> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getnovaplan.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Mid-year update

> Refresh the forward outlook mid-cycle without losing your original plan.

A mid-year update (reforecast) blends actuals to date with a revised outlook for the rest of the year, so your live forecast stays honest as the year unfolds, while your original plan stays intact for comparison.

## When to Use It

* Actuals have diverged from plan and you want the forward months to reflect reality.
* A reorg, a pricing change, or a hiring shift changes the back half of the year.
* You want a current "where we will land" number without editing the frozen plan.

## How to Use It

<Steps>
  <Step title="Lock the original">
    Your approved plan stays as a frozen version you can always compare against. Locked data is served from a snapshot, so the original never drifts.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the boundary">
    Choose the month where actuals hand off to forecast. Earlier months read actuals, later months read the revised outlook.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Apply reforecast rules">
    Adjust the forward outlook with reforecast rules (for example, trim a department's spend or lift a revenue line), or let Nova suggest them from a plain-language description.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Re-run and compare">
    Re-run to project the new landing point, then compare against the original in the [Comparison Center](/reporting/comparison-center).
  </Step>
</Steps>

## What a Reforecast Rule Does

Reforecast rules operate on the GL by department and account, writing forward-looking residual adjustments rather than rewriting your base. Because they target the GL, they cover every universe at once: headcount, revenue, and expense all derive into the GL, so a department-level trim catches all of them. The rules only adjust forward (not-yet-closed) months, so closed actuals are never overwritten.

<Tip>
  Compare the reforecast against the original in the [Comparison Center](/reporting/comparison-center) to see exactly how the outlook has shifted since you locked the plan.
</Tip>

## Common Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does a mid-year update change my original budget?">
    No. The original is a locked version and stays frozen. The reforecast is a separate live outlook you compare against it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is this different from a scenario?">
    A [scenario](/planning/scenarios) is a hypothetical what-if. A mid-year update is your actual revised outlook for the rest of the year, blending real actuals to date with the new forward view.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will a reforecast rule overwrite my closed months?">
    No. Rules only adjust forward months past the boundary you set. Months that are already actuals are left exactly as they posted.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can Nova suggest the rules?">
    Yes. Describe the change ("cut marketing 15 percent for the rest of the year") and Nova drafts reforecast rules you can preview and apply.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## If the Numbers Look Off

* The forward outlook did not change after applying a rule: re-run so the engine re-derives the residual into the GL.
* The boundary month is reading the wrong source: confirm where actuals hand off to forecast; months before the boundary should be actuals, months after should be forecast.
* A trim hit more than you expected: reforecast rules target the GL by department and account, so they catch headcount, revenue, and expense that roll into that account. Narrow the rule's scope if you only meant one universe.