Steps
- Open Budget. In the back office sidebar, click Accounting, then Budget in the module's top bar.
- Choose the financial year. Select the Financial year for the budget. Your financial year follows the start month set in your business settings.
- Pick a layout. Choose Monthly, Quarterly or Yearly. Monthly gives one column per month; Quarterly gives four; Yearly gives one figure per account.
- Enter amounts per account. Type the budgeted amount for each income and expense account you want to plan. Leave accounts you don't budget for empty.
- Save the budget. Save your figures. You can come back and change them during the year.
- Export it. Use Export to Excel or Export to PDF to download the budget in the layout you're viewing.
Tips for a useful budget
Start from last year's profit and loss for the same months, then adjust for known changes such as a rent increase or a new menu. Seasonal businesses get more out of the monthly layout, because a yearly figure hides the quiet months.
Budget the accounts you actually control, like wages, food cost and marketing, instead of every account in the chart.
Good to know
Accounting is an add-on module. The Accounting item shows in the back office sidebar only when your subscription includes it and your role has the Accounting permissions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I budget by month and see it by quarter?
Choose the layout that matches how you plan. Monthly, Quarterly and Yearly are separate layouts on the Budget screen, and each one can be exported to Excel or PDF.
Can I set budgets for next year already?
Yes. Select the next financial year in the Financial year for the budget field and enter the figures. Each year's budget is kept separately.
Which accounts can I budget?
Any account in your chart of accounts appears on the budget grid. Most businesses budget income and expense accounts and leave balance sheet accounts empty.