what is the difference between business plan and budget

Pokonac-Alergie

Business plan or budget, what are the differences.

First, let’s see what the budget and the business plan have in common.

There are two things in common between a business plan and a budget.

The first common point is that both are the result of a reflection on the future of the company.

The second point in common is that both include a financial forecast developed by the management of the company. For the budget as for the business plan, the financial forecast constitutes an objective taken by the management towards the financial partners of the company (banks and investors).

Now let’s see what the differences are.

Differences Between Budget And Business Plan

There are three basic differences between a budget and a business plan: scope, time horizon, and level of detail.

The budget is limited to the financial forecast while the business plan includes a reflection on the market, the organization, and the strategy of the company for the years to come. The scope of the business plan is therefore much broader than that of the budget.

The time horizon

The time horizon of the two documents is also very different: the budget is a short-term financial forecast, usually over 12 months, while the business plan contains a medium-long-term financial forecast, usually over 3 or 5 years.

The last difference between the two documents is the level of detail.

The budget is very detailed, each planned expense is listed in detail. The business plan is much more vague: it focuses on the broad masses.

This is partly explained by the difference in time horizon between the two documents.

Indeed, with the exception of new companies, the visibility on the future of the company at 12 months is generally quite good: the management can use the results of the previous year as a starting point and simply add the effects of inflation and the commercial action plan planned for the new year.

The visibility on the future of the company in 3 or 5 years is on the other hand much more vague. Market demand can change, competitors can change their commercial positioning, regulation can change, etc. In this context, it is impossible to predict with precision what will be the financial performance of the company.

This is why the financial forecast of the business plan generally consists of the budget for the next year and an extrapolation of the trend over the coming years.

There you go, now you know the difference between a business plan and a budget.

• ← What Should I Expect From A Business Plan Software?
• Strollers for twins: models, descriptions, recommendations. Strollers for twins 3 in 1 →

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy

What is the difference between business plan and budget?

The purpose of a budget is to create a list of all your planned revenue and revenues, a budget is created to plan spending or saving to reach a certain goal. A personal budget is a financial plan that is used to allocate future income towards debt repayments, savings and expense. All past spending and expenses and personal debt are all taken into consideration when doing a personal budget. In business a budget is used to calculate the cost of a business, a business budget is a spending and saving plan used to allocate resources to reach a business goal. This management tool is used to coordinate and predict expenses in a effort to minimize their business resources, a budget is a time-specific and it must be flexible when it come to financial changes.

from Tiffany bates

Add your answer:

What is the difference between an objective and action plan?

what is the difference betwen objective and plan

What should be included in a sample business plan?

In a sample business plan you should include many thing such as a budget, your planned income, the cost of the rent or lease of the palce you plan to hire. It may be hard to make a sample plan if you look around the internet their are many helpful sites, with sample templates.

Using a Small Business Loan for Business Equipment?

Depending on the business type, business equipment can be a major part of the budget for a start up business. When drafting a business plan and figuring out what your small business loan amount should be, prepare a detailed budget, including the cost of the business equipment that will be needed to start the business. You should also include any equipment that will be needed in the first year to function adequately. If the equipment will require regular maintenance, include maintenance costs in your budget as well. If there is the potential for the equipment to need replacement, factor in the risk associated with that as well. Your loan amount should cover all of these things, since you don't want to have to go back for more money unless something catastrophic happens. Including business equipment in your business plan and budget can assist with getting your business started on the right foot.

Explain the role of a business plan in a business?

The main reason of a business plan is here you can plan your business right. Business planning is a must when it comes to running a business even if its big or small. It is important to have a business plan because here you can think the right name for your business that fits you. you have to think also if your budget can finance the business you are thinking. Understanding your market is the key to flourishing in any business, and when you incorporate this idea in your business plan, you will accomplish success. Your business plan will help you watch the market in a whole new light, which is what you really need when the going gets tough. Your business plan will help your partners and your employees to understand the core objectives of your business and will keep them focused on achieving the same. Checking the business plan from time to time, and updating it regularly, will keep your organisational objectives in check. Also, on careful examination of the plan you may see places for improvements and take action to rectify them for smooth sailing.

What is a budget committee?

A group of people who discusses and plans a budget. They discuss, plan, research, and present the budget plan to who ever assigned them the committee job.

What is the difference between a business plan and a budget?

A business plan is an overall look at a business that lists areas like product overview, marketing plan, action plan and it includes financial history (if any) and financial predictions; there fore a budget. So in terms of comparing these two in the same context, a budget is a subcategory of a business plan. when talking in general, a business plan gives a comprehensive look at a company and it's objectives, while a budget shows financial planning.

What is difference between business plan and policies?

there is none

What is the difference between corporate plan and business plan?

Try www.burgessglobalconsulting.com. They can help you!

What is the difference between business plan and strategic plan?

A business plan defines who the company is and what it does, a strategic plans talks about the goals and measures.

What is the difference between a fixed budget and a flexible budget?

is a plan for a single level of production, whereas a flexible budget can be converted to any level of production.

What is the difference between a budget and a capital budget?

A budget is a financial plan for the upcoming period. A capital budget, on the other hand, involves an organization's proposed long-range major projects.

What is the difference between planned and unplanned budget?

A planned budget is one that is structured and has been well thought out. An unplanned budget is one that pays bills and expenses as they come without a preset plan.

How do you make a plan for evaluating a business?

A business plan is a great tool for evaluating a business. It provides benchmarks, budget, predictions for future development.

Why is business plan necessary?

you can not start a business without one and if you do you will most likely fail. you have to plan costs, budget,staff,location,advertisng etc. just like you would plan for a holiday you have to plan for a business

What' the difference between tactical plan and operational plan?

The tactical plan is the company's plan to reach a goal. This is very detailed. The operational plan is the company's way of carrying out business to reach the goals.

Difference between strategic plan and an organizational plan?

A strategic plan is basically designed for the implementation of strategic activities and managing the strategic direction in an existing organization. While an organization plan or business plan is designed to start a business, collect funds or direct operations.

What is the difference between a simple and complex business plan?

There are a few differences between a simple and a complex business plan. A simple business plan may only list some business goals and guidelines, while a complex business plan might include marketing and employment plans. Additionally, a simple business plan is usually used by small business with limited employees. Complex business plans are tailored to larger corporations which need models for growth, profit, employment, advertising, and many other details.

