# Workforce management forecasting and scheduling

Canonical: https://warmtransfer.net/knowledge/wfm-forecasting-scheduling

Last verified: 2026-10-02

Genesys Cloud workforce management provides forecasting, scheduling, adherence monitoring and intraday monitoring as integrated capabilities[^27]. Microsoft describes the Dynamics 365 workforce management workflow as forecasting demand from history, creating capacity plans, building shift plans, scheduling representatives manually or automatically, and then publishing schedules[^45].

## Forecasting

In Genesys Cloud WFM, planning groups group workload by media type and route paths for forecasting[^23]. The Genesys Cloud main forecast uses the continuous forecast method and is recalculated every night[^21]. Genesys Cloud short-term forecasts can be created with Automatic Best Method, Weighted Historical Index, Weighted Historical Index with source data import, or Import forecast[^18].

Automatic Best Method selects among more than 20 forecasting methodologies, including ARIMA, and performs automated historical data cleanup and seasonality and trend detection[^14]. An Automatic Best Method short-term forecast can be configured for 1 to 6 weeks in length[^13]. It can work with as little as 1 week of history, uses up to 90 days for daily arrival patterns, and needs multiple seasons of history to detect seasonality[^12]. The Weighted Historical Index method weights 1 or more weeks of history at the daily level and produces a forecast 1 week at a time[^28].

In Dynamics 365, short-term and long-term forecast scenarios both forecast volume and average handle time from historical data, and they differ in interval and horizon[^42]. Short-term scenarios support up to 42 days at intraday interval, and long-term scenarios support up to 1,095 days at daily interval[^40]. After a Dynamics 365 forecast scenario is created, its forecast type, interval, forecast entity and data source cannot be changed[^41]. Create New Snapshot regenerates a forecast and becomes the default for capacity planning, but it is unavailable while Auto refresh is on, and Auto refresh is unavailable with external data[^44]. Microsoft states that Dynamics 365 forecasting isn't intended for decisions that affect a person's employment and that customers are responsible for lawful use[^43].

We infer that short-term forecasting means roughly a 6-week interval-level horizon in both Genesys Cloud and Dynamics 365, while long-term horizons differ widely between products and features[^32].

## Capacity planning and staffing calculations

Dynamics 365 short-term capacity planning works in 15-minute intervals for up to 6 weeks, and long-term capacity planning gives daily requirements for up to 6 months[^37]. Dynamics 365 capacity plans take service level percent, target answer time in seconds, shrinkage percent and concurrency as configuration parameters[^38]. Microsoft instructs setting capacity-plan concurrency to 1 for voice calls and as needed for chat and messaging channels[^39]. Dynamics 365 allows up to 10 forecast scenarios with Auto-extension enabled for capacity planning[^36].

Amazon Connect capacity planning requires a created and published long-term forecast, which it uses as the input to the capacity plan[^2]. Its scenario inputs include maximum occupancy, daily attrition, FTE hours per week, outsourced contacts, maximum overtime, maximum voluntary time off, shrinkage and hours of operation[^4]. An Amazon Connect capacity plan outputs required FTE with and without shrinkage, forecasted occupancy, the gap to available FTE, and the maximum overtime and VTO rates allowed[^3]. An average-time-to-complete target makes Task or Email asynchronous and staffed from backlog projections, while a service level target treats them as synchronous[^1]. See also [Setting up forecasting and scheduling in Amazon Connect](https://warmtransfer.net/knowledge/amazon-connect-forecasting-scheduling-setup).

Genesys Cloud service goal templates specify service level, average speed to answer and abandonment rate goals for reuse[^24]. NICE CXone WFM defines service level as the percentage of interactions handled within a defined time threshold[^56]. NICE CXone WFM defines occupancy as the percentage of logged-in time agents spend handling interactions or work[^53]. The NICE CXone WFM glossary states that workload is measured in Erlangs for capacity calculations[^51].

