Frequently Asked Questions

Our "Business Forecasting: A Tutorial" can be considered to be training in business forecasting. The presentations are more hands-on in a classroom setting with 3 levels to choose from; Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Our conferences are lead by practioners sharing real world experiences in 50 min + 10 min Q & A time slots. Conferences have more case studies from the corporate world.

All of our events have something for every forecaster at every level. However, our tutorials are specifically geared towards training forecasters whether they are beginners, intermediate, or advanced level. Our conferences give case studies of real world experience from well known companies. Therefore, all of our events have something to offer every forecaster.

You can either call us or send us an email requesting a flyer be sent to you via mail or you can go to our conference webpage and download the electronic (.pdf) version.

Our events are geared toward all industries and cover all the major forecasting topics and more. However, on a yearly basis we have Forecasting Forums within particular events for the Pharmaceutical as well as the Consumer Goods industry.

Yes, you will receive an email confirmation immediately.

Yes, you can provide a purchase order (P.O.) and send a check. The cutoff date for check payment is 15 days prior to the start of the conference or tutorial.

Yes. We do have yearly events held in Amsterdam and other places. Check upcoming events for details or give us a call.

You can register online through our upcoming events webpage, fax in your registration to +1.516.498.2029, or fill out the form on the flyer and mail to us, along with appropriate payment. Don't forget to list the key code located above your address, if you received a flyer in the mail.

We offer breakfast and lunch for both days of the conference as well as our evening cocktail reception.

Yes, it is limited to 8 people max. However, anyone from an IBF corporate member company can attend an event at a discount, which is limited to 8 people. But, for the Journal of Business Forecasting subscription, included in IBF membership, we require 8 specific names to be registered.

All slides from the speaker's presentations can be found in the conference and workshop manuals.

You can customize your schedule to your liking. If you're not happy with one session or track, you can move to another.

We recommend business casual. Also, keep in mind that meeting room temperature may vary from one room to another. Therefore, you may want to bring an extra sweater or jacket.

6’ table for your materials, 10’ wide space for backdrop, 2 people allotted to man the booth (general session access is an additional fee), breakfast, lunch, and invite to our cocktail reception are all included in the exhibitor fee. Bonus 30 minute software demo slots are distributed on a first come first serve basis (limited slots available). The software demos are concurrent with general sessions on the second day of the conference. Power at booth is available for an additional cost along with any Audio Visual needs.

The exhibit area is open for the duration of the conference. High traffic times are at meal functions (breakfast and lunch) and coffee/refreshment breaks (2 per day).

Full time students and professors who qualify may be eligible for an Academic pricing. Please contact us for details.

You may cancel your attendance to the Conference for a full refund if it is more than 15 days away from the event. If the cancellation is less than 15 days, a fee of $195 is withheld fromt the refund amount. You also have the option of putting the full amount on HOLD to be used at a future IBF event.

You may cancel your attendance to the Conference for a full refund if it is 15 days or more away from the event. If the cancellation is less than 15 days, a fee of $195 is withheld from the refunded amount. You also have the option of putting the full amount on HOLD to be used at a future IBF event.

You will receive a renewal reminder email as well as a letter sent by regular mail.

You will receive the quarterly Journal of Business Forecasting and are eligible for discounts on IBF products and services. For a complete list of benefits and to register, please click here.

No refunds are permitted for membership purchases.

No. Membership benefits are non-transferrable.

Sure, click here to search our JBF database. Once you have selected the issue of interest, you can download a copy in pdf format.

You will receive a renewal reminder email as well as a letter sent by regular mail.

Hardcopy JBF issues are received in the mail. Electronic copies can be downloaded or will be sent to you via email in .pdf format. Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view the electronic copy. You can download the reader at www.adobe.com.

You can submit your article through our website click here.

Yes, simply give us a call or send us an email and we will make sure you receive a sample hardcopy of the Journal.

You have 90 days from the date of the first missing issue to be reimbursed for the missing JBF issue.

You may return most new, unopened items sold and fulfilled by IBF within 30 days of delivery for a full refund, provided they are sent back in its original condition. We will also pay return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

We currently ship to any address both in the United States, and internationally. Journals are shipped first class, USPS (United States Postal Service)

No refunds are permitted for Journal of Business Forecasting purchases.

Yes, your subscription may be transferred to another person.

Yes, after attending any event, simply send us an email mentioning your interest in receiving CE credit for the IBF event and we'll send you a letter stating your proof of attendance and the number of hours earned

The potential candidate must have at least a Bachelors degree from an accredited College/University or at least two years of professional experience in the area of forecasting and planning. You will need to provide a copy of one of these (Undergrad/ Grad diploma OR a written statement on company letterhead certifying your professional experience.) This must be done BEFORE you can obtain your exam scores.

The review session at the present time will cover the material on the first three modules. Keep in mind it is difficult to cover everything about forecasting and planning in one day. So this session will review just the key aspects of business forecasting from the Certification Exam outline.

One must enroll 30 days in advance of the exam date. Once rescheduled, one can change the date or place, without penalty by informing the IBF 15 days before the exam. After that, a change will be $50, irrespective of the number of module exams you are scheduled for.

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If you don’t have the time or would like the convenience of having the exam come to you at your office location, the IBF provides this service. In this case, your company must provide the computer facility, and cover the proctor’s expenses. Please call the IBF to schedule the exams.

The Business Forecasting Certification Program is the only program of its kind. Based on over two decades of experience in the field, the IBF has identified the skill sets and knowledge a forecaster and demand planner needs to succeed in this profession. The exams are designed to validate those skill sets and knowledge. Besides self-directed, self-taught study for the Certification Program, what other events can I attend to prepare for the exams? If you feel you would be better prepared to have classroom type instruction, in addition to preparing for the Certification Exams on your own, you should enroll in one or more of the IBF's educational events: a Workshop, Tutorial/Conference, Review Course, and/ or our In-House Business Forecasting training program.

