NUMBERS & JUDGMENT / FREE EXCEL TOOL
Budget explains the past.
Forecast the rest.
A Budget vs. Actual & Year-End Forecast workbook that turns monthly reporting into a current view of where the year is heading.
10 workbook tabs · Monthly trend chart · Materiality checks · Action log
Free Excel download. No sign-in or email signup required. Open the Start Here tab before editing the inputs.
The decision
What changed, where will the year finish, and which variances need action? Keep the approved budget separate from actual results and the latest estimate. Choose the number of closed months; the model combines their actual results with the remaining-month forecast.
Inside the workbook
Separate Budget, Actuals, and Forecast tabs feed a formula-driven Model, monthly Trend, Dashboard, and Actions log. Inputs set the reporting cutoff, dollar and percentage materiality thresholds, and annual result target. Start Here and Methods explain the workflow and calculation conventions.
The worked example: a positive year to date can hide a weak finish
The fictional example shows a $15,375 year-to-date operating surplus but a $6,375 full-year deficit. Its full-year result is $297,375 below budget. The distinction directs attention to the remaining forecast rather than assuming the current surplus will continue.
Use it in three steps
- Enter monthly budget, actuals, and forecast for the eight revenue and expense lines. Use positive values in the input schedules.
- Set the reporting cutoff and materiality thresholds. Review favorable/unfavorable variance signs: higher revenue and lower expenses are favorable.
- For material lines, document the cause, owner, action, and due date. Compare the latest full-year result with the approved plan.
Important boundaries
This is an operating forecast, not a cash-flow statement. A percentage comparison against a zero budget is shown as not meaningful rather than forcing a divide-by-zero result. The materiality test flags a line when either its dollar or percentage threshold is met. Replace the fictional categories and assumptions consistently across the three input schedules.
Pair the operating forecast with a weekly cash forecast →
Free educational model. No email gate. All examples are fictional. Verify formulas, classifications, and assumptions before use.
