Creating a Budget
The Budget Setup window enables you to define a new Job Budget, either from a template or from a previous budget of the same type. It is accessed by clicking the New Budget option on the main toolbar.
Budgets cannot be created for Self-Scheduling Jobs, which must use Mini-Budgets.
In this window:
- Start Date - Click the calendar icon to the right of this field to select the budget Start Date from a drop-down calendar control.
- The dating of Stages in StarPM differs from the dating of Stages in Star PDM. In StarPM dating starts from the first Stage and the Start Date entered, with Stages dated sequentially (as in Job Rollover); in Star PDM, conversely, dating starts from a date one year from the current system date, with stages dated in reverse.
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Create From - If you want to create the new budget from a template, select Global Templates. If you want to base the new budget on a previous budget of the same type, select Previous Engagement. The remaining fields differ according to your selection.
Templates must be set up in Star PDM before they can be selected here.
- Complete the fields above the Prior Year Job Link control according to your selection, following the procedures outlined below: either Setup from Global Templates or Setup from a Previous Engagement.
- Prior Year Job Link - Click the ellipsis button to display the Job Selector - Budget Prior Year, in which you can select a Job with a prior year budget that you want to use as the basis for the new budget.
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When you have defined the new budget, click Create.
If Staff Rates have not been set for the Job Type of any Staff associated with the Job, then before the budget is created the Staff Rate Assignment window is displayed for you to assign those Staff Rates.
The following are applicable only if the Job is configured to use Labour Rates:
- If Labour Categories have not been set for any Staff Type associated with the Job, then before the budget is created the Staff Types Labour Category Assignment window is displayed for you to assign those Labour Categories.
- If the budget's current configuration would not permit Staff to post time to the Job, you will receive a Budget Creation Cannot Continue notification.
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When the budget setup is complete, a Budget Creation dialog displays the confirmation message "Budget creation complete". Click OK to close the dialog.
The new Job Budget is listed in the Job Budgets tab.
- Template Name - Select the appropriate template for the budget. The drop-down menu includes all Budget Templates specified for the Job Type. If there are none, an error message is displayed to that effect.
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Budget will Contain - Select one of the following options:
- Staff and Values - The new budget will contain any Staff Types, Stages and date values defined in the template.
- No Staff or Values - The new budget will include Stages from the template, but no Charge Accounts or Staff Types.
- Job - Click the ellipsis button to the right to display the Job Selector and select the Job on which budget you want to base your new budget.
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Budget will Contain - Select one of the following options:
- Actual Time - The new budget will contain data from the previous Job's actual timesheets, not the previous Job's budget.
- Approved Budget - The new budget will include data from the previous Job's budget at the time of approval.
- Approved Adjusted Budget - The new budget will include the latest data from the previous Job's budget, including any post-approval adjustments.
- Select the following checkboxes as appropriate:
- Group Entries by Staff Type - If selected, all Staff are removed from the final budget and replaced with a Staff Type instance.
- Include Disbursements - If selected, a disbursement budget is created.
- Recreate Missing Stages/Charge Accounts - If selected, any Stage/Charge Account combinations that are found in the template but not in the source data (e.g. any deletions, or actuals outside the previous Job's budget) are recreated, added to the end of the Stage List and dated to the final day of the budget.