Top Categories

• Member Login
• Become a Member

Business & Organizational Assessments

• Communication, Culture & People Skills
• Organizational Structure
• Operating Systems Assessment
• Business Strategy Assessment
• Financial Snapshot KPI’s
• Franchise Feasibility Report Card
• Start-Up Feasibility Report Card
• Business Plan Review

Coaches & Consultants

• ManagingAmericans Experts
• Business Services

Programs & Workshops

• ManagingAmericans Webinars
• Certificate Programs
• Certification Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Seminars & Workshops

Featured Products

• Templates & Worksheets

Professional Associations

• Local Associations
• National Associations

Meeting Locations

• Corporate Retreats & Meeting Facilities
• Guest Speakers / Team Facilitators
• Hotel & Conference Facilities
• Team Building / Recreational Facilities

Training Tools

Professional topics & areas of interest.

• Professional Communities
• Business Development
• Customer Service
• Executive Leadership / General Management
• Finance & Economics
• Human Resources
• Information Technology
• Marketing & Communications
• Operations, Logistics & Engineering
• Project Management
• Purchasing and Supply Chain
• Quality & Safety
• Special Interest Communities
• Career Change / Job Search
• College Student / Recent Graduate
• First Time Manager or Supervisor
• International Management
• Managing Junior Military Officers
• Middle Manager
• New Employee
• Senior Manager
• Small Business Owner
• Transitioned Military Officer
• Woman Executive
• Workplace Communication Skills

Join Us...It's FREE

• Weekly Skills Improvement Challenges: Leadership, Management, Job Performance & Communication Skills
• Monthly Newsletter Delivering Unique Stories So You Don't Miss A Thing
• Exclusive Access To Our Expert Panel of Business Leaders and Experienced Consultants: Ask Questions, Get Answers
• Your Own Customized Success Toolkit: Organize Training & Discussions Based On Your Interests
• Expert Panel

Featured Links

Business plan vs. forecast vs. budget.

Is your head spinning from all the stress & time spent on business plans, forecasts and budgets?  Remember,   planning is not a science…it’s an exercise…that should refresh you, keep you agile, and make you feel in control of your destiny!    Is that how you feel?     As we enter into this year’s budget and forecast season, try to   challenge yourself and your team to become more efficient and to create better standards for planning and budgeting.  In turn, you will be less likely to reinvent the wheel each year.  This article is a practical overview of each process (Business Planning, Forecasting & Budgeting), how to connect them, and have them add value to your business.

So why is planning so stressful?  Take a look what a planning calendar can look like: February-April prepare business plan, July-September prepare forecast, October-November prepare Budget, Feb start over again.  The larger the company, the more planning that takes place.  People get nervous about the process, don’t know where to start, fear they will be judged, and think a lot of time is wasted.  In small companies planning often gets overlooked because of time constraints or lack of interest.  If you understand the differences between each planning tool, the impact they have on one another, and on your business, you will be more inclined to use the information properly.  Here is an overview of how to control the planning exercise and get the most out of it.

What is a Business Plan?

A   business plan   is a written description of your strategy going forward.  It outlines the direction of your overall business and each function of the business supporting that overall direction.  It details market share changes & assumptions that are charted out over the time period such as economic assumptions, competitors, pricing, costing assumptions, new product releases, retired product plans, new facilities, reductions in some areas and investment plans in others. 

When creating a business plan you need to understand where your company is today, and where you want it to be during a time period, in one year, two years, three years.  Also, what happens to the market around you when you make your changes, how will the market/competitors react, what are the anticipated risks?

The benefit of a business plan is to get everyone on the same page as to where the company is going.  It shapes all the decisions going forward; a litmus test for decision making and planning.  It is also a good reference point for assumptions.  If assumptions change, so should the business plan. 

The problem with business plans is when they remain static documents; they shouldn't be.  They should be updated throughout the year, just like a budget-to-actual analysis.  Things change and evolve, so should your litmus test. Always maintain a record and comparison versus the original to maintain as a “baseline” so that you can evaluate your assumptions and take away lessons learned for the next business cycle.

Your business plan should be communicated throughout your organization.  You do not need to share   all   of the details, especially if there are workforce reductions or other sensitive assumptions.  However, you should take a broad view of the business plan and share it.

Share the vision: where are you today, where do you plan to be

Share the mission: macro scope actions the company must to take to get there

Share the expectations: quarterly or other time frames to accomplish the mission

What is a Forecast?

A forecast is financial trend that mirrors the business plan period.  If you develop a five-year business plan, you should create a five-year forecast.  Forecasts should be rolling.  That means each month they should be updated (actual data replacing estimates).  Forecasts should be fluid, linked to changes in the business plan. Forecasts should be updated each year, not reinvented.  Current year forecast should represent a macro level budget.  Forecasts should be macro product line level, not SKU/Customer level..  The basic components of a forecast are sales, costs and investments….in that order.  Don’t forget to estimate personnel required to deliver the volumes in the plan as part of your costs.

Sales Forecast

In a spreadsheet list each product line.  Add last year’s actuals by month for volume, price and revenue.  Project current year results by month using actuals that exist and projections for each month going forward. Do the same for the next two to four years.  Each year determine and incorporate the following assumptions:

Value of the dollar over each year.  It is fine to assume no change for the sake of planning, but state that is the case.

New product lines coming on line

Old product lines going away

Pricing strategy

Key account strategy…accounts you are targeting for growth and those you may walk away from.

You should try to transition low margin business for new higher margin accounts.

You should have a baseline conservative projection in line with your business plan strategy, and then a second line that accounts for risk and opportunity.  This is important to determine what investments you   NEED , and which ones may be necessary.  It is easier to get funding for non-budgeted investments if they are based on exceptional growth.

There is no science here…if you can explain blips and dips in the previous year, you can project or eliminate them in future years.

Your forecast should not look like a hockey stick…conservative first year then dramatic growth the following years.  By having a realistic story and a separate story for risk and opportunity, you can create a real document that your company can use. 

Costs & Investments

Once the sales forecast is complete, the operations group evaluates the sales volumes, determines any investments that need to be made to meet volumes or new products.  They determine directional estimates on raw materials, and workforce requirements.  Once complete the accounting team takes this information and builds the forecast model, determining projected profits and losses.  Consider the following assumptions:

Are facility expansions or capital equipment expenditures required?

What inventory levels will be necessary for the plan, are they different than previous years?  Is more space required, less space?

Anticipate cost reductions due to production & logistics efficiencies; incorporate efficiency programs into the plan.

Be realistic in your assumptions, not too conservative on costs.  Your objective is to reduce overall costs and improve efficiencies.  If they remain the same over time you should be prepared to explain the assumptions that raw materials are going up but your programs are maintaining cost levels…what are those programs and what time periods will they be impacting the plan.

Be sure to incorporate any marketing plans into your cost structure.  Will there be new packaging, new services, etc.…

What is a Budget?