Calabrio calculates predicted service level, predicted average speed of answer and predicted abandon rate for inbound telephony and chat with Erlang A[^5]. Calabrio uses a Maximum calculated PASA setting as the fallback predicted ASA when severe understaffing prevents an Erlang-based value[^7]. WarmTransfer's reading of the sources is that, because Calabrio predicts abandon rate with Erlang A, its predicted service level likely accounts for caller abandonment and may differ from a plain Erlang C calculator on the same inputs[^31].

## Scheduling inputs

In Genesys Cloud WFM, work plans define shift patterns, breaks, meals and weekly labour constraints used in scheduling[^29]. Verint distinguishes an active forecast used for staffing calculations and Queue Analytics from a base forecast used when generating and publishing schedules[^59].

## Shrinkage

Genesys Cloud defines unplanned shrinkage as scheduled agents being unavailable to take interactions, and lists causes including breaks, meals, unscheduled absences, vacations, training, coaching, holidays, non-adherence and meetings[^26]. Genesys Cloud computes expected agents as scheduled agents minus scheduled agents times shrinkage percent, so 200 scheduled agents at 10% shrinkage gives 180 expected agents[^25].

The NICE CXone WFM glossary describes shrinkage as an adjustment for breaks and unavailability that converts ideal staffing requirements into realistic staffing needs[^57]. Calabrio defines shrinkage as the loss of resources due to things not known at scheduling time, covering absences such as paid time off and sick leave and non-skill activities such as training and meetings[^10]. Calabrio notes that shrinkage is low for today and tomorrow, when most absences are known, and higher for periods 3 or more weeks out[^11].

WarmTransfer's reading of the sources is that shrinkage percentages are not portable between WFM tools without checking definitions, because Calabrio scopes shrinkage to what is unknown at scheduling time, the Genesys unplanned shrinkage list includes breaks and vacations, and Microsoft treats it as any time unavailable[^33].

## Adherence and conformance

Genesys Cloud calculates adherence as (1 minus adherence exception duration divided by adherence scheduled duration) times 100[^16]. Genesys Cloud calculates conformance as conformance actual seconds divided by conformance scheduled seconds times 100[^17]. Enabling Working Outside Shift Considered Exception counts time worked outside the scheduled shift as adherence exception time, lowering adherence; when it is disabled, only late arrival counts against adherence[^22]. An approved adherence explanation removes the explained time period from adherence calculations[^15].

The NICE CXone WFM glossary defines adherence as comparing an agent's actual activity or state with their scheduled activity in real time[^49]. NICE CXone WFM reports adherence as time in adherence divided by scheduled time, times 100[^48]. It reports conformance as time in conformance divided by scheduled time, times 100, reflecting whether total scheduled time was worked regardless of when[^50]. In NICE's example, an agent scheduled 9 AM to 5 PM who works 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM has 100% conformance but not 100% adherence[^47].

We infer that an adherence percentage cannot be compared across tenants or vendors without knowing exception rules, since Genesys's Working Outside Shift Considered Exception setting alone changes the result for the same day[^30].

## Intraday monitoring and reforecasting

Genesys Cloud intraday monitoring compares forecast and actual data per planning group in 15-, 30- or 60-minute intervals[^19]. In that view, Occupancy, Completed and Average Speed of Answer are hidden by default and must be enabled in the view settings[^20].

NICE CXone Intraday Manager monitors a 24-hour day in 15-minute intervals, comparing actual volume, AHT, ASA, service level and staffing against forecast[^52]. Actual ACD data typically appears 5 to 15 minutes after an interval completes[^46]. Intraday Manager reforecasts the remaining workday from the recent forecast and the recent actual trend from the ACD, and it requires an active forecast[^54]. The reforecast is recalculated every 15 minutes for future intervals only, and completed intervals are not changed[^55].

