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Budget - Beta Module

Help on how to navigate the upcoming Budgeting module

Written by Kelly Shee

Dashboard > Select a Project > Budget

Please note this is a Beta version of our Budgeting module and is not yet available to users. As it is in Beta form, there are features that may change and adapt as we work through testing.
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If you are interested in testing this Beta module, please consult with your CSM.

Understanding the Budget Module Terms

Our Budget is broken up into four distinct categories:

  • Budget Groups - Budget Groups are used to help you group different areas of your Budget based on Type. You can create your Budget groups based on your needs. There are four different Types of Budget Groups:

    • Group

    • Subcontract

    • Rental

    • Service

  • Line Items - Line Items live within your Budget Groups and hold your Expenses and Allocations. Line Items are broken up by Cost Types:

    • Labor

    • Materials

    • Equipment

    • Other

  • Expenses - Expenses are your expenditures. They represent what has been spent.

  • Allocations - Allocations are amounts that are committed to your Budget. They have not been spent, but they are set aside for spending

In this article, we will take you through the steps of creating and managing your Budget Groups, Line Items, Expenses & Allocations, as well as how to navigate through your different Tabs:

Dashboard

Your Dashboard is all of your Budget information at-a-glance. Your Dashboard will provide you with a summary of everything you have entered into your project's budget.

At the top, you'll see your Total Budget, the amount Committed (but not yet spent) what you have Spent already, and what is Remaining after the expenditure(s) (and if you are still on track). You will also see any items that need action and anything that might still be in draft.

Below, you can view your Budget Over Time. You choose the date range, and your table will adjust based on those dates. See when your spending increased, see any Budget Revision changes as well as Committed Costs vs. Actual Costs.

Next, you'll see your Cost Type Breakdown. Where has your money been allocated? Labour? Materials? This gives you a quick view of where your budget is being spent as well as the status of your expenditures.

Lastly, you'll see your Budget Group Health. This section will allow you to see how the Budget Groups are doing, whether spending is still on track based on your Budget.

Breakdown

Your breakdown is an interactive breakdown of how your budget is being allocated and spent. Similar to the Cost Type Breakdown on your Dashboard tab, this provides you with a more detailed view of your Budget spending.

You can view by two different headers:
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Cost Type Breakdown

Your Cost Types are the types of spending you might make. Cost Types are divided into the following:

  • Labour

  • Materials

  • Equipment

  • Other

Budget Group Breakdown

Your Budget Groups are designed to help organize your different spending. It allows you to Group different budgets depending on the Type

  • Group

  • Subcontract

  • Rental

  • Service

For example, you might have a budget group for Subcontract, and there, you can set up your different Cost Types within that group. You create your own Budget Group to suit your particular needs.

Both Breakdown tabs allow you to open your items to see more details.
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In the Breakdown tab, you are also able to import Time Center entries. As well, you can review your Import History to see when and where the last import came from
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Budget Groups

Here is where you can create new Budget Groups for your Project. In this tab, you can start planning your Budget. Let's start with adding a new Budget Group

Adding a Budget Group

Budget Groups is your way to group the different sections of your budget.

  1. Click on the "+ Add Budget Group" at the top left of your screen

  2. Next, you'll be asked to fill in the details of your Group, starting with the Type. You can choose from the following types:

    1. Group

    2. Subcontract

    3. Rental

    4. Service

  3. Next, provide a Title for your group (required)

  4. Add any Notes, Cost Types or Cost Codes necessary, include a Vendor if needed and a Start and End Date if you like.

  5. Click "Save" to save your new Budget Group

Adding Line Items to Your Budget Group

Now that you've created your Budget Group, you can start creating different Line Items for the Budget Group. Each Line Item has a Cost Type. This is the category for your Line Item.

  1. To start, open the Budget Group to which you want to add your Line Item

  2. Click on "Add Line Item" at the bottom left corner of your Budget Group screen

  3. A new screen will open and you can enter all the information for the Line Item

    1. Start with the Cost Type of this Line Item:

      1. Labor

      2. Equipment

      3. Materials

      4. Other

    2. Description (required) - Enter a description of this Line Item

    3. Initial Amount - This will be the amount you think you'll need for the Line Item

    4. Cost Code

    5. Vendor

  4. Click "Save" to save your new Line Item
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You can also add Line Items with Expenses or Allocations. Click on the arrow located inside the "Add Line Item" button.

Adding a Line Item with an Expense

If you have already spent the money, you can create a Line Item with that expenditure already included. This saves any unnecessary steps.

  1. As with adding a regular Line Item above, you'll select the Cost Type for your Line Item

  2. Add your Cost Code and Vendor

  3. Date - Enter the date of your purchase

  4. Number - This could be the PO or Invoice Number for this expense

  5. Description (required) - Include the description of your expense

  6. Amount (required) - This will be the amount you have spent on this Line Item

  7. Start As - This will be the status of your Expense. You can choose from:

    1. Draft

    2. Invoiced

    3. Approved

    4. Paid

  8. Attachments - Add any Attachments for this expense (receipts, POs, etc.)

  9. Click "Save" to save your new Line Item, and your Expense will immediately be counted against your Budget

Adding a Line Item with an Allocation

Your Allocations are your committed costs. You haven't spent the money, but it has been committed to the item you are creating.

