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What are best practices for using multiple (phased) budget uploads?

  1. Last updated
    Nov 22, 2023
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Background

When setting up a budget in a new Procore project, your team has two choices: Add a Budget Line Item or Import a Budget. Users typically begin a project by importing their budget data. Then, they lock that budget when the project begins. Some Procore customers upload new budget data at a later time in the project. 

Answer

Below are things to keep in mind while using multiple budget uploads in a project. 

Best Practice... Questions to Ask... Options...
Manage User Permissions

Who on your team should have permission on your team to unlock a project's budget? 

Do you want to allow your project managers to unlock a budget at any time? Even after budget changes and modifications have been created? 
Option 1: Limit Access to Specific Users

Allow Only Specific Users Unlock a Budget
To prevent users from unlocking your budget, define who is permitted to perform that task and assign those Procore users  'Admin' level permissions on the Budget tool. 

Define Which Users Can Update Your Budget
You can assign granular permissions to users with 'Read Only' or 'Standard' level permissions on the Budget tool, to provide them with the ability to perform specific tasks. For example, if you want a specific user to import a budget and create/edit original budget amounts, you can provide that user with 'Standard' level permissions and  'Import Budget From File' and 'Create and Edit Original Budget Amount' granular permissions. To learn more about your permission options, see Budget: Permissions. 

Option 2: Allow Your Project Managers to Unlock a Budget

Provide all of your project managers with 'Admin' level permissions on the Budget tool. 
Import a Budget

Are you importing a budget from a CSV file? 

Are you importing a budget from an integrated ERP system?
Option 1: Import a Budget from a CSV

Import your budget from a CSV file. For instructions, see Import a Budget CSV.

Option 2: Sync Budget Data with Procore + ERP Integrations 
Depending on the integrated ERP system in your environment, you can sync the data in your integrated ERP system to Procore. Or, you may be able to sync the data in Procore to your integrated ERP system. To learn more, see ERP Integrations.
Lock a Budget Are you ready to lock your budget?

For instructions, see Lock a Budget.

If the project is integrated with ERP, and if Option 1 from Step 2 was used, sync to ERP.  See Send a Budget to ERP Integrations for Accounting Acceptance.
Unlock a Budget

Are you ready to import your budget for the next phase of your project? 

Has your team created budget modifications? 

Does your user account have access permissions to unlock a budget?

To learn how to unlock a budget, see Unlock a Budget. 

To learn how to unlock a budget after creating budget modifications, see Unlock a Budget with Budget Modifications.
Take a Snapshot

Do you want to keep a record of your budget as it changes over time? 

Do you want to take a snapshot of your budget at the end of each phase?

Prior to making any updates, Create a Budget Snapshot. See Create a Budget Snapshot.

If importing a budget from a CSV file, Procore prompts you to take a snapshot before proceeding with an import. 

If you manually added budget line items, edited the Original Budget Amount inline, or synced a budget from your integrated ERP system to Procore, you won't be automatically prompted to take a snapshot. However, taking a regular snapshots is always a best practice. 

Be sure to name the snapshot after the phase of the budget. For example, GMP Phase 1, GMP Phase 2, and so on. After creating a Snapshot, clicking the vertical ellipses next to the Original Budget reveals the Snapshot History
Update the Budget

Did you remeber to take a budget snapshot?

Are you ready to update your budget?

Option 1: Re-Import a Budget from CSV

See Import a Budget CSV. For existing budget line items, the current original budget amounts will appear in the downloaded CSV template. If the amounts will remain the same, keep those amounts in the CSV file. If the amounts need to be updated/adjusted, overwrite the existing amount in the CSV with the new amount. For new budget line items, add the cost type and amount in the CSV file. 

Option 2: Manually add line items or inline edit Original Budget Amounts

You can edit the 'Original Budget Amounts' inline or you can manually ad line items to your budget. To learn more, see Create a Budget Line Item.

Option 3: Sync Budget Data with Procore + ERP Integrations 

Sync the budget in your integrated ERP system with your project budget in Procore. See ERP Integrations.