Scenarios
The Budgeting module can store multiple scenarios, though generally, a single scenario will be sufficient for the same year. 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 for the same year will remove a prior scenario's proposed amounts. For example, you create a FY23 scenario for HS proposed amounts and promote it. You then promote a FY23 scenario containing elementary proposed amounts. The HS proposed amounts will be removed from the FY23 proposed amounts grid (and if currently in FY22, also be removed from the next year proposed field on the expenditure accounts) and the elementary proposed amounts will be loaded on the proposed amounts grid. To prevent removal of a same year scenarios proposed amounts, we recommend creating separate worksheets (i.e. HS and Elementary) within the same fiscal year scenario instead creating separate scenarios.
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.
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 clone 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. When the Scenario is cloned, ensure the field name for Proposed Amounts is updated to the correct fiscal year on the Budgeting Sheets.
a. Click on to edit a specific spreadsheet in the scenario.
b. Review/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 on how 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.
Initial Amounts vs Adjustments
When entering Initial budgets the amount entered should be what the user would like as the Initial Budget amount on the account.
When entering Adjustments the amount entered should be what the user would like the new Expendable amount to be on the account. The system will calculate the difference between the initial amount and the entered amount and then create an adjustment for the difference. For Example, if the Initial Budget was 500.00 but the new Expendable amount should be 0.00, then the Adjustment entered in the Proposed Amounts grid should be 0.00. When applied, the Adjustment on the account will be -500.00.
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 regenerate the sheet. This option is helpful if you made changes to the existing sheet (add/remove properties, change account filters, etc). Regenerate will update the sheet with the new changes, thus overriding the previous sheets settings. Existing proposed amounts will be removed.
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.