> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.claret.app/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.claret.app/sell/long-term-planning/quick-start.md). # Quick Start: Long Term Planning ## What You'll Learn Long Term Planning lets you build demand plans that span multiple years — typically for budgets or quarterly estimates. After this guide, you'll be able to navigate to Long Term Planning, configure or select a view, enter plan data, and understand how growth percentages and reconciliation work. ## Before You Begin Your admin should have already: * Set up Items, Customer Groups, and Item @ Customer Groups * Configured at least one Sale Type for long-term planning (e.g., "LTP", "Budget") * Created calendar definitions for the fiscal years you want to plan If the module page is empty or you can't see any data, check with your admin that the setup is complete. See [Setting Up Long Term Planning](/using-claret/getting-started/setting-up-modules/setting-up-long-term-planning.md) for what's required. ## Step 1: Access Long Term Planning Navigate to **Sell > Long Term Planning** in the left navigation menu. ## Step 2: Select or Create a View 1. Click the **view button** in the top-right of the page 2. If workspace views are available, select one from the dropdown 3. If you need to create a personal view, click **Configure** and then **Add** to create a new view: * Give the view a **name** * Select the **Customer Group hierarchy** and the level you want to plan at * Select the **Item hierarchy** and the level you want to plan at * Add one or more **Sale Type rows** with their associated calendars

Naming and selecting hierarchies for a new Long Term Planning view

{% hint style="info" %} The hierarchy levels you choose in the view configuration determine what granularity you plan at. For example, choosing "Brand" for Items and "State" for Customer Groups means you'll enter plans at the Brand × State level. {% endhint %} ## Step 3: Understand the Grid Layout The Long Term Planning grid shows: * **Left columns** — the Customer Group and Item hierarchy levels you selected in the view, creating a matrix of combinations * **Data columns** — one column per Sale Type/Calendar combination configured in the view, showing the annual total for each * **Growth % columns** — if enabled, showing the percentage change between two Sale Type/Calendar combinations Each row represents a unique combination of Item level and Customer Group level.

A Long Term Planning grid with hierarchy columns, Sale Type columns, and a Growth % column

## Step 4: Enter Plan Data If a Sale Type column is marked as editable in the view configuration: 1. Click on a **cell** to enter or update a value 2. Enter the annual quantity for that Item × Customer Group combination 3. The value saves automatically You can enter data at whatever hierarchy level your view is configured for. Claret reconciles higher-level entries down to the Item @ Customer Group detail level automatically using the existing ratios. ## Step 5: Use Growth Percentages (Optional) Growth percentages let you compare two columns and quickly apply a percentage increase or decrease: 1. In the view configuration, enable **Growth %** on a Sale Type row and link it to another Sale Type/Calendar 2. The grid will show a growth % column that calculates the difference between the two 3. You can **edit the growth %** directly — Claret will calculate and update the target value based on the percentage you enter This is useful for planning scenarios like "next year's budget is 5% above this year's actuals."

Updating the Growth % — Claret calculates the equivalent volume automatically

## Understanding the Data | Column Type | What It Shows | | --------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Sale Type** (e.g., History FY25) | The annual total for that sale type and calendar — may be read-only or editable | | **Editable Sale Type** (e.g., LTP FY26) | A column where you can enter or update plan values | | **Growth %** | The percentage change between two Sale Type columns | ## Common Questions ### How is Long Term Planning different from Sales Collaboration? Sales Collaboration works with monthly data within a single fiscal year and is typically used for short-to-medium term planning. Long Term Planning works with annual totals across multiple fiscal years and is designed for budgets and multi-year demand plans. ### What happens to the data I enter? Data entered at any hierarchy level is reconciled down to the lowest Item @ Customer Group level. This reconciled data flows into the [Sales](/transactional-data/sales.md) data and can be used by downstream modules like Make Planning. ### Can I plan across multiple years in one view? Yes. Add multiple Sale Type/Calendar rows to your view configuration — one for each fiscal year you want to plan. This lets you see and compare data across years side by side. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.claret.app/sell/long-term-planning/quick-start.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.