The Datarails Budget Module provides a simple yet powerful way to create and manage budget processes. It helps you customize and streamline workflows, design and implement budget templates, and assign roles and responsibilities to team members for smooth collaboration.

By storing each step in the database, the module allows quick creation of new cycles and makes it easy to compare scenarios or analyze different budget components. Automation reduces manual effort and errors, while providing stronger analytical insights.

Templates can be split and assigned to various stakeholders (e.g., department heads, regional managers), enabling input from across the business.

You can also maintain multiple versions of your budget. For example:

• A top-down version, where you set revenue goals and adjust expenses accordingly.
• A bottom-up version, where stakeholder estimates are collected, and net income is derived.

Adjustments can be made by cloning existing versions and refining them.

Note: The Budget Module is not enabled by default. If you do not see it, contact the Customer Success Team.

Budget Module Structure

• Scenario Cycles – Represent key submissions in your budget process. Compare cycles in dashboards and Excel reports. Cycles can be created from scratch or cloned from previous ones.
• Budget Files – Store inputs such as Revenue or COGS. Files can be imported from the template library created with the Budget Builder, or uploaded. Templates can be split among stakeholders for collaborative budgeting.
• Tasks – Assign tasks to track progress by file and cycle.

Note: If you do not see the tasks option, contact your Customer Success Manager. This option must be manually enabled.

Scenario Cycle 

Scenario cycles represent specific iterations of your budget (e.g., First Cycle, Top-Down, Bottom-Up). These cycles are stored in the database for comparison and analysis throughout the year.

Create New Scenario Cycles

1. Access the Budget Module from the left side panel.
   
2. A new scenario cycle can be created either from scratch, by cloning an existing one, or by importing fileboxes from a forecast planning scenario.
3. To add a scenario cycle from scratch or from a planning scenario, click on the top-right “New” button. 
   
4. In the next modal, select the budget year and name your cycle. The name has to be unique for this year: you can’t name two cycles in 2026 with the same name. 
   

5. If you want to use the existing forecast file, enable the "Clone from forecast" toggle button.

   

6. Next, select the forecast scenario cycle and planning scenario that contains the files you want to clone. 
   After selecting that, you will be prompted to select the fileboxes that should be imported. 
    
   This selection can be adjusted here:
   
7. To clone an existing scenario cycle, navigate to the scenario cycle you want to clone and click on the “Clone” button.
   

8. Next, fill in the cycle name and the budget year. 
   

    

   If you want to make the new cycle your default, keep the checkbox ticked. Learn more about default cycles.

Lock a Scenario Cycles

Once a cycle is finalized, it is recommended to lock it. This prevents further changes and ensures your data remains consistent and reliable.

1. Use the lock symbol in the module header.
   
2. If you unlock any Filebox associated with the cycle, the cycle will no longer be considered locked.
3. Locked cycles cannot have new files tagged to them.

Delete a Scenario Cycle

1. Use the trash bin symbol in the header to remove all files associated with a cycle.
   
2. Deleted files are archived. If the Filebox becomes empty, it will also be archived.

Manage Default Scenario Cycles

To ensure your dashboards and reports consistently display data, a default cycle is used to tag this data. If you wish to compare multiple cycles, or present cycles other than the default, simply use the "scenario cycle" field in your query and select the desired cycles. For more information on default scenario cycles, read this article.

1. To set a default, click Manage Default.
   
2. On the subsequent screen, select your default cycle. Please note that only one budget cycle can be defined per year.
   
3. Since you must have exactly one default cycle per each year, In cases where you have only one cycle exist for a given year, it automatically be the default cycle.
4. Default cycles cannot be deleted (unless they are the only cycle for that year).

Budget Module: Budget Files

Budget files define the numbers for your selected year and cycle. They allow finance owners to manage specific budget parts independently or distribute templates to stakeholders.

Budget files can be added in three different ways: 

1. Import from Template Library – Ready-to-use templates designed by Datarails experts. Learn more about template library.
2. Use the Budget Builder – Create tailored templates automatically mapped to the database.
3. Upload Your Own Files – Import an existing file from your desktop.

To see all the files associated with a given cycle, use the drop down at the top of the  module, you'll see the year and Budget Cycle filter, which shows the budget files associated with the cycle.

Create a Budget File

1. Choose the relevant year and cycle.
2. Click New (if files already exist) or Add new budget file (if none exist).
3. Enter a file name and choose a method:
   • Upload file – Map it to the database using the Data Mapper.
   • Budget Builder – Drag-and-drop to design templates with automatic data integration and mapping
4. If you choose to upload a file, you’ll need to map it to the database. This action makes the data available in reports and widgets within the Datarails platform. Learn more about the Data Mapper.

Why use the Budget Builder?

• Quick Creation: Create a budget file in seconds with simple drag and drop.
• Automatic Data Integration: Automatically import historical data into your budget file.
• Automatic Mapping: The Budget Builder automatically maps the file into the database, making its values available for use in reports and widgets within the Datarails platform.
• Consolidation file: If you choose to split your budget builder file, a consolidated file that aggregates all the budget owner submissions will be created for you. 

Discover more about the Budget Builder. 

Split File

Splitting lets you distribute one template into multiple files by dimensions (e.g., Department, Cost Center).

Steps:

1. Create a full template file (preferably via Budget Builder or Dynamic Range).
2. Once created, open the three-dots menu of the file and select Split.
   
3. Choose one or more dimensions (from different tables) to filter and generate copies. For example: the department field from the Financials and Headcount tables.
   

Important notes

• One field per table can be selected.
• All fields must share the same type (text, date, number).
• After splitting, the original filebox is renamed with Template as a suffix and removed from the database.
• Copies are added to the database only if the original template was included.
• Consolidated files are created if using Budget Builder.

Post-split options

Edit split – Generate additional versions for existing copies, add new copies, or remove existing copies.

Undo Split – Revert to a standard file, archive splits, and restore the original.

Post-Split Options

• Re-split: Create additional copies for new values or manage existing ones.
• Consolidated File: If the Budget Builder created the template, a consolidated file containing all data submitted to the copies will be generated and stored under the “parent” file. .

Undo Split: This option reverts the template to a standard budget file, archives the collection process, including all split copies and the consolidated file, and adds the template back to the database (if it was included before the split).

More Advanced Options

For each Budget file, you can:

• Upload a new version.
• Download the latest version.
• Edit the file online (if enabled).

The online editing option is not available in all environments. To enable it, please contact your customer success manager.

In the 3-dots menu for file cycle, you can:

• Share – Add team members to this filebox. Changes here will also affect files linked to other cycles.
• Rename – Assign a new name to this filebox. Renaming will also impact files connected to other cycles.
• Archive – Archive this file and remove it from active use.    
• Go to Filebox – Manage versions, permissions, and names.
• Go to budget Builder – Adjust file structure.
• Go to data mapper – Edit database mapping.

Updated February 03, 2026 08:59