A budget is a micro level analysis of the upcoming year.  You typically finalize the budget by November if you are planning a calendar year budget (Jan-Dec).  In comparison to the product line level forecast, a budget breaks the numbers down to the customer and product SKU level.  Your budget should mirror year one of your forecast.  If something changes during this process and the totals differ…take the time and update your forecast while the information and rational is fresh in your mind.  Otherwise you run the risk of starting over again next year.  Everything should be linked, and changes should be made consistently.  Here are some things to consider for your budget process:

• Consider your time frame for: personnel additions, new customers coming on line, and cost changes.
• Do you plan any price increases or cuts?  Your timing should line up with profit adjustments.
• Do you have purchasing contracts in place?  Try to settle these prior to finalizing your budget.  The more accurate the data, the better.
• Can you negotiate sales contracts with key accounts prior to the budget process in order to reduce price and volume risk?
• All departments of the organization incorporate their spending assumptions in the budget process.  Use current year actuals as a base, then justify increases or decreases each month, taking into account any explanation for dips and peaks that occurred in the current year.
• Make sure your budget is also a rolling document.  Every month, as you start, and throughout the year, it should be updated with actual results (on a separate line).  Do not forget your budget assumptions…learn from them and compare your actual to budget figures.  What changed, and do these changes impact future months?

Whether your are leading an organization, managing a department, or providing an individual contribution to the planning, forecasting or budgeting process…you should have an understanding of the big picture and how things relate to one another. 

Here are some final   DO's   and   DON'Ts  of planning exercises:

DO use old information to plan for the future.

DON'T forget to account for dips and peaks in the past… make a decision   to either incorporate them or not into future planning.

DO tell as story with your data.  You should add comments to your spreadsheets.

DON'T forget why you put figures into your planning, or where they came from.

DO account for rainy day funds, miscellaneous costs & margin of error.

DON'T hide this information in your figures, put it a separate line that is visible.   If everyone hides extras/padding, the entire budget will be skewed and this could make for bad business decisions.

DO be honest, direct & candid throughout all aspects of planning exercises.  If you are leading the exercise, create an environment where people can be honest with you.

DON'T create a useless document that brings no value to the business besides looking good during a presentation….followed by endless explanations for failure throughout the year.

DO create and include a tactical plan into your figures that is linked with the business plan mission.  What are you doing to achieve the mission on time?  What are the costs associated and the cost reductions/new business results that are generated from your efforts?

DON'T separate the business plan from the forecast or the budget.  Always revisit, revise and learn.

DO communicate, communicate, communicate, the plans and the results, as well as the story of what the company is learning from the process.

DON'T create documents that get put away until they are reinvented the next year.

It really does help to take a full picture view of planning, have a well rounded understanding of your business and the needs of each functional area.  Understand how things connect, and how together, they can make the company stronger and more agile.  If your business is a service provider, or a project management entity, these principles still apply.  The difference is that instead of calculating volumes & pricing, you calculate timing and cash flows.

Think about your own planning experiences.  Does your company do a good job?  Do you feel like a part of the process, or just a micro contributor?  Consider using this training article in your organization to get everyone on the same page, working together with the same direction and purpose.

If you are looking for a business plan template, ManagingAmericans.com has one avalilable.  Use this   t emplate   and   guidebook   to organize your thoughts and develop insight into important areas you may not have even considered.

If you haven’t done so already, please j oin our community  to receive professional development updates from experts who are here to help you grow, learn, and experience professional success.

Written by  Lisa Woods ,  President & CEO ManagingAmericans.com

Lisa, a thought leader in Business Management and Leadership, founded ManagingAmericans.com in 2011 after 20+ years successfully leading and driving growth in the corporate world. Her objective is to help mentor and develop professionals to be better leaders, managers, team players and individual contributors in a “do-it-yourself” learning environment using unique & practical tools to support the process. Lisa’s career spans from Global Sales & Marketing to General Management of Multinational Conglomerates. Today she continues to consult small business owners through her private practice. Lisa's publications include: • 4 Essential Skills for Leaders, Managers & High Potentials © 2013 • The Cross Functional Business: Beyond Teams © 2015 • Action Item List: Drive Your Team With One Simple Tool © 2016 • Small Business Planning Made Simple: What To Consider Before You Invest © 2017

Do you have a question for Lisa?  Please visit our Executive Leadership Community , she will be happy to help:  Ask an Expert

Did you find this story informative?  We would like the opportunity to keep you up to date on all of our training articles.  Please  register  for our newsletter so we can do just that.  

Ten Ways to Ensure Innovation is Driving Your Company's Future

Would you like tips on management, leadership, team building and workplace communication techniques?  Sign up to receive our  Keys2Communicate  newsletter.

At  ManagingAmericans.com  we encourage members to go in and out of our communities to learn about different areas of the business; how to work together, solve problems and improve skills.  Each community details expectations, challenges, success tips, training programs and useful resources. Growing your knowledge base and learning about all areas of business can help you navigate towards success in your career.

Ask An Expert

• Asset Valuation
• New Expectations

• News & Events
• Advertise With Us
• Terms & Conditions

Popular Articles

• Communication Skills
• Marketing & Innovation
• Sales & Business Development
• Professional Development
• Accounting & Finance
• Leadership & Teambuilding
• Military Officer Transition
• Career Change, Job Search
• New Employee, Promotion
• Project & Process Management
• Small Business
• Purchasing & Supply Chain
• Copyright © 2011-2024 ManagingAmericans.com, LLC. All rights reserved.

Please note that the contents of this site are not being updated since October 1, 2023.

As of October 2, 2023, Acclr Business Information Services (Info entrepreneurs) will be delivered directly by CED’s Business Information Services . To find out more about CCMM’s other Acclr services, please visit this page: Acclr – Business Services | CCMM.

• Advice and guidance
• Starting a business
• Personalized Guidance
• Seminars on Business Opportunities
• Certification of Export Documents
• Market Studies
• Export Financing
• International Trade Training
• Connection with the World Bank
• Trade Missions
• SME Passport
• Export Resources
• Import Resources
• Networking Activities
• Networking Training
• CCMM Member Directory
• Market Studies and Research Services
• Business plan
• Registration and legal structures
• Guidance for Drafting a Business Plan
• Help in Seeking Funding
• News, Grants, and Competitions
• Funding Meet-and-Greet
• Resources for Drafting a Business Plan
• Regulations / Permits / Licences
• Personalized Market Information Research
• Personalized Meetings with Guest Experts
• Government Subsidies and Programs
• Training for your employees
• Employee Management
• Interconnection Program
• Wage Subsidies
• French courses
• Merchant-Student Pairing
• Intellectual property
• Marketing and sales
• Operations management
• Hiring and managing human resources
• Growth and innovation
• Importing and exporting
• Calls for tenders
• Support organizations
• Sale / Closure / Bankruptcy
• Business intelligence
• Business lists and profiles
• Market data
• Market trends
• Business advice
• Business plan management consultant
• Legal structures consultant
• Accounting consultant
• Legal consultant
• Export certification
• Resource centre

Budgeting and business planning

Once your business is operational, it's essential to plan and tightly manage its financial performance. Creating a budgeting process is the most effective way to keep your business - and its finances - on track.

