Build a budget

You can plan the production's costs in a budget organized as categories, accounts, and detail lines. Totals update as you type, and you can keep several versions of the budget, called scenarios, to compare options.

Open the budget

In a project, click Budget in the sidebar.

The first time anyone opens the budget, FilmKit creates a starting budget for the project. If you're offline, click Create budget instead.

The top of the page shows the budget's Fringes and Grand total. When the budget has incentives, it also shows the Net total after those credits.

Create a budget scenario

1. On the Budget page, click New budget scenario next to the budget's name.
2. Do one of the following:
   • Start from a template: Choose Blank, US Long-form, or AICP Bid. Then enter a Name, choose a Base currency, and click Create budget.
   • Import a spreadsheet: Choose Import CSV…, then select a .csv or .tsv file.
     FilmKit reports how many lines it imported and how many columns it didn't understand. Fringes and groups found in the file need their rates filled in. See Set up fringes, globals, and incentives.
   
   The new scenario opens. When a project has more than one scenario, choose one from the menu that shows the budget's name.

Enter costs

On the Budget page, click Sheet, then do any of the following:

• Add a category: At the bottom of the sheet, click Add category.
• Add an account to a category: Click Add account in the category's header.
• Add a line to an account: Click Add line under the account's lines.
• Enter a cost: In a line, enter a Description, then fill in Amt, X, Rate, and 4X. The line's Subtotal is the product of the four.
• Add a production total row: Click Add production total to insert a running total between categories.

A cell can hold a number or a formula that uses a global, such as SHOOTDAYS. If FilmKit can't work out a formula, the cell shows #ERR and a banner lists how many cells need checking.

Change a line's settings

1. In the line, click Line settings .
2. Do any of the following:
   • Apply fringes: Select the fringes that apply to this line, such as payroll taxes.
   • Add the line to groups: Select one or more groups.
   • Change the unit or currency: Choose a Unit or a Currency. Lines without a currency use the base currency.
   • Change the row type: Choose Detail, Subtotal, or Subtotal adjustment from Row type.
   • Share fringe limits between lines: Enter the same Range on each line, such as the prep, shoot, and wrap lines for one person.

To copy a line, click Duplicate line . To delete it, click Delete line , then confirm. Deleted lines move to the project's Trash, where you can restore them. See Restore deleted items from the Trash.

Manage scenarios

Next to the budget's name, do any of the following:

• Rename a scenario or add notes: Click Edit scenario , change the Name or Notes, then click Save.
• Copy a scenario: Click Duplicate scenario .
• Download a scenario as a spreadsheet: Click Export CSV .
• Delete a scenario: Click Delete scenario , then confirm. You can't delete the last scenario. To bring a deleted scenario back, restore it from the project's Trash.

Compare scenarios

When a project has more than one scenario, click Compare on the Budget page.

The scenarios appear side by side, with categories matched by account code. The Var column shows the last scenario minus the first. To find a category, enter text in the search field.

Lock a scenario

Lock a scenario to keep a fixed revision for review and comparison.

1. On the Budget page, click Lock.
2. Click Lock again to confirm.
   The page shows the number of the latest locked revision. You can keep editing the scenario after you lock it.

See also

• Set up fringes, globals, and incentives
• Intro to scheduling and production
• Publish and distribute documents