Last updated on Aug 22, 2024
- All
- Budget Management
Powered by AI and the LinkedIn community
1
What is a flexible budget?
2
How to create a flexible budget in Excel?
3
How to analyze your budget variance in Excel?
4
How to improve your budget variance in Excel?
5
How to use Excel features and functions for budget variance analysis?
6
Here’s what else to consider
Budget variance analysis is a useful tool for comparing your actual performance with your planned budget. It helps you identify the sources and causes of deviations from your expectations, and take corrective actions if needed. In this article, you will learn how to set up a flexible budget in Excel that can adjust to different levels of activity, such as sales volume or production output.
Top experts in this article
Selected by the community from 19 contributions. Learn more
Earn a Community Top Voice badge
Add to collaborative articles to get recognized for your expertise on your profile. Learn more
-
10
- Ammar S.
8
- Serhii Kharchuk Anti-fraud @ Lean Black Belt Six Sigma | TensorFlow PyTorch | Business Analytics | Google | AWS | Laws | Marketing |…
8
1 What is a flexible budget?
A flexible budget is a budget that changes according to the actual level of activity in your business. Unlike a static budget, which is based on a fixed level of activity, a flexible budget can show you how your revenues and expenses vary with different scenarios. For example, if you sell more units than you expected, a flexible budget will show you the increase in revenue and the related costs, such as materials and labor. A flexible budget can also help you evaluate your efficiency and profitability at different levels of activity.
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
-
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
O Orçamento flexível no excel permite uma melhor gestão no acompanhamento das principais variáveis que impactam nos resultados. O primeiro passo para a adoção deste tipo de orçamento é a identificação dos custos fixos e variáveis. Com base nesta identificação sugiro a criação de uma base em excel com as contas, bem como a definição dos parâmetros que podem impactar essas contas e vincular essas variações em formulas para o desempenho do orçamento. O Excel disponibiliza ainda uma ferramenta de Gerenciamento de cenários para analisar diferentes níveis de atividades e os impactos através do uso de tabela de dados. A revisão e os ajustes para manutenção de orçamento preciso não podem ser descartadas.
Translated
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
10
- Ammar S.
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
A flexible budget in Excel is a budget that adjusts based on changes in activity levels, such as sales volume or production quantity. To set up a flexible budget, define key variables such as sales volume, production units, or hours worked. Create a static budget template by listing income and expenses, and identify variable and fixed costs. Calculate the cost per unit by dividing total variable costs by the baseline activity level. Create a flexible budget formula by inputting the actual or projected activity level in Cell E1 and multiplying the variable cost per unit by the activity level in Cell F1. Set up the budget in Column D and use formulas to calculate the flexible budget based on the activity level in Cell F1.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
8
- Serhii Kharchuk Anti-fraud @ Lean Black Belt Six Sigma | TensorFlow PyTorch | Business Analytics | Google | AWS | Laws | Marketing | Brand Strategy | Software Development | HR Business | Administration | Financial Management | Aerospace
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
A flexible budget is a financial planning tool that adapts to changes in activity levels. Unlike static budgets, flexible budgets adjust revenues and expenses based on actual business volume. This allows for more accurate forecasting and performance evaluation across different scenarios. For example, if sales increase, a flexible budget will show corresponding changes in revenue and related costs like materials and labor. This adaptability makes flexible budgets invaluable for businesses with fluctuating activity levels, providing insights into efficiency and profitability at various operational scales.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
8
-
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
Understanding how to establish a flexible budget in Excel to accommodate fluctuations in activity levels is crucial for effective financial management. One method involves creating different scenarios based on varying levels of activity, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of potential outcomes. By incorporating dynamic formulas and referencing cells that represent activity levels, such as units produced or sales volume, Excel can automatically adjust budgeted figures accordingly. This not only facilitates better decision-making but also enhances adaptability to changing business environments.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
4
- Hema Thareja Life Coach
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
A flexible budget in Excel adjusts costs based on changes in activity levels, such as sales volume or service output. To set one up, first identify variable costs (those that change with activity) and fixed costs (those that remain constant). In Excel, create a formula-based budget where variable costs are linked to activity metrics, like units sold or hours worked. For example, multiply a variable cost per unit by the number of units produced. As activity levels change, simply update the activity inputs, and the budget automatically recalculates, providing a more accurate financial picture in varying scenarios.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
3
Load more contributions
2 How to create a flexible budget in Excel?
Creating a flexible budget in Excel requires identifying fixed and variable costs, calculating the variable cost per unit, creating a table with different levels of activity and the corresponding revenues and costs, adding fixed costs to the table, and calculating net income for each level of activity. To determine the variable cost per unit, you can use historical data or estimates. The revenues and costs can be calculated using formulas based on the level of activity and the variable cost per unit. Your fixed costs will remain the same for each level of activity. Finally, you can use formulas to calculate your net income for each level of activity by subtracting your total costs (fixed and variable) from your revenue.