This guide outlines the advantages of business planning and budgeting and explains how to go about it. It suggests action points to help you manage your business' financial position more effectively and ensure your plans are practical.

Planning for business success

The benefits, what to include in your annual plan, a typical business planning cycle, budgets and business planning, benefits of a business budget, creating a budget, key steps in drawing up a budget, what your budget should cover, what your budget will need to include, use your budget to measure performance, review your budget regularly.

When you're running a business, it's easy to get bogged down in day-to-day problems and forget the bigger picture. However, successful businesses invest time to create and manage budgets, prepare and review business plans and regularly monitor finance and performance.

Structured planning can make all the difference to the growth of your business. It will enable you to concentrate resources on improving profits, reducing costs and increasing returns on investment.

In fact, even without a formal process, many businesses carry out the majority of the activities associated with business planning, such as thinking about growth areas, competitors, cashflow and profit.

Converting this into a cohesive process to manage your business' development doesn't have to be difficult or time-consuming. The most important thing is that plans are made, they are dynamic and are communicated to everyone involved. See the page in this guide on what to include in your annual plan.

The key benefit of business planning is that it allows you to create a focus for the direction of your business and provides targets that will help your business grow. It will also give you the opportunity to stand back and review your performance and the factors affecting your business. Business planning can give you:

• a greater ability to make continuous improvements and anticipate problems
• sound financial information on which to base decisions
• improved clarity and focus
• a greater confidence in your decision-making

The main aim of your annual business plan is to set out the strategy and action plan for your business. This should include a clear financial picture of where you stand - and expect to stand - over the coming year. Your annual business plan should include:

• an outline of changes that you want to make to your business
• potential changes to your market, customers and competition
• your objectives and goals for the year
• your key performance indicators
• any issues or problems
• any operational changes
• information about your management and people
• your financial performance and forecasts
• details of investment in the business

Business planning is most effective when it's an ongoing process. This allows you to act quickly where necessary, rather than simply reacting to events after they've happened.

• Review your current performance against last year/current year targets.
• Work out your opportunities and threats.
• Analyse your successes and failures during the previous year.
• Look at your key objectives for the coming year and change or re-establish your longer-term planning.
• Identify and refine the resource implications of your review and build a budget.
• Define the new financial year's profit-and-loss and balance-sheet targets.
• Conclude the plan.
• Review it regularly - for example, on a monthly basis - by monitoring performance, reviewing progress and achieving objectives.
• Go back to 1.

New small business owners may run their businesses in a relaxed way and may not see the need to budget. However, if you are planning for your business' future, you will need to fund your plans. Budgeting is the most effective way to control your cashflow, allowing you to invest in new opportunities at the appropriate time.

If your business is growing, you may not always be able to be hands-on with every part of it. You may have to split your budget up between different areas such as sales, production, marketing etc. You'll find that money starts to move in many different directions through your organisation - budgets are a vital tool in ensuring that you stay in control of expenditure.

A budget is a plan to:

• control your finances
• ensure you can continue to fund your current commitments
• enable you to make confident financial decisions and meet your objectives
• ensure you have enough money for your future projects

It outlines what you will spend your money on and how that spending will be financed. However, it is not a forecast. A forecast is a prediction of the future whereas a budget is a planned outcome of the future - defined by your plan that your business wants to achieve.

There are a number of benefits of drawing up a business budget, including being better able to:

• manage your money effectively
• allocate appropriate resources to projects
• monitor performance
• meet your objectives
• improve decision-making
• identify problems before they occur - such as the need to raise finance or cash flow difficulties
• plan for the future
• increase staff motivation

Creating, monitoring and managing a budget is key to business success. It should help you allocate resources where they are needed, so that your business remains profitable and successful. It need not be complicated. You simply need to work out what you are likely to earn and spend in the budget period.

Begin by asking these questions:

• What are the projected sales for the budget period? Be realistic - if you overestimate, it will cause you problems in the future.
• What are the direct costs of sales – i.e. costs of materials, components or subcontractors to make the product or supply the service?
• What are the fixed costs or overheads?

You should break down the fixed costs and overheads by type, e.g.:

• cost of premises, including rent, municipal taxes and service charges
• staff costs –e.g. wages, benefits, Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) premiums, contributions to the Québec Pension Plan (QPP) and to the financing of the Commission des normes du travail (CNT)
• utilities – e.g. heating, lighting, telephone
• printing, postage and stationery
• vehicle expenses
• equipment costs
• advertising and promotion
• travel and subsistence expenses
• legal and professional costs, including insurance

Your business may have different types of expenses, and you may need to divide up the budget by department. Don't forget to add in how much you need to pay yourself, and include an allowance for tax.

Your business plan should help in establishing projected sales, cost of sales, fixed costs and overheads, so it would be worthwhile preparing this first. See the page in this guide on planning for business success.

Once you've got figures for income and expenditure, you can work out how much money you're making. You can look at costs and work out ways to reduce them. You can see if you are likely to have cash flow problems, giving yourself time to do something about them.

When you've made a budget, you should stick to it as far as possible, but review and revise it as needed. Successful businesses often have a rolling budget, so that they are continually budgeting, e.g. for a year in advance.

There are a number of key steps you should follow to make sure your budgets and plans are as realistic and useful as possible.

Make time for budgeting

If you invest some time in creating a comprehensive and realistic budget, it will be easier to manage and ultimately more effective.

Use last year's figures - but only as a guide

Collect historical information on sales and costs if they are available - these could give you a good indication of likely sales and costs. But it's also essential to consider what your sales plans are, how your sales resources will be used and any changes in the competitive environment.

Create realistic budgets

Use historical information, your business plan and any changes in operations or priorities to budget for overheads and other fixed costs.

It's useful to work out the relationship between variable costs and sales and then use your sales forecast to project variable costs. For example, if your unit costs reduce by 10 per cent for each additional 20 per cent of sales, how much will your unit costs decrease if you have a 33 per cent rise in sales?

Make sure your budgets contain enough information for you to easily monitor the key drivers of your business such as sales, costs and working capital. Accounting software can help you manage your accounts.

Involve the right people

It's best to ask staff with financial responsibilities to provide you with estimates of figures for your budget - for example, sales targets, production costs or specific project control. If you balance their estimates against your own, you will achieve a more realistic budget. This involvement will also give them greater commitment to meeting the budget.

