Forecasting and budgeting
The model, with the actuals already in it.
The job your forecasting spreadsheet does, except the line between what happened and what is planned is drawn by the system, and it moves on its own every month.
Illustrative figures
How it works
Forecasting and budgeting, in three steps.
Actuals flow in by themselves
Closed months fill from your accounting and your other sources. The forecast picks up where the actuals stop.
Compare scenarios before you commit
Put any line of the model side by side across cases, so the argument about the plan happens with numbers.
Freeze a budget, then measure it
Lock a scenario as the budget, and every period after that is scored against it: budget vs actual without the monthly rebuild.
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | 2,286 | 2,318 | 2,400 | 2,472 |
| New customers | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
| Net Operating Income | 422 | 443 | 461 | 480 |
The model
The line between actual and plan moves itself.
- Closed months fill from your books
- The forecast picks up where actuals stop
- It rolls forward as each month closes
Connected to
Fed by the systems you already run.
Live statements
P&L and balance sheet, current
Your metrics
Defined once, kept current
Answers
Ask in plain English
Questions
About forecasting and budgeting
Do I have to rebuild my model?
The model is built around your chart of accounts and the metrics you define, with actuals filled in from your connected systems. Planned figures are yours to set.
How does budget vs actual work?
Freeze a scenario as the budget. From then on each period’s actuals are compared with it automatically.
Can I plan several scenarios?
Yes. Build cases side by side and compare any line across them before choosing one.
More of Dear CFO
See it against your own numbers.
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