Calabrio Intraday computes reforecasted agents for future intervals by multiplying forecasted agents by a deviation factor derived from forecast-versus-actual volume in completed intervals, weighting recent intervals more[^8]. A Calabrio Intraday user can manually override forecasted agents by entering a percentage between -100% and +100%[^6]. Calabrio's required agents metric applies the forecasted-agents calculation to actual volume and handle time and is shown only for past intervals[^9].

Verint describes intraday optimization as identifying variations, understanding their causes with Queue Analytics, and resolving them, including reforecasting and publishing a revised forecast that updates scheduling[^60]. Verint lists cancelling activities, adding overtime and requesting voluntary time off as intraday corrective actions[^58].

## Applicability

Applies to: Genesys Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center, Amazon Web Services Amazon Connect, NICE CXone WFM, Calabrio ONE, and Verint Workforce Management. Deployments: multi-tenant. Sources checked 2026-10-02. The vendors and products documented here are Genesys Cloud workforce management[^27], NICE CXone WFM[^48], Microsoft Dynamics 365 workforce management[^45], Amazon Connect capacity planning[^2], Calabrio Intraday[^8], and Verint intraday optimization[^60].

## What remains uncertain

Microsoft states that Dynamics 365 workforce management supports staffing and monitoring workflows that can include both service representatives and AI agents[^35]; how AI agents are modelled in forecasting or staffing calculations is not covered by the sources below. How fair workweek or predictive scheduling laws constrain schedule generation and publication is not covered by the sources below. The forecasting and scheduling behaviour of WFM products from contact center vendors not named in the claims is not covered by the sources below. Native WFM in contact center products from collaboration-platform vendors not named in the claims is likewise not covered by the sources below. How real-time agent state feeds are integrated from an ACD into a WFM tool for adherence monitoring is not covered by the sources below. Benchmark or target values for occupancy and adherence are not covered by the sources below. Multi-skill scheduling and the simulation methods used to evaluate multi-skill staffing are not covered by the sources below. Whether Dynamics 365 offers forecasting methods beyond those described here, including any preview forecasting methods, is not covered by the sources below.

