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Simple Budget

The Simple Budget module is the most versatile budget module in Monitr. It lets you enter monthly values directly against any budget account — making it the right choice for any P&L line that doesn't have a more specialised module.

Use Simple Budget for:

  • Fixed overhead costs (rent, software subscriptions, utilities)
  • Headcount-independent staff costs
  • Revenue lines that don't fit a volume×price or subscription model
  • Any line where you simply want to type in a monthly number

Creating a Simple Budget​

  1. In your Scenario, click Add a budget
  2. Choose Simple budget
  3. Name it (e.g. "Fixed Overheads" or "Revenue – Direct Sales")
  4. Select the budget accounts this module will cover

Input methods​

Simple Budget supports three ways to enter values:

1. Account-level input​

Enter values directly for each budget account, month by month. This is the most granular approach — one row per budget account, one column per month.

Click any cell and type a value. You can also paste from Excel (copy a row/column range and paste it into the grid).

2. Reporting line input​

Enter values at the reporting line level (the aggregated subtotal), and Monitr distributes the total across the constituent budget accounts proportionally based on historical actuals.

Useful when you know the total but don't need to specify it by account.

3. Budget editor​

A simplified single-column editor for entering a monthly run-rate. Enter one value and optionally apply a growth rate (e.g. +5% per month). Monitr calculates the monthly progression automatically.

Settings​

At the top of the Simple Budget screen, you'll find settings to refine your budget view and data entry.

  • Reporting Structure: If your entity has multiple reporting structures, use this dropdown to select which structure the budget should align with. This determines the available reporting lines and accounts. This option is only visible if more than one reporting structure is available for your entity.
  • Budget Range: Define the start and end months for your budget. This range dictates the columns available for data entry.
  • Search & Filter: Use the search bars to filter the displayed accounts and analytical axes, making it easier to find specific lines for data entry.
  • Include all budgets: Toggle this switch to include budget accounts from other budget modules within the current scenario in your view. This allows for a comprehensive overview of all budgeted items.

CSV upload​

If you've built your budget in Excel, use the CSV option in the command bar to import a CSV.

  1. In the command bar at the top of the budget table, click CSV (Excel document icon).
  2. Select Upload from the submenu.
  3. Download the template, fill it in, and upload. Monitr maps the columns to budget accounts automatically.

Repeating values​

To avoid retyping the same value each month:

  • Select a cell, enter a value
  • Use Fill right or drag the cell handle to copy across months

Quick Start and Import & Forecast​

Use Quick Start to quickly populate your budget based on historical actuals or existing budgets.

  1. In the command bar at the top of the budget table, click Quick Start (lightning bolt icon). This opens the Quick Start view with a table of your reporting lines.
  2. In the Quick Start view, click Import & Forecast (gear icon) in the command bar to open the configuration modal.
  3. Select a start position: Choose whether to base your forecast on "Historical data from your accounting software" (Actuals) or "Data from previously created budgets" (Budgets).
  4. Select a date range: Define the period of historical data to use.
  5. Select a distribution method: Choose how the historical data is projected:
    • Linear: Budget grows linearly with a specified yearly growth rate.
    • Equally spread: Budget is spread equally over the selected period.
    • Seasonality: Budget is distributed according to the seasonality of the historical data. The date range must span 12 months.
  6. Click Apply to budget to generate the budget values and return to the main view.

Tips for accuracy​

  • Keep Simple Budget modules focused — one module per major cost category makes it easier to review
  • Use descriptive names so you can identify modules at a glance in the Forecasts page
  • Combine with Budget Versions to maintain a locked annual plan and a live rolling forecast side by side