> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.fabricplan.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.fabricplan.com/resources/fiscal-year-setup-in-plan.md). # Fiscal year setup in plan ### What is a fiscal year? A fiscal calendar organizes reporting periods based on an organization's financial year instead of the standard January-to-December calendar year. Depending on the organization, the fiscal year might begin in April, July, August, October, or another month. ### Standard calendar and fiscal calendar #### Standard calendar A standard calendar year always begins in January.

Calendar year

Calendar yearQuarterMonths
2025Q1January, February, March
2025Q2April, May, June
2025Q3July, August, September
2025Q4October, November, December
#### Fiscal calendar A fiscal calendar year begins in the month selected by the organization. Quarter boundaries move with that start month. For an April-start fiscal calendar, the fiscal quarters and months are shown in the following table and image.
Fiscal quarterMonths
Q1April, May, June
Q2July, August, September
Q3October, November, December
Q4January, February, March

Fiscal year starting in April

For an August-start fiscal calendar:
Fiscal quarterMonths
Q1August, September, October
Q2November, December, January
Q3February, March, April
Q4May, June, July
In Plan, you can set any month as the fiscal year start month. {% hint style="info" %} ### Important Plan does not create or manage the fiscal calendar. You must set up a fiscal calendar table that includes fiscal period fields such as Year, Quarter, Month in your semantic model, and then configure the planning sheet or matrix to use those fields. {% endhint %} You can use fiscal calendars across the following time-intelligence features: * Forecast measures * Time extension and future periods * Open and closed periods * Time-based planning ### Setting up fiscal date calendar in plan By setting up fiscal date calendars in plan, you can organize planning and reporting around your financial year instead of the calendar year. For this, you need to create a fiscal date table in your semantic model and map the calendar and fiscal years accordingly. #### Semantic model requirements Before configuring the visual, * Create a fiscal date table in the semantic model that maps each calendar date to the corresponding fiscal periods. * At a minimum, include the fiscal fields required for your reporting granularity, such as *Fiscal Year*, *Fiscal Quarter*, and *Fiscal Month*. * If your organization reports at finer levels of detail, also include: *Fiscal Week* and *Fiscal Day*. The fiscal date table should: * Provide a complete and consistent fiscal mapping. * Include the historical and future dates required for planning and extended forecasting. * Include consistent fiscal labels and corresponding numeric sort fields to ensure fiscal periods are displayed in the correct order on the matrix grid. * Follow your organization's fiscal year naming convention.
{% hint style="info" %} ### Note Plan uses the fiscal fields that you provide in the semantic model. It does not generate, modify, repair or relabel fiscal periods automatically. {% endhint %} #### Add a numeric sort column for sorting requirements Add numeric sort fields for the fiscal display fields. Configure each display field to use its corresponding fiscal-order field in the semantic model so that fiscal periods appear in the correct order. Otherwise, the periods are displayed in alphabetical order by default. For an April-start fiscal calendar, the fiscal months should appear in the following order:
Fiscal month orderDisplay value
1Apr
2May
3Jun
4Jul
5Aug
6Sep
7Oct
8Nov
9Dec
10Jan
11Feb
12Mar
Similarly, sort the fiscal quarters as Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 if your sheet includes quarter-level granularity. Incorrect semantic-model sorting can result in unexpected hierarchy order in the sheet.
#### Build the fiscal hierarchy Assign the fiscal fields to the sheet's **Columns** field in order from the highest to the lowest level of granularity: ``` Fiscal Year → Fiscal Quarter → Fiscal Month ``` The recommended hierarchy is: `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Quarter → Fiscal Month`
Depending on the available data and required granularity, supported fiscal paths can also include the following: * `Fiscal Year` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Half-Year` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Quarter` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Month` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Week` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Month → Fiscal Day` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Quarter → Fiscal Month` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Quarter → Fiscal Month → Fiscal Day` * `Fiscal Year → Fiscal Week → Fiscal Day` Include `Fiscal Year` whenever the dataset spans multiple fiscal years. Keep the fiscal fields together and order them from the highest to the lowest level of granularity. ### Configure the planning visual Configure these settings before creating forecast measures or extending time periods. 1. After assigning the fiscal hierarchy, go to **Format** > **Appearance** > **Misc.** 2. Configure both these fiscal settings: [**Fiscal Year Start Month**](#fiscal-year-start-month) and [**Fiscal Year Convention**](#fiscal-year-convention).
#### **Fiscal Year Start Month** This option identifies the first month of the organization’s fiscal year. It determines fiscal quarter boundaries and how future fiscal periods are extended. Select the month that exactly matches the fiscal date table. | Business calendar | Select | | ----------------- | ------- | | April–March | April | | July–June | July | | August–July | August | | October–September | October | For example, when *April* is selected: * Q1 is April–June. * Q2 is July–September. * Q3 is October–December. * Q4 is January–March. If the selected month does not match the semantic model, quarters and forecast periods can be interpreted incorrectly. #### Fiscal Year Convention The **Fiscal Year Convention** determines how fiscal year labels map to the calendar year in which the fiscal year begins. Planning supports the following conventions: **Prior** and **Same**. * **Prior**: The fiscal year begins in the calendar year immediately before the fiscal year label. For example, FY 2025 begins in April 2024. The start year is one less than the fiscal-year label.