## Sources

[^1]: In Amazon Connect capacity planning, an average-time-to-complete target makes Task or Email asynchronous and staffed from backlog projections, while a service level target treats them as synchronous. Source: [Create capacity planning scenarios in Connect Customer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/connect/latest/adminguide/capacity-planning-create-scenarios.html), Create capacity planning scenarios, step 7 Optimization inputs > Average time to complete. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^2]: Amazon Connect capacity planning requires a created and published long-term forecast, which it uses as the input to the capacity plan. Source: [Create capacity planning scenarios in Connect Customer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/connect/latest/adminguide/capacity-planning-create-scenarios.html), Create capacity planning scenarios, To create a capacity planning scenario, step 1. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^3]: An Amazon Connect capacity plan outputs required FTE with and without shrinkage, forecasted occupancy, the gap to available FTE, and the maximum overtime and VTO rates allowed. Source: [Create capacity planning scenarios in Connect Customer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/connect/latest/adminguide/capacity-planning-create-scenarios.html), Create capacity planning scenarios, introductory paragraph after scenario parts. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^4]: Amazon Connect capacity planning scenario inputs include maximum occupancy, daily attrition, FTE hours per week, outsourced contacts, maximum overtime, maximum voluntary time off, shrinkage and hours of operation. Source: [Create capacity planning scenarios in Connect Customer](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/connect/latest/adminguide/capacity-planning-create-scenarios.html), Create capacity planning scenarios, step 6 Scenario inputs. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^5]: Calabrio calculates predicted service level, predicted average speed of answer and predicted abandon rate for inbound telephony and chat with Erlang A. Source: [Understand the result table parameters](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/user-guides/schedules/about-result-table.htm), Understand the result table parameters, PSL, PASA and Predicted AR entries. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^6]: In Calabrio Intraday, a user can manually override forecasted agents by entering a percentage between -100% and +100%. Source: [View staffing levels and actual need](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/user-guides/intraday/view-staffing-actual-need.htm), View staffing levels and actual need, Manually apply forecast. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^7]: Calabrio uses a Maximum calculated PASA setting as the fallback predicted ASA when severe understaffing prevents an Erlang-based value. Source: [Understand the result table parameters](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/user-guides/schedules/about-result-table.htm), Understand the result table parameters, PASA entry. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^8]: Calabrio Intraday computes reforecasted agents for future intervals by multiplying forecasted agents by a deviation factor derived from forecast-versus-actual volume in completed intervals, weighting recent intervals more. Source: [View staffing levels and actual need](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/user-guides/intraday/view-staffing-actual-need.htm), View staffing levels and actual need, Review staffing levels (Reforecasted agents). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^9]: Calabrio's required agents metric applies the forecasted-agents calculation to actual volume and handle time and is shown only for past intervals. Source: [View staffing levels and actual need](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/user-guides/intraday/view-staffing-actual-need.htm), View staffing levels and actual need, Review staffing levels (Required agents). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^10]: Calabrio defines shrinkage as the loss of resources due to things not known at scheduling time, covering absences such as paid time off and sick leave and non-skill activities such as training and meetings. Source: [Shrinkage](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/glossaries/wfm-concepts/shrinkage.htm), Shrinkage glossary entry, definition paragraph. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^11]: Calabrio notes shrinkage is low for today and tomorrow, when most absences are known, and higher for periods three or more weeks out. Source: [Shrinkage](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/glossaries/wfm-concepts/shrinkage.htm), Shrinkage glossary entry, horizon / dynamic shrinkage discussion. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^12]: Genesys Cloud Automatic Best Method can work with as little as one week of history, uses up to 90 days for daily arrival patterns, and needs multiple seasons of history to detect seasonality. Source: [What method should I choose when I create a short-term forecast?](https://help.genesys.cloud/faqs/what-method-should-i-choose-when-i-create-a-short-term-forecast/), FAQ, method 1 Automatic Best Method, Historical data. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^13]: A Genesys Cloud Automatic Best Method short-term forecast can be configured for one to six weeks in length. Source: [What method should I choose when I create a short-term forecast?](https://help.genesys.cloud/faqs/what-method-should-i-choose-when-i-create-a-short-term-forecast/), FAQ, method 1 Automatic Best Method, Forecast length. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^14]: Genesys Cloud Automatic Best Method selects among more than 20 forecasting methodologies, including ARIMA, and performs automated historical data cleanup and seasonality and trend detection. Source: [What method should I choose when I create a short-term forecast?](https://help.genesys.cloud/faqs/what-method-should-i-choose-when-i-create-a-short-term-forecast/), FAQ, method 1 Automatic Best Method, Overview and Capabilities. