AI Discovery vs Manual Estimate: Which Forecost Flow Should You Use?

Forecost gives you two ways to create an estimate: AI discovery and the manual wizard. They both end at the same deterministic calculation engine. The difference is how the inputs are collected. AI discovery reads a project description and turns it into structured assumptions. The manual wizard asks you for those assumptions directly.

Use AI discovery when the idea is still messy

AI discovery is best when you have a paragraph, client brief, sales note, or rough product idea and want to see what it implies. It can detect likely modules, suggest project type, flag missing information, and ask follow-up questions. This is useful at the beginning of a project when you are still turning language into scope.

Use the manual wizard when you know the assumptions

The manual wizard is better when you already know the important inputs: team size, build duration, AI coding intensity, maintenance expectations, runtime AI use case, user volume, and pricing assumptions. It is also useful when you want tighter control over every field instead of letting AI infer the initial structure.

The best workflow is often both

Start with AI discovery to turn the messy brief into a first pass. Then edit the assumptions on the results page or rerun with manual inputs once you know more. AI is good at reading vague scope and spotting likely modules. You are still responsible for correcting the assumptions that matter: timeline, team, user volume, pricing, and launch quality.

What AI discovery should not do

AI discovery should not invent final prices. In Forecost, AI only analyzes, classifies, summarizes, and asks questions. The cost numbers come from the deterministic calculator. That separation matters because it makes the estimate editable and explainable instead of being a black-box answer from a model.

A simple decision rule

• If you have a rough paragraph, start with AI discovery.
• If you have exact assumptions, use the manual wizard.
• If you are quoting client work, use AI discovery first, then manually review every major assumption.
• If runtime AI is involved, always review user volume and interaction assumptions manually.

The goal is not to choose a perfect flow. The goal is to get to a budget range you can defend. AI discovery helps you move from vague idea to structured scope. Manual inputs help you tighten the estimate once the scope is real.