Overview
When you navigate to Budgets from the sidebar, you will see the budgets list for the selected company which includes:- Search Bar - Filter budgets by title
- Create New Budget - Start building a new budget
- Budgets Table - View all budgets with status, totals, and approval breakdown
- Bulk Actions - Select multiple budgets for batch operations
Budgets Menu
The Budgets Menu provides quick navigation between different budget-related areas:
| Menu Option | Description |
|---|---|
| All Budgets | View the main budgets list for the selected company |
| Products | Manage your product catalog for budgeting |
| Templates | Access budget templates for quick creation |
| Forecast | Plan future budget projections |
Budgets Table
The budgets table displays key information for each budget:| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Budget Title | Name of the budget (click to edit) |
| Fiscal Year | The fiscal year the budget applies to |
| Status | Current status: Draft, Pending Approval, Approved, or Archived |
| Pending | Total value of line items awaiting approval |
| Rejected | Total value of rejected line items |
| Approved | Total value of approved line items |
| Total | Grand total of all line items |
| Last Modified | When the budget was last updated |
Creating a Budget
1
Navigate to Budgets
Select a company from the company selector, then click Budgets in the sidebar.
2
Click Create New Budget
Click the + Create New Budget button in the top right corner.
3
Configure Budget Details
Fill in the budget header information:
- Budget Title - A descriptive name (e.g., “IT Infrastructure 2026”)
- Author - The person responsible for the budget
- Status - Set initial status (typically Draft)
- Fiscal Year - Select the target year
- Period Type - Choose Annual, Quarterly, or Monthly
- Currency - Select the currency (USD, EUR, etc.)
- Notes - Add internal notes (not shown on exports)
4
Add Line Items
Build your budget by adding items from three sources:
- Planner Items - Import tasks from your Planner
- Products and Services - Add products from your PSA
- Strategic Goals - Link goals to budget items
5
Save the Budget
Click Save to save your budget. You will see a confirmation message.
Adding Budget Line Items
The budget builder provides three panels for importing items into your budget:Planner Items
Import items directly from your company Planner. Each planner item shows:- Task name and icon
- Due date and status
- Estimated cost (if set)
Products and Services
Add products from your PSA or manually created products. Products display:- Product name
- SKU (if available)
- Vendor
- Category
- Unit price
Strategic Goals
Link strategic goals to your budget for alignment with company objectives. Goals show:- Goal title
- Priority badge (High, Medium, Low)
- Target date and status
Budget Line Items Table
Once items are added, they appear in the Budget Line Items table:| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Line item type: SW (Software), HW (Hardware), LB (Labour), OT (Other) |
| Details | Item name and linked source (Planner, Product, or Goal) |
| Quantity | Number of units |
| Unit Price | Cost per unit |
| Total | Line total (Quantity x Unit Price) |
| Category | Budget category for grouping |
| Actions | Edit or delete the line item |
Budget Totals
The totals section shows spending breakdown by type:- Software - Total software costs
- Hardware - Total hardware costs
- Labour - Total labour costs
- Other - Other expenses
- Grand Total - Sum of all line items
Viewing a Budget
To view a budget in read-only presentation mode:- Click the Actions button on any budget row
- Select View
- The Budget View page displays a clean summary with:
- Budget title and status
- Company, fiscal year, period, and currency
- Summary cards showing Total, Approved, and Pending amounts
- Line items table with status indicators
Export Options
From the Budget View, you can:- Print - Print the budget directly
- Export PDF - Download a professional PDF document
Budget Statuses
Budgets progress through these status stages:| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Budget is being created or edited |
| Pending Approval | Budget submitted for review |
| Approved | Budget has been approved and locked |
| Archived | Budget is no longer active |
Line Item Statuses
Individual line items also have approval statuses:| Status | Color | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pending | Yellow | Awaiting approval |
| Approved | Green | Item has been approved |
| Rejected | Red | Item was rejected |
Managing Budgets
Editing a Budget
- Click on the budget title in the table, or
- Click Actions then Edit
- Make your changes
- Click Save
Duplicating a Budget
To create a copy of an existing budget:- Click Actions then Duplicate
- A new budget is created with “(Copy)” appended to the title
- Edit as needed
Deleting a Budget
- Click Actions then Delete
- Confirm the deletion
Budget Actions Menu
Click the Actions button on any budget to access:- View - Open read-only presentation mode
- Edit - Open the budget editor
- Update Statuses - Change approval status of line items
- Duplicate - Create a copy of the budget
- Export - Export to PDF or other formats
- Delete - Remove the budget
Products Catalog
The Products area allows you to manage a centralized product catalog for use across all budgets. Access it via Budgets Menu > Products.