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
- Serhii Kharchuk Anti-fraud @ Lean Black Belt Six Sigma | TensorFlow PyTorch | Business Analytics | Google | AWS | Laws | Marketing | Brand Strategy | Software Development | HR Business | Administration | Financial Management | Aerospace
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
To create a flexible budget in Excel:Identify fixed and variable costsCalculate variable cost per unitSet up a table with different activity levelsCreate formulas for revenue and costs based on activityAdd fixed costsCalculate net income for each levelUse historical data or estimates for variable costs. Implement formulas to automatically adjust costs and revenues as activity levels change. Keep fixed costs constant across scenarios. Use Excel's built-in functions to streamline calculations and ensure accuracy. Consider using named ranges for key variables to make formulas more readable and maintainable.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
8
- Akiyo KOTCHONI Formateur de dirigeants associatifs ❇️ Budget associatif ❇️Modèle socio-économique ❇️ Analyse financière ❇️ Projet associatif ❇️ Plan stratégique ❇️ Organisme de formation certifié Qualiopi ❇️Financement OPCO Possible
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
Absolument, adopter un budget flexible dans Excel est une approche pragmatique, mais nous pourrions également utiliser ce modèle pour simuler des scénarios extrêmes plutôt que juste des variations modérées de l'activité. Cela pourrait révéler des insights sur la résilience et l'adaptabilité de votre structure face à des fluctuations imprévues du marché. En intégrant cette dimension de "tests de stress" dans votre budget flexible, vous ne vous contentez pas de suivre les fluctuations, mais vous préparez activement votre organisation à survivre et prospérer dans des conditions extrêmes.C'est l'un des bénéfices du budget flexible.
Translated
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
1
- Alex Satinsky
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
Based on experience, creating a base template with separate tabs for fixed, batch-size based and fully variable costs that link to an input tab and get linked to the "final" output tab is the best way.By batch size, I mean when orders must be place in lots, but discounts are given a specific levels. As an example, an item is ordered in batches of 10 at ~$20/unit, but at 50, the price drops to $19 and at 100 it drops again to $18/unit.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
Load more contributions
3 How to analyze your budget variance in Excel?
Once you have created your flexible budget in Excel, you can compare it with your actual results to analyze your budget variance. Budget variance is the difference between your actual performance and your budgeted performance. You can calculate your budget variance for each item in your budget, such as revenue, variable cost, fixed cost, and net income. You can also calculate your budget variance as a percentage of your budgeted amount, which can help you assess the significance of the deviation. To do this, create a table with your actual results and flexible budget for the same level of activity. Utilize formulas to calculate the variance and variance percentage for each item. Afterward, interpret the budget variance and identify potential causes and implications. A positive budget variance indicates a favorable performance or an optimistic budget; whereas a negative budget variance suggests an unfavorable performance or a pessimistic budget. The causes and implications of the variance depend on the item and context of the business. For example, a positive revenue variance could mean increased sales volume or price, while a negative variable cost variance could indicate increased unit cost or waste.
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
- Serhii Kharchuk Anti-fraud @ Lean Black Belt Six Sigma | TensorFlow PyTorch | Business Analytics | Google | AWS | Laws | Marketing | Brand Strategy | Software Development | HR Business | Administration | Financial Management | Aerospace
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
To analyze budget variance in Excel:Compare actual results with flexible budgetCalculate variances for each item (revenue, costs, etc.)Compute variance percentagesCreate a variance analysis tableUse formulas to automate calculationsInterpret results (positive/negative variances)Identify potential causes and implicationsPositive variances may indicate favorable performance or conservative budgeting, while negative variances suggest unfavorable outcomes or optimistic budgets. Consider context when interpreting - e.g., lower costs might be good, but could also signal quality issues. Use Excel's conditional formatting to highlight significant variances visually.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
8
-
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
Estruture o arquivo por conta contábil (ou grupo de contas), carregue os dados orçados e o realizado. Na outra coluna coloque a variação em moeda local (ou outra moeda necessária) e a variação %.A partir dessa estrutura comece as análises e busca de mais dados para entender o que ficou muito divergente.
Translated
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
1
- Akiyo KOTCHONI Formateur de dirigeants associatifs ❇️ Budget associatif ❇️Modèle socio-économique ❇️ Analyse financière ❇️ Projet associatif ❇️ Plan stratégique ❇️ Organisme de formation certifié Qualiopi ❇️Financement OPCO Possible
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
Au-delà de tous ces aspects, ce qui compte vraiment, c'est d'établir un processus d'ajustement continu. Intégrez des seuils d'alerte automatique dans Excel pour réagir rapidement aux écarts significatifs. Adoptez une approche collaborative en impliquant les équipes concernées dans l'analyse des causes et la mise en place de solutions correctives.
