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Actual vs Budget Column Type

Create dynamic metrics that automatically switch from budget/forecast to actuals as your book month progresses.

The column type for actual vs. budget/ forecast allows you to quickly create metrics that use actuals and budget/forecast data and will change automatically as your book month progresses.

Note: The Actuals vs Budget/Forecast column type can not be filtered by class or department.

How to Use Actuals vs Budget/Forecast Column Type

Step 1: Create a New Metric

Open a dashboard or a report and quick build or create a new metric. When selecting data, you will see an option to select Actuals vs Budget/Forecast (relative to book month) as a column type.

Step 2: Add Your Data

Click Actual vs Budget/Forecast (relative to book month) and add the date range, such as current year. Then, choose the data you want to see from the data picker. Your budget/forecast will flip to actuals as your book month moves forward.

Step 3: Customize Visual Styling

Another great feature of this data type is that when using charts, such as column charts, your budget/forecast data will be distinguished by a different style from your actuals. 

You can easily turn this on or off by going to the Additional Settings > Data Series section and checking or unchecking Styles for Forecast Columns. This feature is also available when using budget-only data.

Step 4: Advanced Column Settings

When you click the gear icon on a column, you will see a toggle for Advanced Column Settings. This is where you can change your sub-headers and suffixes.

For example, you can change the budget suffix to "Plan" as well as the sub-header to “Forecast”. Sub-headers will be visible when using a table metric. After making your changes, you can check Apply to All to quickly apply the settings to the rest of your columns and click save. Now you can see those changes reflected in your metric.

Key Benefits

  • Automatic Updates: Metrics automatically switch from budget to actuals as the book month progresses
  • Visual Distinction: Forecast data is clearly distinguished from actuals in charts
  • Flexible Customization: Customize sub-headers and suffixes to match your reporting needs

 

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