forecast predicts a value forward in time from its history. There is no fit step:
the history you pass is the context, exactly like fit/predict for tables.
One series
Pass aDataFrame with a time column and the value to forecast, and say how many steps
ahead you want.
mean column and one column per quantile.
Quantiles default to 0.1, 0.5, and 0.9; pass quantiles=[...] to change them.
The interval columns are how you turn a forecast into a decision: order to the 0.5,
hold safety stock to the 0.9.
Many series at once
Passitem_id= to forecast every series in one call, for example all SKUs.
(item_id, timestamp). New SKUs with short histories work:
the model forecasts in context across everything you pass it.
Known future covariates
If you know things about the future, like planned promotions or prices, pass them in afuture frame instead of prediction_length. Any column in the history that is not
the timestamp, target, or item id is a covariate, and future must carry the same
columns over the horizon.
Good to know
- Ephemeral data. The history and the forecast are purged once the job finishes,
the same as
predict. - Missing values in the history are handled automatically.
- Provide exactly one of
prediction_lengthorfuture.