose ships with a default scenario, code BUD. It is referenced automatically by the standard templates and is the right choice for working through this course. Properly named scenarios will be created before going live.
Creating a scenario
In Designer, open GL 06 Planning / Replanning This Year, go to the Layout tab in the ribbon and click Scenarios.
The Scenarios dialog opens and lists any existing scenarios — including BUD. Click Add Planning Scenario.
Fill in two fields:
Code — a short identifier used internally, for example FY26BDG or Q2FC. No spaces. This is what appears in scenario filter lists and is stored against every submitted figure.
Caption — the human-readable name contributors and report viewers will see, for example Budget FY2026 or Q2 Forecast. Precision matters here — once several scenarios exist, vague names like ‘Budget’ cause real confusion.
Click Save. The scenario appears in the list and is immediately available as a filter value in any planning report.
Submission restrictions
When editing an existing scenario (not when first creating it), a Restrictions button appears. This controls which users may submit and closes off periods that have already been agreed.
Set the period range to cover the current planning year, then click Save.
Leave other restrictions blank while building and testing — tighten them before the cycle opens to contributors.
Submiting data, locks the scenario to dimensions — read this carefully
When the first figure is submitted to a scenario, FastClose records which dimensions were used. Every subsequent submission to that scenario must use the same dimensions. If the first submission is made at Account code level, a later submission from a template that includes a Department dimension will be rejected. Get the template design right before anyone submits live data.
Locked dimensions are visible by opening a scenario and clicking Edit.
There is also a Limit Dimensions checkbox that disables locking if a change of approach mid-cycle is needed, but it is far better to design correctly upfront.
This rule is explored further in Section 08.04, which covers the granularity decision.
Move on to 0804 - Choosing The Level of Granularity
