FORECAST.LINEAR Function in Excel: Predict a Value From a Trend

⏱ 1 min readUpdated 28 September 2026

StatisticalLevel: ExpertAvailable in: Excel 2016+

In this article
  1. Syntax
  2. Examples
  3. Example 1
  4. Common errors and fixes
  5. Related functions

FORECAST.LINEAR predicts a y-value for a given x using a straight-line trend fitted to past data.

Syntax

=FORECAST.LINEAR(x, known_ys, known_xs)
Argument What it means
x The point to predict (e.g. next month number).

Examples

Example 1

=FORECAST.LINEAR(13, C2:C13, A2:A13)

Month 13 sales from months 1–12.

Common errors and fixes

You see Why, and the fix
Forecast looks silly Data has seasonality; a straight line ignores it. Try FORECAST.ETS or the Forecast Sheet (Data tab).

TREND · LINEST · FORECAST.ETS

📚 Part of the free Excel course: Beginner → Expert · Try it in the Formula Lab or ask the AI Helper.

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