The Budgeting module can store multiple scenarios, though generally, a single scenario will be sufficient. However, special circumstances may require multiple scenarios based on different assumptions. For example, you may wish to create a scenario for "Assuming Levy Passes" and another "Assuming Levy Fails".
Please note that once a scenario is promoted, any successive scenario that is promoted will overwrite a prior scenario's amounts. For example, you create a scenario for HS budget amounts and promote it. You then promote another scenario containing Elementary Budget amounts. The HS budget amounts will be removed and the elementary budget amounts will be uploaded. So instead of creating separate scenarios, we recommend creating separate worksheets within the same scenario.
Each scenario consists of one or more budgeting spreadsheets. A district may choose to use a single spreadsheet containing all accounts, or create a separate sheets for different management areas. For example, you might create a sheet for the high school, each elementary building and athletics. Each principal or supervisor could work on their own portion of the budget. Once the budgets are completed they can be loaded back into the system.
Once a scenario is completed and approved, a scenario can be "promoted" to the proposed amounts on the budget and revenue accounts.
Create a Scenario
From the main menu, you will want to select 'Budgeting' and click on 'Scenarios'. Click 'Create' to create the Scenario and use
- To create a scenario, click on
- Enter a name for the scenario.
- Enter a description of the scenario.
- NOTE: There is no limit to the number of characters, numbers or spaces you want to use in the name.
- NOTE: There is no limit to the number of characters, numbers or spaces you want to use in the name.
- At this point, you can either save the scenario by clicking on and create budgeting spreadsheets at a later time; or continue on by creating budgeting spreadsheets for this scenario using the option.
Clone a Scenario
Scenarios can be cloned from a previous year to create the new year budget scenario or a different variation on the current fiscal year.
- Click on to view the Scenario that will be cloned.
- Click to copy the current Scenario.
- Enter a name for the scenario.
- Enter a description of the scenario.
- NOTE: There is no limit to the number of characters, numbers or spaces you want to use in the name.
3. If the cloned Scenario will be used for a different Fiscal Year than the original Scenario then the field name for Proposed Amounts must be updated.
a. Click on to edit a specific spreadsheet in the scenario.
b. Change the column header for Proposed amounts to include the Fiscal Year of the new Scenario. This should be formatted as PA-YYYY (ex. PA-2021 for Fiscal Year 2021).
c. Click Accept to save the changes.
4. At this point, you can either save the scenario by clicking on and update amounts in the budgeting spreadsheets at a later time; or continue on by using edit to modify the proposed amounts. Additional Budgeting sheets can also be created within the scenario using the at the bottom of the scenario window.
Creating spreadsheets for a Scenario
When editing a scenario, click on at the bottom of the screen to create a budgeting sheet for the scenario.
- Select the type of Budgeting Sheet: Budget or Anticipated Revenue.
- A predefined set of properties are displayed. From there, you can add or remove the properties you would like included on the spreadsheet.
- Click on 'Configure Filters' tab if you would like to filter data being extracted.
- To save the spreadsheet, enter a name under 'Sheet Name'. Click on to save your budgeting sheet to the scenario. A 'Confirm Sheet Creation' box will appear. Click on to add the new spreadsheet to your existing scenario.
4. The new budgeting sheet will be displayed under the Budgeting Sheets table. Click on to save the changes made to the scenario.
Entering Proposed Amounts
You have two options to enter proposed amounts:
- Edit: Click on to enter your proposed amounts within the Scenario
- Download: Click on to download your spreadsheet into EXCEL and then upload updated spreadsheet.
Edit Spreadsheet within the Budgeting Scenario
This option allows you to enter the proposed amounts without having to open the spreadsheet in EXCEL.
- Click on to view the scenario.
- Click on to edit a specific spreadsheet in the scenario
- Enter in your proposed amounts. The spreadsheet will provide a column for your proposed amounts. 'PA-YYYY'. Proposed amounts can be ‘next year’ amounts or ‘current year’ amounts depending on the fiscal year used. For example, if my current FY is 2019:
- My Next Year Proposed Amounts column header needs to be PA-2020
- My Current Year Proposed Amounts: column header needs to be PA-2019
- For the example below, the PA-2019 is used to enter proposed amounts for FY2019. You can enter each amount manually or, in my example below, use a calculated formula (highlighted in yellow), to mass-calculate a percentage.
- Once completed, click on 'Accept' the save the changes to the spreadsheet.
Download Scenario Spreadsheets to Excel
This option allows you to download the spreadsheet to your computer. This may be advantageous if you intend to email spreadsheets to district staff in charge of entering their proposed amounts on the spreadsheets.
- Click on to view the scenario.
- Click on to download a specific spreadsheet in the scenario to your computer. Save the spreadsheet (and optionally email the spreadsheet to someone). Open it in EXCEL.
- Enter in proposed amounts. The spreadsheet will provide a column for proposed amounts. 'PA-YYYY'. Proposed amounts can be ‘next year’ amounts or ‘current year’ amounts depending on the fiscal year used. For example, if my current FY is 2019:
- My Next Year Proposed Amounts column header needs to be PA-2020
- My Current Year Proposed Amounts: column header needs to be PA-2019
- For the example below, the PA-2019 is used to enter proposed amounts for FY2019. You can enter each amount manually or, in my example below, use a calculated formula (highlighted in yellow), to mass-calculate a percentage.
- Once completed, save the changes to the Excel spreadsheet. If someone else is entering the proposed amounts, have them email the spreadsheet back to you and save it on your computer.
- Next, upload the saved spreadsheet by clicking on to edit the Scenario you want to upload the spreadsheet into.
- Click on to upload and replace the existing budgeting spreadsheet. A confirmation box is displayed stating it will overwrite the existing spreadsheet.
- A 'Budgeting Scenario' box will then be displayed. Click on to upload the saved spreadsheet on your computer.
- Next, click on . The existing budgeting sheet has now been updated.
- Click on to save the changes to your scenario.
Promote a Scenario
- Click on to promote all spreadsheets in the scenario to proposed amounts. A 'Confirm Promote' box will appear warning that if any existing proposed amounts exist, they will be replaced with the new figures. Click on
TIP: Promoting a scenario will replace any existing proposed amounts in the proposed amounts grid.
- Once the amounts have been promoted, they will be available to view under the Proposed Amounts option under Budgeting. Click on Proposed Amounts for more information about the 'Proposed Amounts' option under the Budgeting menu.
Delete a Scenario
- Search desired scenario to delete.
- Click on to delete the scenario. Click on 'delete' to confirm deletion.