Products Table
The products table displays your catalog with filterable columns:| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Product name (e.g., “Microsoft 365 Business Premium”) |
| SKU | Stock keeping unit identifier |
| Category | Product category (Block Time, Managed Services, etc.) |
| Unit Price | Cost per unit |
| Vendor | Supplier or manufacturer (Microsoft, Tech Data, etc.) |
| Product Group | Grouping for organization |
| Created By | System or user who created the product |
Filtering Products
Use the filter controls in each column header to quickly find products:- Text filters - Type to search by Name or SKU
- Dropdown filters - Select Category, Vendor, Product Group, or Created By
- Price range - Set minimum and maximum unit price
Adding Products
1
Click New Product
Click the + New Product button in the top-right corner.
2
Enter Product Details
Fill in the product information:
- Name (required)
- SKU
- Category
- Unit Price
- Vendor
- Product Group
3
Save the Product
Click Save to add the product to your catalog.
Importing from Integrations
Click Import from Integrations to pull products from connected PSA systems:- ConnectWise Manage
- Autotask PSA
- HaloPSA
Budget Forecast
The Forecast feature helps you project future budget trends based on historical data and growth assumptions. Access it via Budgets Menu > Forecast.
Forecast Settings
Configure global parameters that apply to all categories:| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Base Year | The fiscal year to use as the baseline (e.g., FY 2025) |
| Years to Forecast | How many years to project (1-5 years) |
| Default Annual Increase (%) | The default growth percentage applied to categories |
| Apply to All Categories | Toggle to apply the default increase uniformly |
| Hide Empty Categories | Hide categories with zero base values |
Forecast Categories
The forecast table breaks down projections by spending category:- Backup & DR - Backup and disaster recovery services
- Cloud Services - Cloud infrastructure and hosting
- Hardware - Physical equipment and devices
- Managed Services - Ongoing IT management services
- Other - Miscellaneous expenses
- Projects - One-time project costs
- Renewals - Software and service renewals
- Security Services - Cybersecurity tools and services
- Software - Software licenses and subscriptions
- Training & Adoption - Training and change management
Forecast Table Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Category | The spending category name |
| Include | Toggle to include/exclude category from forecast |
| Base Year | The starting amount from the base fiscal year |
| FY 20XX Forecast | Projected amount for each future year |
| % Increase | Custom growth rate for this category |
| Use Global | Use the global default increase percentage |
Syncing Forecast Data
1
Sync from Budget
Click Sync from Budget to populate base year values from approved budgets. This pulls actual budget line items into the forecast categories.
2
Sync from Planner
Click Sync from Planner to import planned items as forecast data. Useful for projecting costs of planned initiatives.
3
Adjust Category Values
Fine-tune individual category amounts and growth percentages as needed.
4
Save Forecast
Click Save to store your forecast configuration.
Understanding Projections
Each forecast year shows:- Projected Amount - The calculated value based on base year and growth rate
- Year-over-Year Change - The dollar amount increase from the previous year
- Percentage Change - The growth rate expressed as a percentage
The Export feature is coming soon and will allow you to download forecast reports for client presentations and planning meetings.
Best Practices
- Create budgets well before the fiscal year begins
- Link budgets to strategic goals for alignment visibility
- Use categories to organize line items by type
- Update line item statuses as approvals are received
- Export PDF versions for client presentations
- Archive completed budgets rather than deleting them
Integrations
Planner Integration
Budgets integrate with the Planner module to:- Import planner items as budget line items
- Maintain links between budget items and tasks
- Show estimated costs from planner items
Goals Integration
Link strategic goals to demonstrate:- How IT spending supports business objectives
- Alignment between budgets and company strategy
- Progress on goal-related expenditures
PSA Integration
Products from connected PSAs (ConnectWise, Autotask, HaloPSA) are available:- Import products with accurate pricing
- Maintain product SKUs and categories
- Access vendor information
Related Resources
- Planner - Manage tasks and link to budgets
- Goals - Set strategic objectives
- Company Overview - View company budget status