FORECAST in WPS on Windows: Introduction

FORECAST in WPS is a linear prediction function in Spreadsheet; this guide covers 4 core tasks, with 4 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.

At a Glance

Metric	Value	Notes
Core tasks	4	Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index
Available without membership	4	Matches the number of Free rows in the index
Membership-related items	0	Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index
Version scope	No version limit	Available in WPS Spreadsheet across versions

About This Feature

Overview

FORECAST is a function in WPS Spreadsheet for linear prediction based on existing data. After you enter the function, you can calculate a predicted value in a cell and continue working with syntax prompts, cross-sheet references, nested formulas, and automatic recalculation when referenced data changes.

Core capabilities include:

Enter the FORECAST function and view syntax prompts for faster formula editing.
Complete prediction calculations by filling in the required arguments.
Use cross-sheet references and nested formulas for more complex worksheet logic.
Keep results updated automatically when referenced data changes.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office
App version	The latest version of WPS Office is recommended; FORECAST is available in WPS Spreadsheet across versions
Network	No mandatory internet connection is required for local formula calculation; internet access is needed for download, installation, and account-related actions
Other	You need to be able to open a spreadsheet file and enter the WPS Spreadsheet editing interface

Download & Installation

Install WPS Office before using the FORECAST function in WPS Spreadsheet.

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Verify after installation	Open WPS Office, launch Spreadsheet, and type `=FORECAST(` in the Formula tab or formula bar to check whether the function prompt appears

Source: WPS download center

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	In WPS Spreadsheet, you can enter `FORECAST(` directly and continue with syntax prompts, cross-sheet references, nested formulas, and automatic recalculation.	Excel provides FORECAST and FORECAST.LINEAR for predicting a future value from known x-values and y-values with linear regression.	Google Sheets provides FORECAST to calculate the expected y-value for a specified x based on a linear regression of a dataset.	Notion provides database formulas that work with properties, built-ins, and functions, but it does not present a spreadsheet-style FORECAST cell function in this help content.	Adobe Acrobat focuses on PDF editing, conversion, and signing tools rather than spreadsheet forecast functions.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: WPS keeps the forecast workflow inside spreadsheet cells with direct formula entry, syntax prompts, cross-sheet references, and recalculation in one worksheet flow.	Compared with WPS: Excel supports the same forecasting syntax family, while Microsoft notes that FORECAST was replaced by FORECAST.LINEAR in newer guidance.	Compared with WPS: Google Sheets also supports FORECAST, with documentation centered on syntax and arguments in a web spreadsheet environment.	Compared with WPS: Notion formulas are designed around database properties and formula fields instead of spreadsheet cell forecasting workflows.	Compared with WPS: Adobe Acrobat is built for PDF document tasks, so it does not provide a spreadsheet FORECAST entry path.
Official Source	—	FORECAST and FORECAST.LINEAR functions	FORECAST	Intro to formulas	Adobe Acrobat

Overall Conclusion: If you want to enter a forecast formula directly in a spreadsheet cell and keep working with references and recalculation in the same worksheet flow, WPS fits that use case well. Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets also provide forecast functions, while Notion and Adobe focus on database formulas or PDF workflows instead of spreadsheet forecasting.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable For	Main Need	How FORECAST Helps
1	Sales trend prediction	Sales teams, operations teams	Estimate upcoming values from existing data	Use FORECAST with known x and y values to return a predicted result
2	Inventory demand estimation	Purchasing teams, warehouse teams	Project future demand quickly	Reference historical data in a worksheet and calculate a forecast value
3	Cross-sheet analysis	Finance teams, analysts	Work with data stored on different sheets	Use cross-sheet references inside the FORECAST formula
4	Combined formula modeling	Advanced spreadsheet users	Build more complex calculations	Nest FORECAST with other functions in one formula
5	Dynamic result tracking	Report maintainers	Recheck results after source data changes	Let automatic recalculation update the result

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free Users	WPS Premium
FORECAST function usage	✅ Available	✅ Available
Basic WPS Spreadsheet editing	✅ Available	✅ Available
Other advanced value-added features	Depends on the specific feature	More features may be available depending on the subscription plan

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Usage Scenario	Recommended Plan	Why
Everyday formulas and basic forecasting	Free	The FORECAST function itself has no membership restriction
Broader office needs beyond this function	WPS Premium	Suitable if you also want access to more value-added capabilities in WPS Office

WPS membership center: Subscribe now