Translated
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
4 How to improve your budget variance in Excel?
After analyzing your budget variance in Excel, you may want to take some actions to improve your performance and align it with your budget. Depending on the nature and magnitude of your budget variance, you could revise your budget, adjust your operations, or modify your strategy. To help improve the variance, you should review your budget assumptions and update them if necessary. You can use Excel to test different scenarios and update the budget accordingly. Additionally, it is important to monitor performance and track variance regularly with Excel dashboards and charts that show actual results and the budget variance in real time. This can help identify any issues or opportunities to take timely actions. Finally, you can use Excel to identify root causes of the variance and evaluate the impact of potential solutions. For example, if there is a negative revenue variance due to low sales volume, you can analyze customer segments, pricing strategy, or marketing channels in Excel to increase sales.
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
- Serhii Kharchuk Anti-fraud @ Lean Black Belt Six Sigma | TensorFlow PyTorch | Business Analytics | Google | AWS | Laws | Marketing | Brand Strategy | Software Development | HR Business | Administration | Financial Management | Aerospace
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
To improve budget variance in Excel:Regularly review and update assumptionsUse scenario analysis to test different outcomesCreate dashboards for real-time monitoringImplement automated alerts for significant variancesAnalyze root causes of variancesEvaluate potential solutions using Excel modelsTrack performance trends over timeInvolve relevant teams in variance analysisUse Excel's data analysis tools to dig deeper into variance causes. Create pivot tables to summarize data by different dimensions (e.g., product, region). Utilize charts to visualize trends and patterns. Consider implementing a rolling forecast approach to continually refine projections based on the latest data and insights.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
8
5 How to use Excel features and functions for budget variance analysis?
Excel offers many features and functions to create and analyze a flexible budget and budget variance. Data validation allows you to set rules and restrictions for the data you enter or select in your cells. With conditional formatting, you can apply different formats to your cells based on certain criteria. What-if analysis allows you to explore different outcomes and scenarios by changing one or more variables. Pivot tables and charts enable summarizing and visualizing data in different ways. For example, you can use them to create reports and dashboards that show budget variance by month, product, or department.
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
- Serhii Kharchuk Anti-fraud @ Lean Black Belt Six Sigma | TensorFlow PyTorch | Business Analytics | Google | AWS | Laws | Marketing | Brand Strategy | Software Development | HR Business | Administration | Financial Management | Aerospace
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
Key Excel features for budget variance analysis:Data Validation: Ensure data integrityConditional Formatting: Highlight variances visuallyWhat-If Analysis: Explore different scenariosPivotTables: Summarize and analyze data flexiblyCharts: Visualize trends and patternsSUMIF/SUMIFS: Aggregate data based on criteriaINDEX/MATCH: Lookup values for complex comparisonsNamed Ranges: Improve formula readabilityData Tables: Perform sensitivity analysisMacros: Automate repetitive tasksCombine these features to create dynamic, insightful variance analysis tools. For example, use conditional formatting with data validation to create visual alerts for out-of-range values, or combine PivotTables with charts for interactive dashboards.
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
8
- Akiyo KOTCHONI Formateur de dirigeants associatifs ❇️ Budget associatif ❇️Modèle socio-économique ❇️ Analyse financière ❇️ Projet associatif ❇️ Plan stratégique ❇️ Organisme de formation certifié Qualiopi ❇️Financement OPCO Possible
- Report contribution
Thanks for letting us know! You'll no longer see this contribution
En complément, je dirais qu'il faut intégrer des macros pour automatiser les tâches répétitives et gagner en efficacité. Utilisez les fonctions avancées comme SOMME.SI pour une analyse plus précise des données.
Translated
LikeLike
Celebrate
Support
Love
Insightful
Funny
6 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
Help others by sharing more (125 characters min.)
Budget Management
Budget Management
+ Follow
Rate this article
We created this article with the help of AI. What do you think of it?
It’s great It’s not so great
Thanks for your feedback
Your feedback is private. Like or react to bring the conversation to your network.
Tell us more
Tell us why you didn’t like this article.
If you think something in this article goes against our Professional Community Policies, please let us know.
We appreciate you letting us know. Though we’re unable to respond directly, your feedback helps us improve this experience for everyone.
If you think this goes against our Professional Community Policies, please let us know.
More articles on Budget Management
No more previous content
- What are the best practices for budget smoothing across multiple projects or departments? 17 contributions
- How do you develop and maintain a budget culture in your organization? 19 contributions
- What are the best practices for visualizing budget data? 13 contributions
- How do you foster a culture of accountability and ownership among your budget responsibility center staff? 10 contributions
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a rolling budget? 16 contributions
- What are the benefits and challenges of using a percentage-based approach for budget contingency? 10 contributions
- What are the pros and cons of different types of budget incentives? 11 contributions
- What are the best practices for rewarding budget performance? 18 contributions
- How do you negotiate for more resources when facing budget constraints? 14 contributions
No more next content
More relevant reading
- Accounting How can flexible budgets help you monitor performance against targets?
- Accounting How do you calculate budget variance?
- Budget Analysis What are some tools or techniques that you use to simplify and visualize budget variance analysis?