Actuals/Budgets View
Budgets > Actuals/Budget Entry

The actuals/budgets screen can be customized to display selected columns for any budget type, such as Actuals, Budgets, Forecast, dollar and percent variance, etc., for several past years. Views can be set up and saved for a specific user, group, or all users. 

Select a View: Click the dropdown arrow on View to display various view names that have been saved. Users can access the view names saved for their user name, group, or all users. To the right of the View name are icons to customize, save, or delete the view. 

Customize View

This controls the columns displayed and other optional settings for this view name. To make changes to the current view or to add a new view, click the Customize View icon (to the right of the View name). When you click the Customize View button, note that there are two tabs (Columns and General).

There are two tabs within the customized view. Columns and General.

Columns Tab

This defines the horizontal layout of the screen for this view name. Each row listed represents the column of information to be displayed.

• Column: When adding a column, select from the dropdown arrow, such as Actual, Budget, $Var, etc. Choose blank if you want to show an empty space, which is handy for a space between columns. If you select a $ or % Variance, a window will pop up asking you to define which two columns you want to compare. The variance is the difference between the two columns. This comparison can also be reviewed by clicking to highlight the row and click the Properties button. If you need a column that is not shown in the dropdown list, you can probably create it using a variance or a formula.

• Year: Click on the dropdown arrow to select the year to display for this column (this year, 1 year ago, 2 years ago, YTD, annual, etc.) This will represent the current system year.

• Header: The column header is defaulted but can be manually modified. The header will word wrap if it is too big to fit in one line, depending on the column width. You can force the column heading to word wrap by inserting a pipe (computer keyboard key of a vertical line |). To insert a pre-set variable, place your cursor at the appropriate place and click Insert Variable. A list of variables that can be used in a header will be displayed. You can mix variables in with regular text to your preference. It is best practice to use a variable rather than a key for the particular year so the header does not have to be changed in the future. 

• Hide: Hides the column. This is useful when calculating a variance or formula with data that is not an existing column.

• Width: Specify the column's width. If you want the system to auto-fit the column, specify Auto.

• Format: Determines how amounts columns are displayed. Click in the Format cell and click the search icon. You may select the number of decimal positions, how to display zero amounts, founding, $ sign, and % sign, as well as how to display negative numbers. Click OK when finished.  If you need to change the number format for multiple columns, a quick way is to copy one format row (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) to each of the other appropriate rows. 

General Tab

• Show True Sign: Normally, signs are shown as positive (user-friendly) for all accounts unless it is genuinely backward from the category’s true nature. For example, revenue accounts show positive results, as do expense accounts. If this is checked, figures will show with their true sign; revenue will show as negative. See sign control for more info.

• Beginning Balance: If checked, the account's beginning balance is displayed in the first row. Revenue and expense accounts don’t have a beginning balance, so this would only be useful for viewing balance sheet-type accounts.

• Year-End (13th Month): If checked, the year-end (13th) month amount is displayed as a row before the total row. If this is checked, the 13th-month amount will be included in the total; otherwise, it will not.

• YTD Total: If checked, the year-to-date total as of the current month is displayed above the annual total.

• Inactive Accounts: If checked, all accounts (both active and inactive) will be available for display.

• Display actuals through a selected month dropdown: If checked, an additional box is available at the top right of the Actuals/Budget showing Actuals through a chosen month. In the current year Actual/Forecast column, typically, Actuals are demonstrated through the last closed month, and Forecast is shown for the remaining months. This option (if checked) allows a user to override the standard display and select the month Actuals are displayed.

Note: this checkbox is only available if Settings > Budgeting >  Budget Options is set to allow the use of actuals through the dropdown for budget entry. It is suggested you save View names for the specific users/groups you want to have this option available.

Saving & Deleting Views

Saving changes to a View: When you are finished making changes in the Customize View screen, click OK. Your changes will now be displayed on the Actuals/Budgets screen. If you wish to save this view, click the Save View icon. Name your view (or overlay an existing view) and select the appropriate user/s/group/s this view will be saved. If you save it for other users/groups, user menu permissions control is available. Click Save to hold your changes or Cancel to exit the screen without saving any changes.

Delete a View: To delete a view name from your list (or for all users), first select that view name. Then click the Delete icon. User menu permissions control is available if a delete is allowed.