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Version: Current

FAQ: What's the difference between Rolling, Current, and Total budget evaluation?

When you create an Interval Budget (e.g., Monthly, Quarterly) in Zudello, the Evaluate Budget As setting determines how spending is compared against the budgeted amounts for each interval.

  1. Current:

    • Compares: Transaction amount against the budget amount allocated only for the specific interval the transaction's date falls into.
    • Ignores: Over/under spending from previous intervals. Each interval is treated independently for exception checking.
    • Example: Monthly budget of $1000. Spend $800 in Jan, $1100 in Feb.
      • Jan: $200 remaining for Jan.
      • Feb: $100 over budget for Feb (Jan's underspend doesn't offset this).
    • Use Case: Strict monthly/quarterly spending limits where carry-over is not allowed or desired for control purposes.

  2. Rolling:

    • Compares: Transaction amount against the cumulative budget amount from the start of the budget period up to and including the current interval.
    • Carries Forward: Effectively rolls over any remaining balance (positive or negative) from previous periods within the overall budget timeframe.
    • Example: Monthly budget of $1000. Spend $800 in Jan, $1100 in Feb.
      • Jan: $200 remaining carried forward. Cumulative Budget = $1000, Cumulative Spend = $800.
      • Feb: Cumulative Budget = $2000 ($1000 Jan + $1000 Feb). Cumulative Spend = $1900 ($800 Jan + $1100 Feb). Remaining = $100. The transaction is not considered over budget because Jan's underspend covers Feb's overspend within the rolling total.
    • Use Case: Tracking annual budgets on a monthly/quarterly basis where flexibility between periods is allowed, focusing on the year-to-date performance.

  3. Total:

    • Compares: Transaction amount against the total budget amount summed across all intervals for that budget line.
    • Borrows from Future: Allows spending allocated to one period to effectively use budget allocated to future periods within the same budget line.
    • Example: Monthly budget of $1000 (Total $12000 for year). Spend $1500 in Jan.
      • Jan: Compared against the $12000 total. Remaining = $10500. Not over budget.
    • Use Case: Project budgets where the overall project cost is the main constraint, regardless of precisely when the spending occurs within the project timeline.

Note: If the Budget Interval is set to "Total" (making it a Set Budget), all three evaluation methods produce the same result as there is only one interval.

The choice of evaluation method significantly impacts how remaining amounts are calculated and when "Over Budget" exceptions are triggered.

See Configuring Budget Dimensions and Evaluation Methods.