Compare each department's or project's costs with its budget, using Xero tracking codes or QuickBooks classes. You upload one budget split by tracking code, then set up report columns that show budget and actuals side by side for each department or project.
Before you start, make sure your tracking codes or classes are set up for reporting — see How to report on Xero tracking codes or QuickBooks classes in ScaleXP.
1. Upload one budget split by tracking code
- Go to Load Data > Budgets & Forecasts and click Load New Budget, then Get Started.
- In 1. Choose Budget Metrics, select Financials: P&L and click Continue.
- In 2. Download Template, set the Start month and Months to include.
- Turn on Set budgets against Tracking Codes.
- Under Tracking Codes, select the tracking categories to budget against (for example Department), click Done, then click Generate Excel.
- Enter the budget for each department or project in the template, then upload it in 3. Upload Template.
One budget covers all the departments or projects you select. For more detail on the template, see How to add a budget or forecast.
2. Compare budget and actuals by department in a report
- Open the report you want to use, click Edit, then Edit columns.
- For each department or project, add a budget column:
- Under Add New Column, choose the time period, for example Month.
- Click Budget and choose your budget from the dropdown.
- In Tracking Category, select the department or project.
- Add a matching column with Actual selected and the same Tracking Category. Add a Variance or Divider column if you like.
- Click Save & Exit. To reuse these columns in other reports, click Save as New Column Config first.
The report now shows budget and actuals for each department or project side by side, and updates each reporting period. For more on columns, see How to create and edit report columns.