Decide how many budgets you really need. Many small businesses have one overall operating budget which sets out how much money is needed to run the business over the coming period - usually a year. As your business grows, your total operating budget is likely to be made up of several individual budgets such as your marketing or sales budgets.

Projected cash flow  -your cash budget projects your future cash position on a month-by-month basis. Budgeting in this way is vital for small businesses as it can pinpoint any difficulties you might be having. It should be reviewed at least monthly.

Costs  - typically, your business will have three kinds of costs:

• fixed costs - items such as rent, salaries and financing costs
• variable costs - including raw materials and overtime
• one-off capital costs - purchases of computer equipment or premises, for example

To forecast your costs, it can help to look at last year's records and contact your suppliers for quotes.

Revenues  - sales or revenue forecasts are typically based on a combination of your sales history and how effective you expect your future efforts to be.

Using your sales and expenditure forecasts, you can prepare projected profits for the next 12 months. This will enable you to analyse your margins and other key ratios such as your return on investment.

If you base your budget on your business plan, you will be creating a financial action plan. This can serve several useful functions, particularly if you review your budgets regularly as part of your annual planning cycle.

Your budget can serve as:

• an indicator of the costs and revenues linked to each of your activities
• a way of providing information and supporting management decisions throughout the year
• a means of monitoring and controlling your business, particularly if you analyse the differences between your actual and budgeted income

Benchmarking performance

Comparing your budget year on year can be an excellent way of benchmarking your business' performance - you can compare your projected figures, for example, with previous years to measure your performance.

You can also compare your figures for projected margins and growth with those of other companies in the same sector, or across different parts of your business.

Key performance indicators

To boost your business' performance you need to understand and monitor the key "drivers" of your business - a driver is something that has a major impact on your business. There are many factors affecting every business' performance, so it is vital to focus on a handful of these and monitor them carefully.

The three key drivers for most businesses are:

• working capital

Any trends towards cash flow problems or falling profitability will show up in these figures when measured against your budgets and forecasts. They can help you spot problems early on if they are calculated on a consistent basis.

To use your budgets effectively, you will need to review and revise them frequently. This is particularly true if your business is growing and you are planning to move into new areas.

Using up to date budgets enables you to be flexible and also lets you manage your cash flow and identify what needs to be achieved in the next budgeting period.

Two main areas to consider

Your actual income  - each month compare your actual income with your sales budget, by:

• analysing the reasons for any shortfall - for example lower sales volumes, flat markets, underperforming products
• considering the reasons for a particularly high turnover - for example whether your targets were too low
• comparing the timing of your income with your projections and checking that they fit

Analysing these variations will help you to set future budgets more accurately and also allow you to take action where needed.

Your actual expenditure  - regularly review your actual expenditure against your budget. This will help you to predict future costs with better reliability. You should:

• look at how your fixed costs differed from your budget
• check that your variable costs were in line with your budget - normally variable costs adjust in line with your sales volume
• analyse any reasons for changes in the relationship between costs and turnover
• analyse any differences in the timing of your expenditure, for example by checking suppliers' payment terms

Original document, Budgeting and business planning , © Crown copyright 2009 Source: Business Link UK (now GOV.UK/Business ) Adapted for Québec by Info entrepreneurs

Our information is provided free of charge and is intended to be helpful to a large range of UK-based (gov.uk/business) and Québec-based (infoentrepreneurs.org) businesses. Because of its general nature the information cannot be taken as comprehensive and should never be used as a substitute for legal or professional advice. We cannot guarantee that the information applies to the individual circumstances of your business. Despite our best efforts it is possible that some information may be out of date.

• The websites operators cannot take any responsibility for the consequences of errors or omissions.
• You should always follow the links to more detailed information from the relevant government department or agency.
• Any reliance you place on our information or linked to on other websites will be at your own risk. You should consider seeking the advice of independent advisors, and should always check your decisions against your normal business methods and best practice in your field of business.
• The websites operators, their agents and employees, are not liable for any losses or damages arising from your use of our websites, other than in respect of death or personal injury caused by their negligence or in respect of fraud.

Need help? Our qualified agents can help you. Contact us!

• Create my account

The address of this page is: https://www.infoentrepreneurs.org/en/guides/budgeting-and-business-planning/

INFO ENTREPRENEURS

380 St-Antoine West Suite W204 (mezzanine level) Montréal, Québec, Canada H2Y 3X7

www.infoentrepreneurs.org

514-496-4636 | 888-576-4444 [email protected]

Consent to Cookies

This website uses necessary cookies to ensure its proper functioning and security. Other cookies and optional technologies make it possible to facilitate, improve or personalize your navigation on our website. If you click "Refuse", some portions of our website may not function properly. Learn more about our privacy policy.

Click on one of the two buttons to access the content you wish to view.

Cube is the only FP&A platform that lets you use your existing spreadsheets and models.

Cube’s AI automates the heavy lifting, letting your finance team focus on strategic insights.

How Cube works

Sync data, gain insights, and analyze performance right in Excel, Google Sheets, or the Cube platform.

Developer Center

Cube's API empowers teams to connect and transform their data seamlessly.

Integrations

Connect and map data from your tech stack, including your ERP, CRM, HRIS, business intelligence, and more.

Built with world-class security and controls from day one.

Break free from clunky financial analysis tools. Say hello to a flexible, scalable FP&A solution.

See Cube in action

Planning & Modeling

Accelerate your planning cycle time and budgeting process to be prepared for what's next.

Reporting & Analytics

Easily collaborate with stakeholders, build reports and dashboards with greater flexibility, and keep everyone on the same page.

Strategic Finance

Say goodbye to ad-hoc analysis frustrations. Quickly surface insights, drive strategic decisions, and help the business stay on track. It's time to make FP&A the hero your company needs.

Creating a high-impact finance function

Get secrets from 7 leading finance experts.

Download the ebook

Business Services

Real Estate

Financial Services

Manufacturing

Learn how Veryable unwound a complex spreadsheet stack

Essential reading for forward-thinking FP&A leaders.

Content Library

Discover books, articles, webinars, and more to grow your finance career and skills.

Strategic Finance Pros

Stay informed and connected through our community and newsletter.

For Customers

Make the most of Cube or dig into the weeds on platform best practices.

We're on a mission to help every company hit their numbers. Learn more about our values, culture, and the Cube team.

Grow your career at Cube. Check out open roles and be part of the team driving the future of FP&A.

Got questions or feedback for Cube? Reach out and let's chat.

In the news

Curious what we're up to? Check out the latest announcements, news, and stories here.

