Add Budgets

You can add a scenario from the list of budgets.

To save time, you can also copy an existing scenario to default the data you need for the new scenario. For example, in February 2022 you need to add the budgets for your organization’s salary, FICA, and health benefits accounts for the July 2022 — June 2023 fiscal year. You can copy the scenario from July 2021 — June 2022 to quickly begin budgeting for July 2022 — June 2023.

Tip: As you work with budgets, you may find the Budget Creator for Financial Edge NXT add-in to be helpful. This add-in is an application built by Blackbaud and is available in Microsoft's Office Store. You can use this to enter budget data in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and submit the data into Financial Edge NXT. For more details, see Budget Creator Excel Add-In.

  1. From the list of budgets, select Add.

  2. Under Scenario ID, search for the scenario to use for the budget.

    Tip: Existing scenario IDs are included from the database view. If the one you need doesn't exist, you can add it. For more information, see Add Scenario ID.

  3. Under Budget type, select whether you want to create the budget by fiscal year or period ranges and then select the applicable dates. For example, to create a budget by fiscal year, select Fiscal year and select the year from the drop down. To create a budget by periods, select Period range and enter the start and end dates.

  4. Select Save.

When you add a budget scenario, you can choose to copy budgeted or actual amounts from one fiscal year to another. When you copy current year actual figures, you can project actual figures for the remainder of the year. This helps create the budget for the next fiscal year based on current year activity (prior to the end of the current year).

  1. From the list of budgets page, select Add.

  2. Under Scenario ID, search for the scenario to use for the budget.

    Tip: Existing scenario IDs are included from the database view.

      a. If the scenario ID does not exist, select New from the list.

      b. Enter the scenario short and long descriptions and select Save.

  3. Under Budget type, select whether you want to copy period ranges for the new scenario by fiscal year or actual period ranges. After you determine the type, select the applicable dates.

    Tip: The Scenario ID and Fiscal year or Period range fields filter the data that is available to copy to the new scenario.

  4. To copy scenario data to the new scenario, select Copy from previous scenario.

    Tip: Notes for a scenario do not copy to the new budget. This includes notes on the scenario summary panel and row notes in the scenario list details.

  5. In the next Scenario ID and Fiscal year fields, the only options that appear match the number of period ranges you selected previously, along with their associated scenario IDs. The ID and fiscal year you select here becomes the ID and period ranges to copy to the new scenario.

    Fiscal year example — When you add a new scenario, you first select the 2022 fiscal year for the FICA scenario ID. This fiscal year includes 12 period ranges. After you select to copy, only fiscal years with 12 period ranges and their associated scenario IDs appear for you to copy. The combination you select becomes your new scenario.

    Period range example — When you add a new scenario, you first select a 24 month period range for the Payroll scenario ID. After you select to copy, only fiscal years with 24 period ranges and their associated scenario IDs appear for you to copy. The combination you select becomes your new scenario.

  6. Under Values to copy, select one of the following:

    • Budget - copies the same amounts to the new scenario.

    • Actuals - copies the same amounts to the new scenario (includes only posted transactions).

    • Actuals and Encumbrance - copies the same amounts to the new scenario (including posted and unposted transactions).

    • None - adds 0 amounts to the new scenario.

  7. Under Values for remaining periods, select to forecast or copy the budget.

  8. Choose to add projects and grants (active and inactive) associated with accounts to the new scenario, then select Save.

    Tip: It's helpful to add projects and grants that were not originally included in the source budget scenario, but have activity for corresponding accounts.