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^15]: In Genesys Cloud, an approved adherence explanation removes the explained time period from adherence calculations. Source: [About workforce management](https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/about-workforce-management/), About workforce management, Adherence section. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^16]: Genesys Cloud calculates adherence as (1 minus adherence exception duration divided by adherence scheduled duration) times 100. Source: [How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/how-genesys-cloud-calculates-adherence-and-conformance/), How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance, Formulas > Adherence. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^17]: Genesys Cloud calculates conformance as conformance actual seconds divided by conformance scheduled seconds times 100. Source: [How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/how-genesys-cloud-calculates-adherence-and-conformance/), How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance, Formulas > Conformance. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^18]: Genesys Cloud short-term forecasts can be created with Automatic Best Method, Weighted Historical Index, Weighted Historical Index with source data import, or Import forecast. Source: [What method should I choose when I create a short-term forecast?](https://help.genesys.cloud/faqs/what-method-should-i-choose-when-i-create-a-short-term-forecast/), FAQ What method should I choose when I create a short-term forecast, method headings 1-4. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^19]: Genesys Cloud intraday monitoring compares forecast and actual data per planning group in 15-, 30- or 60-minute intervals. Source: [Intraday monitoring overview](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/intraday-monitoring-overview/), Intraday monitoring overview, opening section. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^20]: In Genesys Cloud intraday monitoring, Occupancy, Completed and Average Speed of Answer are hidden by default and must be enabled in the view settings. Source: [Intraday monitoring overview](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/intraday-monitoring-overview/), Intraday monitoring overview, Available Metrics. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^21]: In Genesys Cloud the main forecast uses the continuous forecast method and is recalculated every night. Source: [About workforce management](https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/about-workforce-management/), About workforce management, Forecasting section. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^22]: In Genesys Cloud, enabling Working Outside Shift Considered Exception counts time worked outside the scheduled shift as adherence exception time, lowering adherence; when disabled only late arrival counts against adherence. Source: [How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/how-genesys-cloud-calculates-adherence-and-conformance/), How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance, Working outside shift considered exception example. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^23]: In Genesys Cloud WFM, planning groups group workload by media type and route paths for forecasting. Source: [About workforce management](https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/about-workforce-management/), About workforce management, definitions (Planning groups). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^24]: Genesys Cloud service goal templates specify service level, average speed to answer and abandonment rate goals for reuse. Source: [About workforce management](https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/about-workforce-management/), About workforce management, definitions (Service goal templates). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^25]: Genesys Cloud computes expected agents as scheduled agents minus scheduled agents times shrinkage percent, so 200 scheduled agents at 10% shrinkage gives 180 expected agents. Source: [Unplanned shrinkage overview](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/about-unplanned-shrinkage/), Unplanned shrinkage overview, Example. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^26]: Genesys Cloud defines unplanned shrinkage as scheduled agents being unavailable to take interactions, and lists causes including breaks, meals, unscheduled absences, vacations, training, coaching, holidays, non-adherence and meetings. Source: [Unplanned shrinkage overview](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/about-unplanned-shrinkage/), Unplanned shrinkage overview, opening paragraph and causes list. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^27]: Genesys Cloud workforce management provides forecasting, scheduling, adherence monitoring and intraday monitoring as integrated capabilities. Source: [About workforce management](https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/about-workforce-management/), About workforce management, overview of key components (Forecasting, Scheduling, Adherence, Intraday monitoring sections). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^28]: The Genesys Cloud Weighted Historical Index method weights one or more weeks of history at the daily level and produces a forecast one week at a time. Source: [What method should I choose when I create a short-term forecast?](https://help.genesys.cloud/faqs/what-method-should-i-choose-when-i-create-a-short-term-forecast/), FAQ, method 2 Weighted Historical Index. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^29]: In Genesys Cloud WFM, work plans define shift patterns, breaks, meals and weekly labour constraints used in scheduling. Source: [About workforce management](https://help.mypurecloud.com/articles/about-workforce-management/), About workforce management, definitions (Work plans). