Tentative vs Definitive

Definition

A distinction between two views of revenue data: “definitive” shows actual on-the-books reservations (OTB); “tentative” shows budget-based projections as if they were reservations. Tentative mode answers “what would the dashboard look like if we hit our plan?”

What it tells you

Tentative mode is a planning tool. By overlaying budget on the dashboard, you see what the period needs to look like to hit plan — then compare to where reality is now. The gap is the action item.

How to track it

Available in BI tools that have explicit tentative/definitive switching. Manual computation: replace OTB with budget for the same period and compare.

Where it fits

Tentative views are most useful for forward-looking review and weekly meetings. “If we hit budget, what would our pickup curve look like?” helps surface whether budget assumptions are realistic.