This will work just the same as adding a Line Item with an Expense

  1. Select the Cost Type

    1. Labor

    2. Equipment

    3. Materials

    4. Other

  2. Cost Code

  3. Vendor

  4. Date

  5. Number

  6. Description (required)

  7. Amount (required)

  8. Start as - This will be the status of your Allocation, and your options are:

    1. Draft

    2. Open

    3. Approved

  9. Add any Attachments needed for this Allocation

  10. Click "Save" to create your new Line Item

Managing your Budget Group

You can edit, delete, export and more with the Line Items inside your Budget Groups.

Simply click on the Line Item you want and select from your Actions dropdown

  • Export CSV with Filters - Export your Budget Group to a CSV file with selected Line Items based on your chosen filters

  • Export Selected - Export just the Line Items selected within your Budget Group

  • Mark as Complete - Marking an item as complete will move your Expenses to Paid and your Allocations to Approved

  • Mark as Void - Voiding your Line Items eliminates the amount from your Budget Group, but keeps the Line Item in place as "Voided" . This is ideal for transparency.

  • Delete - You can always delete any Line Items created in error. This will remove the entire Line Item from your Budget Group

Line Items

See all your Line Items in one place within your Line Items tab.

In the Line Items tab, you can add Line Items outside of your Budget Groups. This is especially useful if you're not sure which Budget Group your Line Items will fit into.

Adding Line Items in the Line Items tab works similarly to adding them in the Budget Groups tab, the difference is you are not adding them within a Budget Group.

  1. Click on the "+ Add Line Item" button at the top left of the screen

  2. A new screen will appear where you can add the details of your Line Item

    1. Cost Type (required) - Labor, Materials, Equipment, or Other

    2. Description (required) - Enter the description of your Line Item

    3. Initial Amount - What do you expect this Line Item to cost?

    4. Cost Code

    5. Vendor

  3. Click "Save" to save your new Line Item

Managing Line Items

As with your Budget Groups, you can manage your Line Items with your Actions menu

  • Export CSV with Filters - Export your chosen Line Items based criteria you set in your Filters

  • Export Selected - Export just the selected Line Items

  • Add to Budget Group - Add your selected Line Items to a Budget Group. You can also move Line Items from one Budget Group to another

  • Mark as Complete - Marking an item as complete will move your Expenses to Paid and your Allocations to Approved

  • Mark as Void - Voiding your Line Items eliminates the amount from your Budget Group, but keeps the Line Item in place as "Voided" . This is ideal for transparency.

  • Delete - Delete your Line Items completely from your list/Budget Group

Expenses/Allocations

Your Expenses and Allocations tab is where you can track all of your Expenses and Allocations. Expenses are your expenditures and your Allocations are the costs that have been committed to the Items. You can see the status of each of your Expenses and Allocations


In this tab, you can add Expenses and Allocations directly into your Line Items.

Adding an Expense

  1. To add an Expense, click on the red "Add Expense" button at the top left of your screen.

  2. A new screen showing a list of your Line Items (and the Budget Group they belong to) will appear, allowing you to select one or more to add your Expense to. To select your Line Items, click on the square beside them

  3. Click "Continue"

  4. Your expense screen will appear where you can enter all the necessary details for your Expense.

    1. At the top of the screen, you will see the Line Items chosen for this expense.

    2. Date - Enter the date the expenditure was made

    3. Number - This could be your invoice or PO number

    4. Description (required) - Enter the description of your Expense

    5. Amount (required) - Enter the cost of your expenditure

    6. Start as - Choose the status you want to start this expense as (Draft, Invoiced, Approved, or Paid)

  5. Click "Save" to save your new expense in your selected Line Items

Adding an Allocation

  1. Click on the green "Add Allocation" button at the top left of your screen

  2. A new screen showing a list of your Line Items (and the Budget Group they belong to) will appear, allowing you to select one or more to add your Allocation to. To select your Line Items, click on the square beside them.

  3. Click "Continue"

  4. Your Allocation screen will open where you can add the necessary details for your allocated funds

    1. At the top of the screen, you will see the Line Items chosen for this allocation.

    2. Date - Enter the date for your allocation

    3. Number - This could be your invoice or PO number

    4. Description (required) - Enter the description of your Allocation

    5. Amount (required) - Enter the amount you are allocating for this

    6. Start as - Choose the status you want to start this allocation as (Draft, Open, or Approved)

  5. Click "Save" to save your new allocation in your selected Line Items

Managing your Expenses and Allocations

In this tab, you can make any changes needed to your Expenses and Allocations under the Actions menu

  • Export CSV with Filters - Export your Expenses and/or Allocations based on criteria selected in your Filters

  • Mark as Complete - Mark your selected Expenses as Paid and/or your selected Allocations as Approved.

  • Mark as Approved - Mark your selected Expenses and/or Allocations as Approved

  • Mark as Void - Void any of your Expenses or Allocations

As you work through the Budget module and create your own Budget, please reach out to your CSM with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. We want your input on making this the ideal module for all your Budget planning needs!

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