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^30]: An adherence percentage cannot be compared across tenants or vendors without knowing exception rules, since Genesys alone yields 71.4% or 82.4% for the same day depending on one setting (inferred). Source: [How Genesys Cloud calculates adherence and conformance](https://help.genesys.cloud/articles/how-genesys-cloud-calculates-adherence-and-conformance/), Working outside shift considered exception example. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^31]: Because Calabrio predicts abandon rate with Erlang A, its predicted service level likely accounts for caller abandonment and may differ from a plain Erlang C calculator on the same inputs (inferred). Source: [Understand the result table parameters](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/user-guides/schedules/about-result-table.htm), Understand the result table parameters, PSL and Predicted AR entries. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^32]: Short-term forecasting means roughly a six-week interval-level horizon in both Genesys Cloud and Dynamics 365, but long-term horizons differ widely between products and features (inferred). Source: [Create and manage forecast scenarios](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-forecast-scenarios), Create a forecast scenario step 3; compared with genesys-faq-short-term-forecast-method method 1 Forecast length. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^33]: Shrinkage percentages are not portable between WFM tools without checking definitions, because vendors scope shrinkage differently (Calabrio: unknown at scheduling time; Genesys unplanned shrinkage list includes breaks and vacations; Microsoft: any time unavailable) (inferred). Source: [Shrinkage](https://help.calabrio.com/doc/Content/glossaries/wfm-concepts/shrinkage.htm), Shrinkage glossary entry, definition; compared with genesys-about-unplanned-shrinkage causes list and ms-learn-d365-wfm-capacity-planning step 4 Shrinkage. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^34]: The ITU-D Teletraffic Engineering handbook treats Erlang's C-formula for delay systems in section 12.2.1 and Erlang's B-formula for loss systems in section 7.3.2. Source: [ITU-D Study Group 2 Question 16/2 Handbook Teletraffic Engineering](https://www.itu.int/dms_pub/itu-d/opb/stg/D-STG-SG02.16.2.1-2002-PDF-E.pdf), Table of contents, sections 7.3.2 and 12.2.1. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^35]: Microsoft states Dynamics 365 workforce management supports staffing and monitoring workflows that can include both service representatives and AI agents. Source: [Overview of Workforce Management](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/use/workforce-management-overview), Overview of Workforce Management, Benefits. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^36]: Dynamics 365 allows up to 10 forecast scenarios with Auto-extension enabled for capacity planning. Source: [Create and manage capacity plans](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-capacity-planning), Create and manage capacity plans, Create a capacity plan, step 5 note. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^37]: Dynamics 365 short-term capacity planning works in 15-minute intervals for up to six weeks; long-term capacity planning gives daily requirements for up to six months. Source: [Create and manage capacity plans](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-capacity-planning), Create and manage capacity plans, introduction list. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^38]: Dynamics 365 capacity plans take service level percent, target answer time in seconds, shrinkage percent and concurrency as configuration parameters. Source: [Create and manage capacity plans](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-capacity-planning), Create and manage capacity plans, Create a capacity plan, step 4. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^39]: Microsoft instructs setting capacity-plan concurrency to 1 for voice calls and as needed for chat and messaging channels. Source: [Create and manage capacity plans](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-capacity-planning), Create and manage capacity plans, Create a capacity plan, step 4 Concurrency (#). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^40]: Dynamics 365 short-term forecast scenarios support up to 42 days at intraday interval, and long-term scenarios up to 1,095 days at daily interval. Source: [Create and manage forecast scenarios](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-forecast-scenarios), Create and manage forecast scenarios, Create a forecast scenario, step 3 (Duration, Interval). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^41]: After a Dynamics 365 forecast scenario is created, its forecast type, interval, forecast entity and data source cannot be changed. Source: [Create and manage forecast scenarios](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-forecast-scenarios), Create and manage forecast scenarios, Manage an existing scenario > Edit the scenario. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^42]: Dynamics 365 short-term and long-term forecast scenarios both forecast volume and average handle time from historical data and differ in interval and horizon. Source: [Create and manage forecast scenarios](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-forecast-scenarios), Create and manage forecast scenarios, introduction. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^43]: Microsoft states Dynamics 365 forecasting isn't intended for decisions that affect a person's employment and that customers are responsible for lawful use. Source: [Create and manage forecast scenarios](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-forecast-scenarios), Create and manage forecast scenarios, Important note at top. