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User Guide: Budget & Contracts Manager

Welcome! This guide helps you navigate the system to manage Digital Stream budgets and contracts.

1. Quick Start Workflow​

The typical lifecycle of a budget item is:

  1. Planning: Create a Stream and a Budget Version (Draft).
  2. Estimating: Create Proposed contracts as placeholders.
  3. Authorizing: Manage approvals and finalize the Approved Amount in the Version.
  4. Executing: Convert placeholders into Approved contracts and register Invoices.

2. Managing Budget Versions​

Creating a New Version​

  • Versions are created quarterly (Rolling Budget).
  • Snapshot Month: Always use the 1st of the quarter (Oct, Jan, Apr, Jul).
  • Expense Type: Choose either CAPEX or OPEX.

The "Approve & Roll" Process​

At the end of each quarter:

  1. Review the current version.
  2. Click "Approve & Roll to Next Quarter".
  3. The system locks the current state and prepares the next quarter automatically.

3. Working with Contracts​

Proposed vs Approved​

  • Proposed: Use these as placeholders for money you expect to spend.
  • Approved: Use these when a contract is signed.

Consuming the Placeholder (FIFO Erosion)​

When you sign a real contract that replaces a "Proposed" one:

  1. Create and save the Approved contract.
  2. Click the "Proposed Contracts Value Erosion" button on the record.
  3. The system will automatically reduce the earliest "Proposed" amount to avoid double counting.

4. Finance & Dates​

Multi-Year Contracts​

If a contract spans across multiple years (e.g., FY25 to FY26):

  • Just enter the Start and End dates.
  • The system automatically "splits" the cost across the years. You can see this in the FY Allocation section of the contract.

Registering Invoices​

  • Link every invoice to its Contract.
  • Use Service Start/End dates if the invoice covers a specific period (e.g., a yearly subscription).
  • The system will allocate the cost to the correct Fiscal Year automatically.

5. Reading the Dashboard (Controller Cockpit)​

  • Remaining Estimate: How much of your approved budget is still "free" to be signed into new contracts.
  • Closing Forecast: Our best guess on where we will end the year.
  • Strategic Pivot: A high-level view to see how Streams (Projects) are performing against the budget.