Forecast Monitor Configuration

The Forecast Monitor Configuration dialog provides the tools to configure Forecast Types and Load Types. This dialog has two tabs.

Forecast Types

A Forecast Type is used to define the scope of the forecasting problem. At least one forecast type must be defined. The Forecast Types Tab contains the following fields:

  • FcstTypeID. This is the text identifier for the Forecast Type.
  • Description. This is the text associated with the Forecast Type that fully describes the Forecast Type.
  • MPI. The minutes per interval for the Forecast Type.
  • Auto Publish. This indicates whether auto publish is enabled or disabled.
  • Edit Window Type. The type of the edit window. The type determines the meaning of the values in the Edit Window Offset and Edit Window Duration fields. The options for this field are Daily, Hourly, or Interval.
  • Edit Window Offset. The offset is applied to the current time and determines the first interval in the forecast horizon that is editable.
  • Edit Window Duration. The duration determines how many days, hours, or intervals are editable in the forecast horizon.
  • Alert Type. An optional alert triggered based on when the last forecast was published. The options for this field are None, Interval or Time. When set to None, no alerts are triggered. When set to Interval, an alert is triggered if the most recent published forecast is out of date by the specified number of intervals. When set to Time, an alert is triggered if a published has not occurred by the specified time of day.
  • Alert Intervals. When Alert Type is set to Interval, this field specifies the number of intervals.
  • Alert Time. When Alert Type is set to Time, this field specifies the time of day.
  • Alert Style. The style of the alert. The options for this field are None, Visual, AudioVisual. When set to Visual, a visual alert on the Forecast Monitor status bar is given when the alert is triggered. When set to AudioVisual, an audio alert is given in addition to the visual alert.
  • Alert Entire Status Bar. Indicates whether the entire status bar should flash when a visual alert is given.
  • Alert Color. The color for the visual alert.
  • MPI Mask. The MPI at which the forecast can be edited and viewed in Forecast Monitor.
  • View Window Offset. The number of days of history to display in Forecast Monitor for the Forecast Type.

  • Market Run Time Seconds. The number of seconds to use to compute the Market Run Time column, displayed in 1 or 2 day view in Forecast View. Only applicable if the ShowMarketRunTime System Setting is set to true.

Load Types

The load type is used to define the type of load (e.g., area, sub-area, region). At least one load type must be defined. The Load Types Tab contains the following fields:

  • Load Type. This is the text identifier for the Load Type.
  • Display Order. This is the display order for the Load Type.

Blending Weights

The Blending Weights are used for computing blended forecast concepts. The Blending Weights Tab contains the following fields:

  • Blending Weight ID. This is the unique identifier.

  • Description. This is the description.

  • MPI. This is the periodicity (minutes per interval). Blending Weights sets may only be applied to Forecast Types with the same MPI.

Weights can be added to a Blending Weight Set by clicking the Insert Contributor button on the toolbar. Each weight is defined by the following:

  • Forecast Concept. This is the Forecast Concept to use in the weight set.

  • Period. This is the number of periods from the current time.

  • Weight. This is the weight to apply to the Forecast Concept and Period.

Data Concepts

Data concepts are used to define data sent to Forecast Monitor. Two types of data concepts are available for configuration: standard data concepts and ramp rate data concepts. Standard data concepts are displayed in level space while ramp rate data concepts are displayed in ramp rate space. If configuring a ramp rate data concept, an associated standard data concept must exist for the same series.

The Data Concepts tab contains the following fields:

  • Data Concept. The data concept ID. This is read only for the following system data concepts: (Defaults), ACTUAL, BIAS, FORECAST, HISTORICAL_PUBLISHED, HISTORICAL_PUBLISHED_FORECAST_ERROR, MANUAL_DAY, PUBLISHED, PUBLISHED_ACTUAL_ERROR, PUBLISHED_FORECAST_ERROR, SIMILAR_DAY, SPILLOVER_BIAS, and TOTAL_BIAS.

  • Description. The description of the data concept.

  • Display Decimals. The number of decimals to display for the data concept. If not specified, the value for the (Defaults) Data Concept is used.

  • Color. The color for the data concept series used in the chart in Forecast Monitor. If not specified, the value for the (Defaults) Data Concept is used.

  • Line Width. The line width for the data concept series used in the chart in Forecast Monitor. If not specified, the value for the (Defaults) Data Concept is used.

  • Plot on Y2 Axis. If True, the data concept is plotted on the second y-axis.

  • Plot in Ramp Rate. If True, the data concept series is plotted in ramp rates. If False, the data concept series is plotted in levels. This is read only and is set when the data concept is created. When creating a standard concept, it will be set to False. When creating a ramp rate concept, it will be set to True.

  • Series Chart Type. The chart type for the data concept series. Options are Line or Bar. If not specified, the value for the (Defaults) Data Concept is used.

  • Chart Marker Shape. The chart marker shape for the data concept series. Options are Square, Diamond, Triangle, Inverted Triangle, Circle, Plus, Cross, Star, Pentagon, or Hexagon. If not specified, the value for the (Defaults) Data Concept is used.

  • Chart Display Order. The chart display order for the data concept series.

  • Concept Type. The data concept type. Options are Forecast Concept, Archive Concept, and Confidence Concept.

  • Export. If True, the data concept is exported when a forecast is published. By default, the FORECAST data concept will always be exported.

Confidence

The Confidence tab is used to configure confidence concepts in Forecast Monitor. The Confidence tab contains the following fields:

  • Confidence Concept. The confidence concept ID.

  • Description. The description of the confidence concept.

Each confidence concept must define confidence intervals and z-values. These are displayed when a confidence concept is expanded. The following fields are available:

  • Confidence Interval. The confidence interval ID.

  • Description. The description of the confidence interval.

  • Confidence Z-Value. The z-value for computing confidence bounds for the confidence interval.