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Team Forecasting

Team Forecasting displays the difference between planned team capacity and target team capacity, supporting work allocation planning and delivery date forecasting.

Permission requirement: All project members can view Team Forecasting for projects they have access to. Modifying team capacity (Target Estimate or Target Swag) requires Team Admin or Project Admin permissions.

Who Uses Team Forecasting​

Team capacity planning supports multiple roles:

  • Portfolio Managers use team forecasting to understand capacity constraints and balance portfolio item allocation across teams.
  • Product Owners view team capacity to make informed decisions about feature assignment and delivery timeline commitments.
  • Program Managers monitor team forecasting across programs to identify capacity bottlenecks and optimize resource allocation.
  • Scrum Masters configure team target velocity and track planned versus available capacity to support realistic sprint planning.

What Is Team Forecasting?​

The Team Forecasting board displays team capacity and supports work planning. In team forecasting, capacity is calculated using the target velocity of the team.

The capacity of the team is configured from the Target Team's Details page, using either the Target Estimate or Target Swag values. You can modify the capacity value as per your project requirements.

By default, the team forecasting board is grouped by team, and the capacity bar displays the details of planned capacity versus target team capacity. The default value for target team capacity is Target Swag, and it can be changed to Target Estimate (Points).

When you add portfolio items to the team, the planned value and the capacity bar get updated. A red capacity bar indicates that the team is overloaded, whereas a green capacity bar indicates that the team still has room for more work.

The Planned Value in team forecasting is the Swag value entered for a Portfolio Item.

Use Team Forecasting to:​

  • Check at specific time intervals whether the teams are overloaded with work
  • View details of planned capacity versus target team capacity in terms of percentage or points
  • Forecast delivery dates based on team velocity
  • Balance work allocation across multiple teams

Access Team Forecasting​

Navigate to Team Forecasting to view and manage team capacity and work allocation.

  1. Click the hamburger icon Hamburger icon > Portfolio > Team Forecasting.
  2. If not already selected, choose a project from the Project Navigator.

Who Can Access Team Forecasting​

Access rights to Team Forecasting are the same as that of portfolio items. A member's access to a team forecast is driven by their project role, as follows:

  • All project members can view the team forecast for the projects to which they have access.
  • Only members with the following project roles can create and manage team forecast: Admin, Project Lead, and Customer.
  • All users with "view" access have the ability to filter and configure team forecast which they are viewing. This includes the ability to:
    • Configure the intervals, color options, and so on
    • Enable or disable Expanded Capacity bar option
    • Enable or disable Capacity as percentage option
    • Enable or disable Hide decimal places option
    • Use team capacity as Swag or Points

Configure Capacity Settings​

Configure capacity attributes to customize how team capacity is displayed and calculated. Use the gear icon to access capacity configuration.

Configuration Options​

OptionDescription
Color ByDisplays the team capacity by color type. You can use the Type drop-down to select Color By Asset Status or Asset Type.
Expanded capacity barToggle to enable or disable the ability to display capacity configuration. This option is disabled by default.
Note: If you enable this option the capacity bar displays planned capacity and available capacity.
Capacity as PercentageToggle to enable or disable the ability to display capacity as percentage. This option is disabled by default.
Hide decimal placesIf selected, the decimal points are not shown while displaying team capacity. This option is disabled by default.
Use Team Capacity asSelect the required capacity option. The available options are Swag or Story Points.
- SwagIf selected, target swag of the team will be compared with the Portfolio item swag.
- PointsIf selected, Target estimate points of the team will be compared with the portfolio item estimate points.
Interval (Columns)Specify the time period represented in each column. Choose between Weeks, Months, Quarters and Years. This option is used in combination with the Intervals per Column option to determine the length of each columnar period.
Interval StartThe anchor date for the team. Enter the beginning date of the current period. You won't need to update the Start Date as time moves on. The team forecast is smart enough to understand when the current period starts based on the originally entered Start Date, so this is really a 'set it and forget it' entry.
Intervals per ColumnThe number of intervals in a column. Allows you to have intervals of 1 Quarter or 10 Weeks. This option is used in combination with the Interval (Columns) option to determine the length of each columnar period.
Previous IntervalsIt is often helpful to see what was scheduled for at least the last period. Some groups want to understand more of the recent history. This allows you to keep some amount of history visible when using your team forecast by controlling the number of periods to show before the current period.
Future IntervalsHow far out do you want to plan? This sets the number of periods you will see after the current period.

Steps to Configure Capacity​

  1. Click the hamburger icon Hamburger icon > Portfolio > Team Forecasting.
  2. Click the Configuration Config icon icon.
  3. Adjust the configuration options based on your planning needs.
  4. Click Apply or Save to update the view.

Tips​

  • Use the Expanded capacity bar to see detailed breakdowns of planned vs. available capacity
  • Enable Capacity as Percentage for easier comparison across teams of different sizes
  • Set Interval Start once and let the system automatically adjust as time progresses
  • Use Swag for high-level portfolio item estimation or Points for more detailed capacity planning
  • Adjust Previous Intervals to show historical context for capacity trends

Use Cases​

Portfolio Manager Balancing Work Across Multiple Teams​

A portfolio manager oversees three development teams working on a large initiative. Using Team Forecasting, they view capacity across all teams for Q1 and Q2. The board shows Team A with a green capacity bar (40% loaded), Team B with yellow (85% loaded), and Team C with red (110% overloaded). The manager reassigns two medium-sized epics from Team C to Team A, immediately seeing the capacity bars update. The expanded capacity bar shows that Team A now has 65% planned capacity with 35% available, while Team C drops to 92% and changes from red to yellow.