A newsletter for finance—by finance

Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter from 3x serial CFO turned CEO of Cube, Christina Ross.

Subscribe now

What’s the difference between a plan, a budget, and a forecast?

Budgeting & forecasting.

Updated: October 15, 2024 |

Taylor Josephs

Solutions Architect 3, Cube Software

Taylor Josephs is an experienced finance expert with deep knowledge of FP&A. She earned her Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“Remind me, what’s the difference between the plan and the forecast?” is something we often hear from executives looking for clarity.

While a company’s plan, budget, and financial forecast are often discussed in the boardroom, these terms’ functions are not always clear.

Finance leaders commonly use the three terms in conjunction with one another, allowing each model to inform the others. 

So...are they interchangeable? No.

Financial forecasting , budgeting, and planning each serve a unique purpose. A plan serves as the foundation, a budget guides how to allocate cash, and a forecast projects the financial future of the business.

CFOs understand that each is a standalone piece of the company’s financial puzzle. Let's take a close look at each piece.

Get out of the data entry weeds and into the strategy.

Sign up for The Finance Fix

Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter from serial CFO and CEO of Cube, Christina Ross.

Financial planning: explained

Generally, a financial “plan” aims to define the financial direction and vision of the organization within the context of a broader business plan.

Leaders ask themselves how the business will stack up in the next 1, 5, or even 10 years. The “plan” answers that question by outlining the company’s operational and financial objectives. Executives build out teams and infrastructure based on this plan and the defined goals. 

Colloquially, the “plan” is sometimes used interchangeably with the most recent budget or forecast, and can be broadly considered the budget or forecast that is the most likely “version of truth”.

Because of the long-term nature of a financial plan, it allows for more flexibility and creativity. In the case of a financial plan (versus a budget, for example), the means are less important than the end. Ultimately, a good financial plan provides a top-down operational framework to explore various scenarios.

Because an organization's future is undefined, financial planning is a perpetual process. Despite this, a plan is more static—more of a roadmap than a document updated daily. The plan relies on historical performance data and subjective financial analysis, so it can never be fully accurate. 

Budgeting: explained

Businesses, but most commonly, the Finance team, compile a budget to determine how the company will spend its capital during the next period—a month or quarter, but typically a fiscal year.

The budget’s primary goal is determining what resources to allocate to each part of the company, from salaries to office supplies. The focus of a budget revolves around cash position, including expected revenues and expenses, to create specific financial goals for the foreseeable future.

Most businesses create a budget annually and implement it from the start of the fiscal year.  The budget is also commonly considered “unmovable” and is used to gauge performance of actuals or forecast data versus the planned budget.

A thorough budget offers clear guidance on how a company should be spending its resources by providing a line item for any expense imaginable. Budgets also create accountability for departmental spending because overages are apparent and gaps in appropriate funding become clear as the year unrolls.

Teams should review the budget regularly and compare it with actuals, making each department responsible for any variances that occur.

A budget aligns expectations with reality when it comes to revenue and expenses.

Budgeting can be a difficult process because of the kind of involvement it takes across departments, including meetings and negotiations with department leaders to determine the amount of cash they will need to accomplish business goals over the budget. Since budgets are generally made to last an entire year, a budget might constrain necessary spending (or saving) if any unexpected situations in cash flow arise.

Essentially, expense allowances are built not to exceed budget limits, while income projections are the minimum needed to balance the budget. Financial analysts need to calculate the variances between the two figures to evaluate the budget's efficacy and the organization's fiscal health.

Forecasting: explained

A forecast is a financial snapshot of the future as it is best understood today.  When creating a forecast , teams must examine possible financial outcomes based on the most up-to-date drivers and assumptions . The result is a view of how the business is trending so that the leaders can determine whether or not adjustments should be made to the existing budgets or plans.  

For example, the budget might assume that the business will hit a $10M revenue target, but the forecast shows that the business is on target to only achieve $8M.  Given the difference between the forecast and the budget, the business might adjust the variable costs associated with lower revenue, while simultaneously adjusting the expense plan in order to hit cash targets.

A company’s financial forecast is updated regularly, such as monthly or quarterly. The forecast’s undefined nature allows it to be used for both short- and long-term projections and adapt to recent performance data. In this way, executives can make changes in real-time, adjusting their operations, such as production, marketing approach, and staffing. 

Forecasting can be a time-consuming process that not all businesses are able to stay on top of regularly.  Because of this, many businesses update their forecast data periodically, such as quarterly or biannually.  It’s considered a best practice to build a rolling (ongoing) forecast to make these adjustments in real-time.

Conclusion: Plan vs. budget vs. forecast

All three terms reflect expectations and estimates of financial objectives. Financial planning lays the foundation for budgeting, suggesting that a financial plan must precede the budget so that company leaders have an idea of what they are budgeting for. Meanwhile, a forecast projects how far over or under expectations a company may be.

A financial plan is a strategic, long-term tool, while a budget is tactical and short-term. A financial forecast is an updated reflection of the future. In a way, the forecast bridges the gap between the business plan and the budget. 

The most financially disciplined businesses leverage all three tools in planning and operations. Financial modeling software like Cube can help companies build multiple plan scenario types, including budgets, forecasts, and even what-ifs, in a way that allows leaders to visualize data, analyze past performance, and calculate how decisions may affect future goals.

Want to see how Cube can accelerate your financial planning? Get a demo today. 

Related Articles

Feel the burn: a guide to gross burn vs. net burn

Building a foolproof operating budget

G2 awards Cube 30 badges and multiple top spots for Budgeting and Forecasting (Winter ‘24)

Budgeting vs Planning – Explained using Examples

What does planning mean?

Planning is figuring out where you want to go, and how to get there. It includes both strategy and tactics. At its basics, strategy implies figuring out the destination you want to get to, and the direction you have to take to reach it. Tactics involve specific solutions to overcoming obstacles you encounter on the way.

What does budgeting mean?

Budgeting means allocating the resources required to execute the plan. The most important thing about budgeting is the fact that it always comes after planning. Budgeting means that you have to decide how you will spend the money (and resources) during the next period (month, year), or until the plan is successful.

And now let’s put them into context. We will do it first from the perspective of a person wanting to do budget planning for their day-to-day expenses , and from the perspective of a business wanting to calculate how it will spend its capital in the next fiscal year.

Budgeting vs Planning for Personal Finance

Let’s take it step by step. First, let’s figure out where you want to go. Let’s say it’s the beginning of the year, January 2022, and where you want to go (meaning the destination) is this: you want to reach the end of the year with $2,000 of debt paid, and $3,000 set up aside in an emergency fund. And right now you’re earning $2,500/month after paying all the taxes. This is the rough outline of a plan. You can extend it with even more details, but this is enough for our purposes. In personal finance, you don’t necessarily have to go so deep into detailed plans (but you can if you want to, if you feel like it’s necessary). So you’ve got the plan. Now let’s advance to the budgeting aspect.

