Adding Investments

  1. On the Investments tab, determine where you want to add your marketing investment and click the appropriate row. If you want to insert the investment at the top level, click Grand Total.

  2. If needed, add folders to structure your investments:

    • Click Category to enter a folder on the same level.

    • Click Sub-category to enter a folder on the subordinate level.

  3. If you know the detailed breakdown of the planned costs:

    1. Mark the row under which you want to create a marketing investment by clicking it.

    2. Click the Line Item button.

      Note: Depending on your organization the name of your marketing investment button may vary.

      • A line item is inserted at the selected position and its name field is shown in edit mode:

        1. Enter the name of your marketing investment.

        2. Click again outside the name field.

          3. The line item is added.

      • The quick entry dialog New Line Item with several edit fields is shown.
        For more information on the quick entry form see Quick Entry Form.

        1. Enter the name of your marketing investment in the Description field.

        2. Edit the fields of the form. Required fields are marked red.

        3. Click Add.

          4. The line item is added and its most important fields are filled.

  4. If you want to plan investments for which you do not yet know the details:

    1. Mark the row under which you want to create a placeholder by clicking it.

    2. Click the Placeholder button.

      Note: Depending on your organization the name of the button may vary.

    3. Enter the name of the placeholder.

      Best Practices: As your marketing investments will display in reporting, we recommend that being descriptive with naming Placeholders. For example, SiriusDecisions Summit Placeholder.

    4. Click again outside the name field.

      5. The placeholder line will appear in italics to differentiate it from the other marketing investments.

  5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 until your investment plan is completed.

You have added the marketing investments to your plan.

To streamline data entry your organization can set up a quick entry form. If the quick entry form is activated, it will show up when you add a new line item. The form will contain the most important fields you have to fill when creating a line item. Fields you must fill are marked red as required fields.

Once marketing investments are added, you add details and the planned spend for the investment, see Adding Data to Investments.