FY 2025 - Prior convention

For an April-start fiscal year when you use the **Prior** convention: | Fiscal hierarchy value | Actual calendar period | | ---------------------- | ---------------------- | | FY2025 → Q1 → Apr | April 2024 | | FY2025 → Q1 → May | May 2024 | | FY2025 → Q2 → Jul | July 2024 | | FY2025 → Q4 → Jan | January 2025 | | FY2025 → Q4 → Mar | March 2025 | The fiscal label remains 2025 throughout the hierarchy, but the first nine fiscal months fall in calendar year 2024. #### Forecasting under Prior Suppose the visual contains Fiscal Year 2025, representing April 2024 through March 2025. To forecast for the next fiscal year, select the actual calendar range: `April 2025 → March 2026` Planning maps that range to Fiscal Year 2026.
* **Same** – The fiscal year begins in the same calendar year as the fiscal year label. Use **Same** when the organization expects Fiscal Year 2025 to begin in April 2025.
For an April-start fiscal year when you use the **Same** convention: | Fiscal hierarchy value | Actual calendar period | | ---------------------- | ---------------------- | | FY2025 → Q1 → Apr | April 2025 | | FY2025 → Q1 → May | May 2025 | | FY2025 → Q2 → Jul | July 2025 | | FY2025 → Q4 → Jan | January 2026 | | FY2025 → Q4 → Mar | March 2026 | #### Quick comparison For a fiscal year starting in April: | Visual label | Convention | Actual fiscal-year range | | ---------------- | ---------- | ------------------------ | | Fiscal Year 2025 | Prior | April 2024–March 2025 | | Fiscal Year 2025 | Same | April 2025–March 2026 | {% hint style="info" icon="lightbulb" %} ### Tip Identify the first month of a known fiscal year in your source data. If **Fiscal Year 2025** starts in **April 2024**, select **Prior**. If **Fiscal Year 2025** starts in **April 2025**, select **Same**. {% endhint %} ### Plan maps the fiscal dates After these configurations, the fiscal date table connects each actual calendar date to its fiscal reporting period. For example, for a fiscal calendar that starts in April and uses the [**Prior** convention](#prior-convention), the fiscal date fields appear as shown in the following image.
Calendar dateFiscal yearFiscal quarterFiscal month
April 1, 20242025Q1Apr
May 1, 20242025Q1May
June 1, 20242025Q1Jun
July 1, 20242025Q2Jul
January 1, 20252025Q4Jan
March 1, 20252025Q4Mar
The following image shows the updated table after completing all the configurations mentioned so far.
### Create forecast measure with a fiscal calendar 1. Ensure you complete the requirements and configurations: [Semantic model requirements](#semantic-model-requirements), [sorting requirements](#sorting-requirements), [building the hierarchy](#build-the-fiscal-hierarchy), and [configuring the visual](#configure-the-planning-visual). 2. Select **Model** > **Forecast**. 3. Enter the measure name. 4. Select the **Forecast Period** using actual calendar dates. 5. Complete the remaining forecast settings and create the measure.
{% hint style="info" %} ### Important The Forecast Period picker uses calendar periods. Always translate the fiscal period you want to add into its actual start and end dates. {% endhint %} To learn more on creating forecast measures, see [Forecast data](/planning-sheets/how-tos/forecast-data-to-predict-future-trends.md). {% hint style="info" %} ### Important Fiscal period labels might not match the corresponding calendar dates. For example, **April in Fiscal Year 2025** might represent **April 2024**, depending on your organization's fiscal calendar. To avoid selecting an incorrect forecast period, use the actual calendar dates instead of the fiscal period labels.\ To learn more, see [Create forecast measure with a fiscal calendar](#create-forecast-measure-with-a-fiscal-calendar). {% endhint %} #### Example: extend an April-start fiscal calendar If the existing FY2027 uses **Prior**, it represents April 2026–March 2027. Select April 2026–March 2027 to create the next fiscal planning year.
After the time extension, the hierarchy contains FY2026 followed by FY2027. The sheet adds forecast periods under the fiscal hierarchy. ### More examples #### April start with 'Prior' | Setting | Value | | ---------------------------- | --------------------- | | Fiscal Year Start Month | April | | Fiscal Year Convention | Prior | | FY2025 actual range | April 2024–March 2025 | | Next complete forecast range | April 2025–March 2026 | | New fiscal label | FY2026 | #### April start with 'Same' | Setting | Value | | ---------------------------- | --------------------- | | Fiscal Year Start Month | April | | Fiscal Year Convention | Same | | FY2025 actual range | April 2025–March 2026 | | Next complete forecast range | April 2026–March 2027 | | New fiscal label | FY2026 | #### August start with 'Prior' | Setting | Value | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------- | | Fiscal Year Start Month | August | | Fiscal Year Convention | Prior | | FY2025 actual range | August 2024–July 2025 | | Q1 | August–October 2024 | | Q2 | November 2024–January 2025 | | Q3 | February–April 2025 | | Q4 | May–July 2025 | | Next complete forecast range | August 2025–July 2026 | #### October start with 'Same' | Setting | Value | | ----------------------- | --------------------------- | | Fiscal Year Start Month | October | | Fiscal Year Convention | Same | | FY2025 actual range | October 2025–September 2026 | | Q1 | October–December 2025 | | Q2 | January–March 2026 | | Q3 | April–June 2026 | | Q4 | July–September 2026 | ### Best practices * Use a single, authoritative fiscal date table. * Include **Fiscal Year** and all lower-level fiscal fields required by the visual. * Include future dates before users create planning periods. * Sort fiscal labels by their corresponding numeric fiscal-order columns. * Use fiscal fields instead of standard calendar fields in the fiscal hierarchy. * Configure the fiscal start month before creating forecast measures. * Validate the **Prior** or **Same** convention against a known date-to-fiscal-year mapping. * Select forecast periods using actual calendar dates instead of fiscal period labels. * Test fiscal year boundaries, especially the transition from Q4 to the following Q1. * Use consistent fiscal settings across all visuals that share the same fiscal calendar. ### Troubleshooting #### Forecast periods appear one year early or late The [**Fiscal Year Convention**](#fiscal-year-convention) is probably incorrect. Compare one known fiscal label and calendar date, then select **Prior** or **Same** accordingly. #### Quarters contain the wrong months Confirm that [**Fiscal Year Start Month**](#fiscal-year-start-month) matches the semantic model’s fiscal calendar. #### Months appear alphabetically Configure Fiscal Month to [sort by a numeric fiscal-month-order](#sorting-requirements) field in the semantic model. #### Planning sheet does not recognize the fiscal hierarchy Verify that: * The visual uses fiscal fields from the fiscal date table. * The fiscal hierarchy is ordered from the highest to the lowest level of granularity. * The fiscal fields use supported time labels consistently. * **Fiscal Year** is included when the data spans multiple fiscal years. #### Forecast extension starts in the wrong month Verify both the fiscal start month and the calendar dates selected in **Forecast Period**. #### Future fiscal periods are missing Confirm that the fiscal date table contains mappings for the required future calendar dates. ### Frequently asked questions (FAQs) #### Can Planning create a fiscal calendar automatically? No. You have to create and maintain the fiscal date mapping in the semantic model before using it for planning. #### Can the fiscal year start in any month? Yes. Select the required month in [Fiscal Year Start Month](#fiscal-year-start-month) and ensure the semantic model uses the same start month. #### What is the difference between Prior and Same? Prior begins the fiscal year one calendar year before its label. Same begins in the calendar year shown by its label. For an April start: * FY2025 + Prior = April 2024–March 2025. * FY2025 + Same = April 2025–March 2026. #### How should I select the 'Forecast Period' while configuring the forecast measures? Select the actual calendar start and end periods to add. Don't select dates based only on the fiscal-year label. #### Can calendar and fiscal fields both exist in the model? Yes. Use the fiscal hierarchy in visuals intended for fiscal planning and the calendar hierarchy in visuals intended for standard calendar reporting. Avoid mixing calendar and fiscal levels within one time hierarchy. #### What happens when the fiscal year starts in August? Q1 becomes August–October, Q2 becomes November–January, Q3 becomes February–April, and Q4 becomes May–July. Prior or Same then determines the calendar year in which that August occurs. #### Are Fiscal Quarter and Fiscal Month always mandatory? Use the levels required by the visual’s granularity. Fiscal Year is essential for distinguishing multiple fiscal years; Quarter and Month are required when users need quarterly or monthly drill-down and forecasting. #### Why does January belong to Q4 in an April-start calendar? Fiscal quarters are counted from the selected start month. With April as month 1, January is fiscal month 10 and therefore belongs to Q4. ### Configuration checklist * [x] A fiscal date table exists in the semantic model. * [x] The fiscal date table includes all required historical and future dates. * [x] The **Fiscal Year**, **Fiscal Quarter**, and **Fiscal Month** mappings match the organization's fiscal calendar. * [x] Fiscal display fields are sorted by their corresponding numeric fiscal-order fields. * [x] The visual uses the fiscal hierarchy from the highest to the lowest level of granularity. * [x] The **Fiscal Year Start Month** setting matches the fiscal date table. * [x] The **Fiscal Year Convention** setting matches a verified fiscal year mapping. * [x] The **Forecast Period** is selected using actual calendar dates. * [x] The fiscal hierarchy and future planning periods have been validated. ### Summary Planning supports fiscal forecasting and time-based planning when the semantic model provides a correctly configured fiscal date table and the visual uses the appropriate fiscal settings. Configure the **Fiscal Year Start Month** and **Fiscal Year Convention** to match your organization's fiscal calendar, and verify the mapping before creating forecast measures. The most important distinction is the meaning of Prior and Same. After the fiscal calendar is configured correctly, select forecast periods using their actual calendar dates. Once that mapping is verified, forecast periods can be selected reliably using their actual calendar dates. --- # 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. 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