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^44]: In Dynamics 365, Create New Snapshot regenerates a forecast and becomes the default for capacity planning, but it is unavailable while Auto refresh is on, and Auto refresh is unavailable with external data. Source: [Create and manage forecast scenarios](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/contact-center/use/workforce-management-forecast-scenarios), Create and manage forecast scenarios, Create a new snapshot note and Create a forecast scenario notes. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^45]: Microsoft's Dynamics 365 workforce management workflow is: forecast demand from history, create capacity plans, build shift plans, schedule representatives manually or automatically, then publish schedules. Source: [Overview of Workforce Management](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customer-service/use/workforce-management-overview), Overview of Workforce Management, Workforce Management workflow (steps 1-5). Checked 2026-10-02.
[^46]: In NICE CXone Intraday Manager, actual ACD data typically appears 5 to 15 minutes after an interval completes. Source: [Intraday Manager](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/intraday.htm), Intraday Manager, data refresh / actual data timing. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^47]: NICE's example: an agent scheduled 9 AM to 5 PM who works 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM has 100% conformance but not 100% adherence. Source: [Adherence Report](https://help.nicecxone.com/content/dashboardwem/adherencewfm.htm), Adherence Report, use case section. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^48]: NICE CXone WFM reports adherence as time in adherence divided by scheduled time, times 100. Source: [Adherence Report](https://help.nicecxone.com/content/dashboardwem/adherencewfm.htm), Adherence Report, Adherence field definition. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^49]: The NICE CXone WFM glossary defines adherence as comparing an agent's actual activity or state with their scheduled activity in real time. Source: [WFM Glossary](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/glossarywfm.htm), CXone WFM Glossary, Adherence. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^50]: NICE CXone WFM reports conformance as time in conformance divided by scheduled time, times 100, reflecting whether total scheduled time was worked regardless of when. Source: [Adherence Report](https://help.nicecxone.com/content/dashboardwem/adherencewfm.htm), Adherence Report, Conformance field definition. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^51]: The NICE CXone WFM glossary states that workload is measured in Erlangs for capacity calculations. Source: [WFM Glossary](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/glossarywfm.htm), CXone WFM Glossary, Erlang. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^52]: NICE CXone Intraday Manager monitors a 24-hour day in 15-minute intervals, comparing actual volume, AHT, ASA, service level and staffing against forecast. Source: [Intraday Manager](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/intraday.htm), Intraday Manager, overview and metrics. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^53]: NICE CXone WFM defines occupancy as the percentage of logged-in time agents spend handling interactions or work. Source: [WFM Glossary](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/glossarywfm.htm), CXone WFM Glossary, Occupancy. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^54]: NICE CXone Intraday Manager reforecasts the remaining workday from the recent forecast and the recent actual trend from the ACD, and requires an active forecast. Source: [Intraday Manager](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/intraday.htm), Intraday Manager, Reforecast section. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^55]: NICE CXone Intraday Manager recalculates the reforecast every 15 minutes for future intervals only; completed intervals are not changed. Source: [Intraday Manager](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/intraday.htm), Intraday Manager, Reforecast section. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^56]: NICE CXone WFM defines service level as the percentage of interactions handled within a defined time threshold. Source: [WFM Glossary](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/glossarywfm.htm), CXone WFM Glossary, Service Level. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^57]: The NICE CXone WFM glossary describes shrinkage as an adjustment for breaks and unavailability that converts ideal staffing requirements into realistic staffing needs. Source: [WFM Glossary](https://help.nice-incontact.com/content/workforcemanagement/glossarywfm.htm), CXone WFM Glossary, Shrinkage. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^58]: Verint lists cancelling activities, adding overtime and requesting voluntary time off as intraday corrective actions. Source: [Intraday optimization](https://wfo.mt2.verintcloudservices.com/OnlineHelp/en_US/wfm/WFM_ForeSch/wfm_ForeSch_intraday_optimization.htm), Intraday optimization, corrective actions. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^59]: Verint distinguishes an active forecast used for staffing calculations and Queue Analytics from a base forecast used when generating and publishing schedules. Source: [Intraday optimization](https://wfo.mt2.verintcloudservices.com/OnlineHelp/en_US/wfm/WFM_ForeSch/wfm_ForeSch_intraday_optimization.htm), Intraday optimization, forecast types. Checked 2026-10-02.
[^60]: Verint describes intraday optimization as identifying variations, understanding their causes with Queue Analytics, and resolving them, including reforecasting and publishing a revised forecast that updates scheduling. Source: [Intraday optimization](https://wfo.mt2.verintcloudservices.com/OnlineHelp/en_US/wfm/WFM_ForeSch/wfm_ForeSch_intraday_optimization.htm), Intraday optimization, three-step process. Checked 2026-10-02.