Benefits

For Employees

Accelerate your career growth, leadership opportunities, marketability, and job security

Validate your professional experience, knowledge, and skill-sets in the field

Build confidence knowing that you’re prepared for today’s rapidly changing marketplace

Complement your supply chain education & certifications with IBF

Become more recognized at your company, as well as in the field

Salary Report

For Employers

Save time and resources as IBF certified individuals are pre-qualified, allowing you to quickly identify the right person for an S&OP or forecasting/demand planning job

Gain assurance that an IBF Certified individual has the background to help improve forecasting performance and hit the ground running

Increase the value of your forecasting and demand planning staff, department, and company

Save time and resources in training — CPF or ACPF professionals already have a verified body of knowledge

And much more!

Use Your GI Bill Benefits To Get Certified

Are you a US veteran? Then use your GI Bill benefits to take the CPF and ACPF exams for free. IBF exams are recognized for reimbursement by the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs under the GI bill. See further details.

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Testimonial
Testimonials
  • reviews author
    Keyamma Garnes, CPF
    Director of Demand Planning
    (Estee Lauder)
    It has helped me tremendously with not only learning forecasting best practices but also in showing others I know what I'm doing. When I moved companies it helped me not only land a job, but get the compensation I was looking for.
  • reviews author
    Allyson Hatfield, ACPF
    Senior Demand Planner
    (Campbell Soup Company)
    Earning certification with IBF was an opportunity to take in the academic side of my discipline. It made me more confident in approaching the business and in the recommendations i was making.
Levels of Certification
1
Certified Professional Forecaster–Candidate (CPF-C)

A starting point for students as they enter the job market. Exam 1, 2 & 3

2
Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF)

Earned by passing exam 1, 2 & 3

3
Advanced Certified Professional Forecaster (ACPF)

After receiving CPF, earned by passing exam 4, 5, & 6

Sample Exams
Test Your Knowledge

Click the links below to take the sample exam(s):

CPF
ACPF
Eligibility Criteria

There are four ways an individual can be eligible for the Certification program (CPF/ ACPF).

1) The potential candidate must have at least a Bachelor's degree and one year of professional experience in Business Forecasting and Planning.

2) If the individual does not have a Bachelor's degree, two years of professional experience in Business Forecasting and Planning can fulfill the eligibility requirement.

3) For students or those new to practicing forecasting & planning, you can earn a CPF-C by passing the exams. Then, once you complete 1 year of professional experience, we can upgrade you to full CPF status.

4) For earning ACPF, you must already be a CPF to register.

Please note that resumes are not acceptable for proof of employment. We would accept a letter with your company letterhead from your HR indicating your position and the number of years you've worked or redacted paystubs that are at least two years apart.

Certification Details
Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF): The Exams
  • There are 3 exams:
    • Exam 1: 150 multiple choice questions
    • Exam 2: 125 multiple choice questions
    • Exam 3: 100 multiple choice questions
  • 2 hours are given to complete each exam
  • CPF is earned when 70% or higher is scored for each exam individually*
Exam 1

What you Need to Know about Demand Planning, Forecasting, and S&OP

  • Role of Forecasting & Planning in Decision Making
  • Demand Planning (Demand Sensing Shaping, & Creating)
  • Forecasting & Planning Process
  • Consumption (POS Data) Based Forecasting & Planning
  • Consensus Forecasting & Planning
  • Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Process
  • Collaborative, Planning, Forecasting, & Replenishment (CPFR)
Exam 2

Data Management and time Series Forecasting Modeling

  • Data Analysis & Treatment
  • Fundamentals of Models & Modeling
  • Types of Models
  • Time Series Models
  • Model Selection
  • Metrics: Measuring Forecast Error and Performance
Exam 3

Reporting, Presenting, New Product Forecasting and Planning

  • Forecast Reporting, Presentation and Communication
  • Winning Support and-Confidence of Management
  • Getting Buy-in from Stakeholders
  • New Product Forecasting
Advanced Certified Professional Forecaster (ACPF): The Exams
  • You must first earn the CPF designation
  • There are 3 exams containing 70 multiple choice questions each
  • 2 Hours are given to complete each exam
  • ACPF is earned when 70% or higher is scored for each exam individually*
Exam 4

Forecast Modeling (Advanced)

  • Regression/Cause & Effect Models
  • Steps to Build a Regression Model
  • Diagnostic Tools for Assessing Regression Models
  • Development and Application of Dummy Variables in Multiple Regression
  • Improving a Multiple Regression Model
  • ARIMA/Box-Jenkins Modeling
  • Assumptions of ARIMA Modeling
  • ARIMA Models vs. Regression Models
  • Types of ARIMA Models
  • Steps to Build an ARIMA Model
  • Improving ARIMA Models
Exam 5

Technology and Worst Practices in Forecasting & Planning

  • Forecasting & Planning Technology
  • Forecasting Package vs. Forecasting System
  • Selecting a Forecasting Package
  • Technology Capabilities
  • Scalability
  • Forecasting System Implementation
  • Worst Practices in Forecasting & Demand Planning
Exam 6

The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics in Demand Planning & Forecasting

  • Types of models and how they are used
  • Clustering algorithms & K-means models
  • Classifiers, Bayes and Decision Trees
  • Types of analytics and their outputs
  • Steps to build machine learning algorithms
  • Current uses and applications of AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics
Certification Fee

Study material for this course is available for purchase. Please click here to purchase our "Fundamentals of Demand Planning & Forecasting" text book. The textbook includes an outline of what is covered for each exam. (Most professionals register for Exams 1, 2, & 3 for CPF or Exams 4 & 5 for ACPF all at once).

IBF Members:
$375 per exam
Non-Members:
$425 per exam
Exam Schedule

There are online exams on the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month except on US Holidays.
Please register for the exams at least a week in advance. We will not allow registrations the week of the exam date.

22 November 2024
Online Exam
13 December 2024
Online Exam
10 January 2025
Online Exam
24 January 2025
Online Exam
28 February 2025
Online Exam
14 March 2025
Online Exam
28 March 2025
Online Exam
Preparation Materials
preparation-image
Fundamentals of Demand Planning and Forecasting

Price: $124.95 + shipping

Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost.
These charges are the buyer's responsibility.
preparation-image
Predictive Analytics for Business Forecasting & Planning

Price: $99.95 + shipping

Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost.
These charges are the buyer's responsibility.

This books will cover most of the material for the exams.

However, there is no single book available that covers everything about business forecasting & planning. It is assumed the candidate has prior knowledge and experience in the area.

Attending the following events will help you better prepare for the IBF Certification Exams:
Recertification
How to Keep Your Certification Current

IBF certification is valid for a period of 3 years.

After a 3 year term it becomes necessary to re-certify in order to ensure that the professional maintains adequate experience and training in the area of Forecasting and Planning.

This means keeping abreast of new technologies and developments in methods, processes, approaches, systems, and more.

For Recertification, professionals are required to accumulate a number of continuing education points to maintain their certification designation. Number of points required for each certification:

  • CPF - 40 Points
  • ACPF - 50 Points

Re-certification points are earned by attending demand planning, forecasting, S&OP, analytics, and supply chain related conferences, workshops, training, and courses, or any other related activities within the four year time frame.. Once it has been documented that the required points have been earned, the IBF will renew the certification.

Re-taking all relevant certification exams is also an acceptable way to re-certify.

Recertification Fee: (After every 3 years of possessing the CPF or ACPF)

IBF Member: $100, Non-Member: $125

* Capped at a maximum of 20 and 25 points for CPF and ACPF respectively.

Register for Recertification