Program Lead Planning Multi-Quarter Feature Delivery​

A program lead uses Team Forecasting to plan feature delivery across multiple quarters. They configure the board with Interval set to "Quarters", Intervals per Column set to "1", and Future Intervals set to "4" to visualize Q1 through Q4. Using Swag values for portfolio items, they drag epics across the quarters to achieve realistic team loading each quarter. The Target Swag for their main team is 120 points per quarter. By distributing features to target 100-110 points per quarter, they maintain sustainable capacity while accounting for uncertainty and unplanned work.

Scrum Master Identifying Overcommitment Early​

During quarterly planning, a scrum master notices their team's capacity bar shows 135% for Q2 (red indicator). Using the expanded capacity bar, they see Planned Capacity of 162 points against Target Swag of 120 points. They open a planning discussion with the product owner, highlighting the 42-point overcommitment. Together, they review the Q2 portfolio items sorted by priority and defer three lower-priority features totaling 45 points to Q3, bringing Q2 capacity to 97% (green).

Product Owner Forecasting Delivery Dates Based on Velocity​

A product owner has five epics planned for the next three quarters, each with Swag estimates. Using Team Forecasting with Capacity as Percentage enabled, they see Q1 at 95%, Q2 at 110%, and Q3 at 40%. Based on the team's historical velocity (Target Estimate of 100 points per quarter), they recognize Q2 is overcommitted. They move one 25-point epic from Q2 to Q3, adjusting Q2 to 85% and Q3 to 65%. This provides a realistic delivery forecast they can communicate to stakeholders, showing all five epics completing by end of Q3 with sustainable team loading.

Portfolio Administrator Comparing Team Capacity Across Organization​

A portfolio administrator needs to compare capacity utilization across ten teams of varying sizes. They enable Capacity as Percentage and configure Team Forecasting to show all teams grouped by team. Team sizes range from 3 to 12 members. The percentage view reveals that smaller teams are averaging 110% loading (overcommitted) while larger teams average 70% loading. This insight triggers a rebalancing conversation, where the administrator works with team leads to redistribute portfolio items, targeting 80-90% capacity utilization across all teams for more predictable delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions​

What happens when I add a portfolio item to a team in Team Forecasting?​

When you add or drag a portfolio item to a team in Team Forecasting, the Planned Value for that team increases by the Swag value of the portfolio item (or Estimate value if using Points mode). The capacity bar updates immediately to show the new ratio of Planned vs. Target capacity. The capacity bar color changes based on utilization: green (under 95%), yellow (95-105%), or red (over 105%). The portfolio item is associated with the team, visible in Portfolio Tree and other planning views.

How do I switch between Swag and Points for capacity calculations?​

Click the Configuration gear icon and locate the "Use Team Capacity as" setting. Select either "Swag" or "Points". When Swag is selected, Team Forecasting compares the Target Swag of each team against the sum of portfolio item Swag values assigned to that team. When Points is selected, it compares Target Estimate (points) against the sum of portfolio item Estimate values. The capacity bars and percentages recalculate immediately when you apply this setting. Choose Swag for high-level epic planning or Points for more detailed capacity planning with estimated portfolio items.

Why are some teams not showing up in my Team Forecasting view?​

Team Forecasting displays only teams that have a Target Swag or Target Estimate configured. If a team doesn't appear, navigate to the Team Details page for that team and enter values for Target Swag and/or Target Estimate fields. Additionally, verify you have the correct project selected in the Project Navigator. Team Forecasting is project-scoped, so teams from other projects won't appear unless you navigate to "All Projects" (if available and permitted by your role).

Can I see historical capacity data to understand past loading?​

Yes, configure the Previous Intervals setting to show historical periods. For example, set Previous Intervals to "2" with Interval (Columns) set to "Quarters" to see the past two quarters alongside future quarters. This shows historical planned capacity for completed periods, helping you identify patterns such as consistent overcommitment or underutilization. Historical capacity data remains visible even after portfolio items close, providing context for capacity planning accuracy and team velocity trends over time.

How does the expanded capacity bar differ from the standard capacity bar?​

The standard capacity bar shows a single indicator (planned capacity as a percentage or points) with color coding for utilization level. The expanded capacity bar (enabled via Configuration) splits the bar into two sections: planned capacity (work assigned) and available capacity (remaining room before reaching target). For example, if a team has 80 points planned against a 100-point target, the expanded bar shows 80% filled (planned) and 20% open (available). This makes it easier to visualize exactly how much capacity remains when adding new portfolio items.

What's the difference between Target Swag and Target Estimate for teams?​

Target Swag represents a high-level, rough capacity estimate typically used for portfolio item planning (epics, features). Target Estimate represents a more detailed capacity estimate typically using story points for backlog items and smaller portfolio items. Use Target Swag when planning at the epic/feature level with less precision. Use Target Estimate when planning with story-pointed work that has higher estimation confidence. Both values are configured on the Team Details page and determine the target capacity line used in Team Forecasting capacity calculations.

Can I filter Team Forecasting to show only specific teams or portfolio item types?​

Yes, use the standard Digital.ai Agility filtering capabilities. Click the filter icon to add filters based on Team, Portfolio Item Type, Status, Owner, Strategic Theme, or other attributes. For example, filter by "Portfolio Item Type = Epic" and "Team = Platform Engineering" to see only Epic-level capacity planning for the Platform Engineering team. Filters persist during your session, allowing you to quickly switch between different planning views without reconfiguring intervals and columns each time.