# Baseline, forecast, and data date

Learn three schedule terms that make management reports easier to interpret.

AI narration: Andrew · male. Fictional demonstration data.

## 0:00 — Three dates. Three different jobs.

Schedule reports become easier to read when three terms are clear: baseline, forecast, and data date. They describe the agreed plan, the current expectation, and the point through which progress has been recorded.

## 0:14 — Baseline: the reference plan.

A baseline is a saved reference schedule used to measure performance. For reporting against the agreed plan, confirm which baseline your project has approved. A new monthly update does not automatically replace that reference.

## 0:29 — Forecast: the current expectation.

The forecast is the current expected finish, informed by progress and the remaining work. In this teaching example, an agreed November twentieth finish is now forecast for November twenty seventh. That is seven calendar days later.

## 0:44 — Data date: the progress cutoff.

The data date marks the progress cutoff used to schedule the remaining work. August thirty first tells you the update's status point. It is separate from the day someone uploaded the file or reviewed the report.

## 0:57 — Check what you are comparing.

Back in Kairos, the selectors show July and August updates with their data dates. This comparison measures change between updates. To discuss baseline variance, first confirm that the reference version is the approved baseline.

## 1:13 — Plan. Expectation. Status point.

Try explaining your next report in three sentences. This is the reference plan. This is the current expected finish. This is the progress cutoff. Clear dates make a clearer management conversation.