← 2027 planning
Already have a plan?

Stress-test it.
And the process behind it.

Most plans don't fail because they're wrong. They fail because nobody looks at them after January, or the numbers behind them aren't trusted. Here's how to check both.

Check your process The questions Forecast monthly Book a plan review

1Is your planning process working?

Before the plan itself, a quick check on the system that makes it. Answer honestly. Two or more "no" answers usually means the process is costing you more than it should.

  • Did anyone open last year's plan after February? If not, it was a document, not a tool.
  • Is the time it takes about right? Too much time means the process is too heavy. Too little often means it's all in one person's head.
  • Do you trust the numbers it's built on? If pulling sales and costs takes days or ends in arguments, the data is the bottleneck.
  • Do you update a forecast at least quarterly? Monthly is better.
  • Could your team name the top three priorities without looking?

2Stress-test the plan

The same seven areas as the starter questions, pushed harder. Start with the ones marked "On the card."

DDirection and goals
Where you're headed and why3 questions
  1. Does every priority trace back to a clear choice about where you'll win, and how?
  2. If a competitor copied your plan tomorrow, what would still set you apart?
  3. What are you saying no to in 2027 that a competitor would say yes to?
CCustomers and market
Who you serve and how you win them3 questions
  1. Which customers is this plan built for, and which ones isn't it?
  2. Why will customers choose you in 2027 over the alternatives, including doing nothing?
  3. What do your best customers expect next year that they didn't a year ago?
$Money
Sales, margin, budget and cash3 questions
  1. What did last year's plan get wrong, and why?
  2. Is your sales target built from the bottom up (customers, volume, price) or just last year plus a percentage?
  3. Which assumption, if it's wrong, does the most damage? How early would you know?
PPeople and capacity
Who does the work, and whether there's room3 questions
  1. Does the plan depend on one person's time? What happens if that person is out for a month?
  2. Do the people who own each priority have the time and authority to deliver it?
  3. Who on the team would you most hate to lose in 2027, and does the plan help keep them?
OOperations and tools
How the work actually gets done3 questions
  1. Where will your tools and processes get in the way of next year's plan?
  2. Where does AI show up in your plan? Where is your team already using it?
  3. Which work is still manual that shouldn't be?
WThe outside world
What could change outside your walls3 questions
  1. What could change outside your walls and break this plan? What's your move if it does?
  2. Who's responsible for noticing, and how often do they look?
  3. Do you have a good, expected and bad version of the year, and know what you'd do in each?
MMeasuring and reviewing
How you'll know, and when you'll check3 questions
  1. How often do you update your forecast, and does anyone act on it?
  2. Which numbers move before sales do, and are you watching them?
  3. When the plan and reality split, what's the process for deciding what to change?

3Forecast monthly

A plan says where you meant to go. A forecast says where you're actually heading. Updating it every month is what turns a plan into something you steer by.

TermWhat it answersHow often it changes
PlanWhere did we commit to be?Set once a year
ForecastGiven what we know now, where will we land?Updated monthly
ActualWhere are we, really?Closed each month
What to forecast

At least sales or revenue. Then two or three numbers that matter most for your business, ideally ones that move before sales do.

  • Revenue
  • Gross profit %
  • A leading indicator: quotes sent, new customers, repeat orders or pipeline
How far to go

That's up to you. Some businesses forecast spending and cash too. Start with sales and margin, and add more only when you'd actually act on it.

XLSX
Monthly forecast template

Enter your plan once and your actuals each month. It shows a pace-based forecast for the rest of the year, plus plan versus forecast versus actual for up to four numbers. Opens in Excel or Google Sheets.

Download the template

4Let AI do the heavy lifting

If your monthly numbers are in one place and you trust them, an AI tool can draft the forecast and point out what changed. Export the template's Plan and Actuals tabs, attach them, and use this prompt.

Attached are my business's monthly plan and actual results for [year], for [revenue, gross profit %, and any other numbers]. We're a [type of business] in [area].

1. Forecast each number for the remaining months of the year. Explain the method you used in plain language.
2. Show the full-year forecast next to the plan, and the gap between them.
3. Point out any month or number where actuals are drifting from the plan, and what might explain it.
4. List the two questions I should ask my team before I trust this forecast.

Don't invent data. If something is missing or looks wrong, tell me instead of guessing.
The catch: clean data. AI forecasts are only as good as the numbers you feed them. If your sales live in three systems, or month-end closes late, fix that first. It's usually the single biggest improvement a planning process can make.

New to planning? Start with the basics →  ·  2027 watch list →

Is your planning worth the time it takes? 30 minutes, free.

Bring your plan and how you built it. We'll look at the plan and the process behind it. Owners and anyone building a plan for their team are welcome.

  • Where the plan is strong, and where it's exposed
  • Whether the process is too heavy, too light or about right
  • Where AI and cleaner data could save you time
  • No pitch deck, no pressure
Want the next templates when they're ready? More planning templates are on the way. Leave your email below if you'd like them when they're ready. It's optional: everything on this page is free to use either way.