The Certification Program will help the employers in a number of ways: -Enables them to identify the right person for a forecasting position. -Provides assurance that the IBF certified forecaster has the skill sets needed to perform the function efficiently and effectively. -Increases the value of the forecasting staff, department and the company.

You accrue benefits from the IBF Certification in a number of ways: -By improving your background in the area of forecasting and planning. -Through enhancing your career opportunity in the area. -Gaining the credentials to stand out among other forecasters both within and outside the enterprise.

The purpose of renewing every four years, is to make sure that the forecaster has kept pace with all the new developments in the area of forecasting and planning.

The review sessions are conducted by a qualified forecaster, who not only has extensive academic experience, but has also spent a number of years in the industry practicing forecasting.

If you feel you would be better prepared to have classroom type instruction, in addition to preparing for the Certification Exams on your own, you should enroll in one or more of the IBF's educational events: a Workshop, Tutorial/Conference, and/or Review Course. The Statistical Forecasting Workshop, held periodically throughout the year, is a 2 day event that covers content that is particularly relevant to the Course 2 Module Exam. If you are concerned with the quantitative aspects one needs to know for the Certification Exams, you may want to sign up for the two-day Statistical Forecasting Workshop. If you attend the Tutorial in preparation for Course Modules exams 1-3, it is recommended that you attend the beginner and intermediate educational sessions. Both of these levels will have content that will overlap with the material covered on Module exams 1-3. For Course Module exams 4 and 5, it is suggested that you attend the advanced sessions, which will have information that will pertain to these two examinations. At a Conference, several different sessions will have information that will pertain to the Certification Exams. You can contact the IBF for recommendations on what sessions would be most advantageous to attend in preparation for the Course Module Exams. The Review Course (sometimes held the day before the exam) is a refresher course, and assumes that you have studied on your own and would like to go over the key points of the course module exams. In addition to the Review Course, you can attend the Conference, Tutorial, or Workshop events ahead of time. (It is important to note that no IBF event is guaranteed alone to help you pass the Course Module exams...the prescribed course of study is both in independent reveiw of te materials AND attending an optional IBF event).

Yes, even though there is no one book that covers everything in forecasting, you will certainly be prepared to pass the exams if you study what is in the educational materials. The materials you get in the program from just signing up are designed to adequately prepare you to pass the Certification exams. There is a strong passing rate for people that have worked hard to prepare for the examinations with the already provided materials. Granted, as each individual's amount of knowledge and confidence levels vary, you may feel more comfortable and perform better if you go over both the suggested primary and secondary readings.

Although the IBF sells the books published through Graceway Publishing, and you can purchase them through us, for the other books, you will need to contact the publishers of the other books. Another good resource would be to go to www.amazon.com and look up the book's title or you can to a University bookstore in your area, as well as www.textbook.com (which sells used textbooks).

You have one calendar year from your registration date to complete the exams.

You have 30 days to cancel an exam purchase. Refunds are not permitted once exams have been taken.

It will be posted immediately.

You may return most new, unopened items sold and fulfilled by IBF within 30 days of delivery for a full refund, provided they are sent back in its original condition. We will also pay return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

We currently ship to any address both in the United States, and internationally. We ship using United States Postal Service (USPS). For other carriers, FedEx, UPS, and DHL, please call for a quote. Your purchase of in-stock merchandise will be shipped 24-48 hours from the day you order if the shipping center receives the order prior to 2 PM Monday through Friday, not including standard business holidays. Orders received by the shipping center after 2 PM local time will be shipped the next business day. Special orders and out-of-stock merchandise may require additional time prior to shipment.

No refunds or exchanges are permitted for books.

Yes, please visit our Vendor Directory webpage for a complete forecasting software listing.

Send us an email or give us a call with your request. If you would like to just receive mail, but not email, please be specific with your note.

There are two different options for the In-House Training. The first option is that you can have the In-House Training Seminar at your workplace. This is a two day seminar that can be geared to fit the needs of your company. This seminar can also be used to help you and your colleagues prepare for the Certification exams. The In-House Seminar can accommodate up to 20 people, and more than one department can sit in and learn. For prices on this option, please call the IBF at (516) 504-7576 The second options is that you can schedule an In-House Review Course, which will last only 1 day. This course will be a review of the key points of the Course Module exams you and your group will be taking. The Review Course Seminar is a chance to clarify any information, as well as serve as a refresher course and help boost confidence when taking the exams. To schedule a Review Course at your workplace, you must have at least 10 participants. For prices on this option, please call the IBF at (516) 504-7576

No, you are not obligated to take the exams after the seminar or the review course. Some companies have elected in the past to just complete either the seminar or the review course, but not take the exams. However, if your company does decide to have the Certification exams after the training, this will be a seperate fee. Please call the IBF at (516) 504-7576 for more inforamtion.

No, you do not have to take all three exams at once. Since people are at different levels and are under different time constraints to study for the exams, not everyone is obligated to take all three. Each person can choose to take between one exam and all three. Those not taking all three exams at once, can choose to take the rest of the exams at another public scheduled location to finish up their CPF.

For the In-House Training, your organization needs to have either a marker board or 2 flip charts that the instructor can write on. Some sort of desks or tables should be provided for the participants to write on as well. For the Certification exams, your organization needs to provide a computer for each participants. These computers should be in the same room and be networked together on a server. so that our attendant can connect his laptop to upload the exam information. For technically information, please contact the IBF at (516) 504-7576.