> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.north.cloud/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.north.cloud/docs/features/visibility/forecast-costs.md).
# Forecast costs
Learn how to project your cloud spend with Forecast.
Forecast shows your projected spend, based on your actual cost history. You can also add growth-rate scenarios, to see how your spend changes if it grows faster or slower.
To open Forecast, select **Analyze** in the top navigation, then select **Forecast**. For how filters and Sync work across all three tabs, see [Visibility](/docs/features/visibility.md).
## Setting Up a Forecast
Click **Filters** at the top right to open the **Filter & Forecast** drawer.
| Setting | What it sets |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| CMGR | CMGR (compound monthly growth rate) is the average rate at which your spend grows each month. CMGR scenarios show as extra lines on the chart. Select **Base CMGR**, the growth rate in your own history, or 1%, 3%, 5%, or 20%. You can also enter your own rate, from -50% to 50%. |
| Granularity | Daily or monthly. |
| Lookback | How much cost history Forecast uses: up to 365 days for a daily forecast, or up to 14 months for a monthly forecast. |
| Projection | How far ahead to forecast: up to 365 days for a daily forecast, or up to 24 months for a monthly forecast. |
To forecast part of your spend, add filters in the same drawer, for example one service or one linked account. Filters work the same way as in [Explore](/docs/features/visibility/explore-costs.md). Splits do not apply to Forecast. It shows the total of the filtered spend.
## Reading the Forecast
The Forecast chart shows your **Actual** spend up to today, then the **Model** projection. The shaded band around the projection runs from the **Low Estimate** to the **High Estimate**. Each CMGR scenario that you select appears as its own line.
## Limitations
* **Daily and monthly only.** Forecasts are daily or monthly. If Sync is on and Explore is set to hourly, no chart appears. Switch Explore to daily or monthly, or set the granularity in the **Filter & Forecast** drawer.
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