The budgeting part when talking about personal finance is a bit more complicated because you have to break down each month, with necessary expenses, including housing, food, utilities, and so on. First, you have to calculate the absolutely necessary expenses. Let’s say that out of the $2,500 you earn, you have to set aside $2,000 to cover everything that has to be paid. And this includes food, rent, and utilities (but no entertainment/vacation expenses). This means you are left each month with $500 you can distribute towards reaching your plan. Can you achieve it in this case? Yes! You can put $200 aside for repaying debt, and by the end of the year, you’ll manage to repay $2,400. And you can put $300 aside for an emergency fund and you will have $3,600 by the end of the year. It’s even more than you hoped. In this case, you can reduce the numbers a bit so that you end up with $2,000 in debt repayment and $3,000 in the emergency fund, and have the rest of $1,000 distributed towards vacation and special events.

Budgeting vs Planning for Businesses

Planning is the first step in setting up a small business. All entrepreneurship examples I can think about will benefit from having a good business plan. A business plan is an essential written document that provides a description and overview of the company’s future. The plan should explain the business strategy and the key goals to get from where they are now to where they want to be in the future. The plan should include all the things that have to be done, for example: where you plan to make your money or how you intend to attract new customers. Planning ultimately helps businesses to use resources more efficiently and set the optimal trajectory for future operations.

Most businesses create a budget annually at the start of the fiscal year. Businesses were recording budgeting as far back as the 1400s when Venetian investors kept track of their Asian trade expeditions. The meaning of the word “budget” comes from the old French word “bougette,” which means “small purse.” About 300 years later, The British government began to use the phrase “open the budget”, and 100 years later businesses started to use the term “budget” regularly in their finances. Now budgets determine how existing financial resources are allocated, and it is based on the planning done at the step we talked about above. In other words, the budget’s primary goal is to determine what resources to allocate to each part of the company, from salaries to office supplies. In the book named Budgeting Basics and Beyond , the authors (Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, and Allison I Shim) split the budget into no less than 17 budget types, among which are the master budget, the operating and financial budget, the cash budget, the program budget, and so on. For example, the Master Budget is the overall financial and operational plan for a forthcoming calendar or fiscal year. It’s usually prepared annually or quarterly. And it is a number of sub-budgets tied together to summarize the planned activities of the business. And one example of sub-budgets is the Cash Budget, which is meant for cash planning and control. It presents expected cash inflow and outflow for a designated time period. According to the authors, there are six steps in the budgeting process:

• Setting objectives
• Analyzing available resources
• Negotiating to estimate budget components
• Coordinating and reviewing components
• Obtaining final approval
• Distributing the approved budget.

Usually, depending on how big the business is, a budget committee should review the budget estimates for each segment, make recommendations and revise the budgeted figures as needed.

When things don’t go as planned in an organization or business, the budget is the tool that provides a mechanism for identifying departures from the plan, and it provides benchmarks against which to judge success or failure.

In conclusion:

If you want more detailed information about budgeting and planning, I suggest you read the book: Budgeting: Planning for Success by Larry M Walther and Cristopher J Skousen. If you are more focused on the enterprise side, then this research paper How planning and capital budgeting improve SME performance might be useful.

Remus Zoica

Recent Posts

GasBuddy Review: Navigating the Pros and Cons for Drivers

In an era where fuel prices fluctuate more unpredictably than ever, managing fuel expenses has become a crucial aspect of daily life. This article offers an in-depth analysis of GasBuddy, exploring...

Acorns in Depth Review - Why So Many Bad Reviews

Before delving into the details of my experience with the Acorns app, I'd like to make it clear that my intent in writing this review is purely to provide an honest perspective. I have not been...

Planning, budgeting and forecasting is typically a three-step process for determining and mapping out an organization’s short- and long-term financial goals.

• Planning  provides a framework for a business’ financial objectives — typically for the next three to five years.
• Budgeting  details how the plan will be carried out month to month and covers items such as revenue, expenses, potential cash flow and debt reduction. Traditionally, a company will designate a fiscal year and create a budget for the year. It may adjust the budget depending on actual revenues or compare actual financial statements to determine how close they are to meeting or exceeding the budget.
• Forecasting  takes historical data and current market conditions and then makes predictions as to how much revenue an organization can expect to bring in over the next few months or years. Forecasts are usually adjusted as new information becomes available. 

The process is usually managed by a chief financial officer (CFO) and the finance department. However, the definition can be expanded to include all areas of organizational planning including: financial planning and analysis , supply chain planning , sales planning , workforce planning and marketing planning .

Discover the power of integrating a data lakehouse strategy into your data architecture, including enhancements to scale AI and cost optimization opportunities.

Register for the ebook on generative AI

Basic business accounting practices date as far back as the 1400s, when Venetian investors kept track of their Asian trade expeditions using double-entry bookkeeping, income statements and balance sheets. The word “budget” is from the old French word “bougette,” meaning “small purse.” The British government began to use the phrase “open the budget” in the mid-1700s, when the chancellor presented the annual financial statements. Businesses began to regularly use the term “budget” for their finances by the late 1800s.

Modern business forecasting began in response to the economic devastation of the Great Depression of the 1930s. New types of statistics and statistical analyses were developed that could help business better predict the future. Consulting firms emerged to help companies use these new prediction tools.

Accounting and forecasting were difficult in the early 20th century because they depended on laborious hand-written equations, ledgers and spreadsheets. The emergence of mainframe computers in the 1960s and personal computers in the 1980s sped up the process. Software applications such as Microsoft Excel became widely popular for financial reporting. However, Excel programs and spreadsheets were prone to input errors and cumbersome when various departments or individuals needed to collaborate on a report.

By the start of the 2000s, companies gained access to ever-growing operational data sources, as well as information outside corporate transaction systems — such as weather, social sentiment and econometric data. The vast amounts of available data for forecasting created a need for more sophisticated software tools to process it.

Numerous planning software packages emerged to handle this data complexity, making planning, budgeting and forecasting faster and easier — both for processing and collaboration. With predictive insights drawn automatically from data, companies could identify evolving trends and guide decision making with foresight, not just hindsight.

Today, cloud-based systems are becoming the standard, providing more flexibility, security and cost savings — helping organizations generate accurate predictions and budgets with fewer errors.

But despite these advancements, businesses are still quite dependent on traditional spreadsheets. 1   Seventy percent of businesses say they rely heavily on spreadsheet reporting, with only 16 percent using on-premise specialist software — and only ten percent using cloud software for planning.

