Adding Spend Data for Investments

In this step, Sheila enters the planned costs for each investment per month. In Sheila's company, the entry of planned expenses is completed by the beginning of the fiscal year. The plan columns are then locked by an administrator and the spend data is updated in the forecast columns. Locking allows Sheila to compare the plan data from the beginning of the fiscal year with the changes in the forecast columns and to draw conclusions.

Sheila's company operates internationally and the different marketing teams manage their marketing investments in their local currencies. The administrators can therefore define the appropriate currency for each investment plan. For more information see Identifying Investment Plan Currency.

Sometimes Sheila needs to enter expenses in currencies other than the investment plan currency, because spends are incurred in other countries. For example, the investment plan is managed in USD, but an amount is spent in EUR. Sheila can handle this by setting a multi-currency value. See Setting a Multi-Currency Value.

  • You have selected a suitable view: To enter planned expenses, the plan columns must be displayed in the investment plan. Usually, the expenses are planned on a monthly basis. However, some companies plan quarterly.

  • You know your budget: The goal is to spend exactly the entire budget. The application helps you with the Metrics panel by showing you your target to spend in the FY Investment Target:

    The FY Left to plan number shows you how much money you can still plan for.

Note

Your company may not use targets in the application. In this case, discuss with your system administrator how to plan.

  1. Open the investment plan for which you want to plan spend.

  2. For each line item (white cells), enter what you expect to spend in what month (quarter).

    3. The entered numbers are summed up for the sub-categories and categories up to the Grand Total line (grey cells).

  3. Plan appropriate amounts until FY Left to plan in the Metrics panel reaches 0.

You have planned the budget specified for an investment plan.