The Forecast for Microsoft Forecaster: Foggy, Mixed With Uncertainty

To borrow a sentiment from comedian Jerry Seinfeld, "What's the deal with Microsoft Forecaster?"

The short answer is that mainstream support for Forecaster, a budgeting tool organizations can use with Microsoft Dynamics ERP apps is ending in July, but extended support will continue through July 2019.

"Microsoft Forecaster continues to make it easy for businesses to realize the benefits of a budgeting and planning application," writes Jim Desler, director of public relations, Microsoft Dynamics, in an email to MSDynamicsworld.com. "Customers benefit from the immediate control of the entire budgeting and planning process this application brings. We continue to support Microsoft Forecaster, but at this time are not sharing a future roadmap for this application."

Without any additional information regarding the future of Forecaster and how it will affect partners and customers, we reached out to an expert on the tool to get some insight.

"The only thing we can do is focus on Forecaster for current [Dynamics ERP] clients. Microsoft is still letting people download it, install it and use it," says Noah Moseley, senior consultant with MSX Group, focusing on Microsoft Forecaster, Microsoft Management Reporter and Microsoft FRx. "So it is still available and it's still on the price list. It's still out there, and people can still get licenses for it."

Editor's Note: Noah will be holding a free webcast on Forecaster on Friday, April 4 at 12pm EDT

In past years, Microsoft had a road map that included budgeting but at some point that roadmap became unclear.