Many businesses still base their strategy on annual plans and budgets, which is a management technique developed over a century ago. But in today’s more competitive environment, organizations are realizing that plans, budgets and forecasts need to reflect current reality — not the reality of two, three or more quarters ago. Continuous planning and rolling forecasts are becoming widely used methodologies to update plans, budgets and forecasts frequently throughout the year, on a quarterly or even monthly basis. These approaches help managers spot trends before their competitors — helping them make better informed, more agile decisions about pricing, product mix, capital allocations and even staffing levels.

Creating and implementing a sound planning, budgeting and forecasting process helps organizations establish more accurate financial report and analytics — potentially leading to more accurate forecasting and ultimately revenue growth. Its importance is even more relevant in today’s business environment where disruptive competitors are entering even the most tradition-bound industries.

When companies embrace data and analytics in conjunction with well-established planning and forecasting best practices, they enhance strategic decision making and can be rewarded with more accurate plans and more timely forecasts. Overall, these tools and practices can save time, reduce errors, promote collaboration and foster a more disciplined management culture that delivers a true competitive advantage.

Specifically, companies are able to:

• Quickly update plans and forecasts in response to new threats and opportunities, identifying risk areas early enough to rectify issues before they are serious.
• Identify and analyze the impact of changes as they occur.
• Strengthen the links between operational and financial plans.
• Better plan and predict cash flows.
• Improve communication and collaboration among plan contributors.
• Consistently deliver timely, reliable plans and forecasts, plus contingency plans, for a range of possible events.
• Analyze variances and deviations from plans and promptly take corrective action.
• Create a budget specifically for growth and having confidence in how much can be spent.
• More accurately manage sales pipelines while tracking performance against targets.
• Make more confident strategic decisions based on hard data, instead of hopes or guesswork.
• Provide evidence of an organization’s future trajectory to potential investors and lending institutions based on multiple data sources and sophisticated analysis.

Budgeting, planning and forecasting software can be purchased as an off-the-shelf solution or as part of a larger integrated corporate performance management (CPM) solution.

Advanced software solutions enable organizations to:

• Measure and monitor performance through interactive, self-service dashboards and visualizations.
• Examine root-causes with high-fidelity analysis of dimensionally rich data.
• Evaluate trends and make predictions automatically from internal or external data.
• Perform rapid what-if scenario modelling and create timely, reliable plans and forecasts.

Planning is easier and more effective when practitioners follow well-established best practices. Software solutions that support these practices can enhance the timeliness and reliability of information and increase participation by key people throughout the organization; especially those at the front lines.

Leading companies have moved to solutions that address the full planning cycle — data collection, modeling, analytics and reporting — on a common planning platform with lean infrastructure requirements. Such platforms can handle a diverse range of business functions, from budget-focused finance tasks to, for example, supply chain-focused planning for retail environments with thousands of SKUs (stock keeping units).

Companies like IBM offer holistic, integrated software solutions to streamline the planning, budgeting and forecasting process. The logic is that to adapt to today's quickly changing business conditions, an organization needs one solution that creates a single source of truth and visibility into all its data. These solutions can extend well beyond the financial aspects of the business, becoming a powerful forecasting engine across the enterprise. With these agile planning and exploratory analytics software solutions — whether in the cloud or on-premises — companies can perform planning, budgeting and forecasting with greater speed, agility and foresight.

Evaluating and selecting planning, budgeting and forecasting software is a complex task. It requires careful consideration of the software’s functionality, its value to the planning process and its ability to support planning best practices. There are also factors such as vendor reliability and support, user community connections and commitment to customer success once the sale is complete.

IBM Analytics  recently published a guide to help organizations evaluate planning, budgeting and forecasting software — identifying key qualities to look for:

• Adaptive . Can you rapidly change models and re-forecast frequently, based on input from business units? Can you update plans as often as necessary?
• Timely . Is your information always current because users contribute directly to a central planning database? Are your consolidations and rollups done automatically to easily meet deadlines?
• Integrated . Do your planning, analysis, workflow and reporting functions reside on one common platform, reducing the need to maintain “shadow” planning systems?
• Collaborative . Is your solution web-based? Does it enable participation anytime, from anywhere with a secure connection?
• Self-service . Are users able to access data and perform complex analysis without the assistance of IT? Are you able to use a familiar spreadsheet interface for faster user adoption and accelerate time to value?
• Enterprise-scale data capacity . Is your solution capable of handling very large data volumes without limiting cube size? Some solutions do not handle “data sparsity” well — forcing data to be split into multiple cubes for analysis, causing version control issues.
• Efficient . Are your managers able to spend less time managing data and more time managing the business?
• Relevant . Do you have the ability to customize views for different user roles, to help increase adoption and process ownership? Do you have formula capabilities that enable modeling of all relevant business drivers?
• Accurate . Do your plans contain errors because of broken links, stale data, improper rollups and missing components?

The key is not just evaluating product features and capabilities, but also evaluating how those features will be implemented by different users within the organization. It’s important to test any planning solution that will be used by a large variety of stakeholders such as finance, operations, HR and sales.

Discover how one of the largest operators of parking facilities in the Middle East used IBM Planning Analytics to deliver better automation and multidimensional analytical power along with cost advantages.

Learn how the real estate developer enhanced its core planning, forecasting and project management capabilities with IBM technology to drive even greater profitability.

Find out how the company used IBM planning analytics to provide monthly and weekly reporting for engineering, marketing, sales and operations.

IBM Planning Analytics provides a single solution to automate planning, budgeting and forecasting for your enterprise.

Gain the autonomy you crave to find, explore and share insights in the governed, trusted environment you need, with IBM Cognos Analytics.

A comprehensive solution that provides power and flexibility for streamlined, best-practice financial consolidation and reporting.

Transform your marketing organization across people, process and platforms to remove complexity, unlock efficiency, and drive growth.

Learn how companies are delivering dependable business forecasts and optimizing the allocation of resources.

Learn the five common drawbacks to spreadsheets as planning tools

Discover the benefits of embracing data and analytics in conjunction with well-established planning and forecasting best practices.

See how you can synthesize information, uncover trends and deliver insights to improve decision making throughout the enterprise.

Request a live, 10-minute demo and get hands-on experience with IBM Planning Analytics by building a revenue plan.

See how headcount planning is done with IBM Planning Analytics in a quick, click-through demo.

Predict outcomes with flexible AI-infused forecasting and analyze what-if scenarios in real-time. IBM Planning Analytics is an integrated business planning solution that turns raw data into actionable insights. Deploy as you need, on premises or on cloud.

1 The Future of Planning, Budgeting and Forecasting Global Survey, Workday and FSN, 2017  (link resides outside ibm.com)