SmartBudget setup checklist
Certain data must be available in Polaris for SmartBudget to make useful calculations. Refer to the checklist below for settings you must configure before adding and committing a SmartBudget.
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Setting |
Configure at |
Notes |
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Assign the Cost & Billing Administrator default permission set to the user who will be setting up cost and role data, and adding and committing SmartBudgets |
To assign sets to users: Administration > Users > Roles & Permissions tab |
This permission set is based on the Administrator type, and has SmartBudget access enabled, along with all of the other permissions required to set up and use SmartBudget |
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Ensure all needed billable roles exist You can import roles.
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Administration > Projects > Project Roles |
At least one role must exist. You don’t need to assign rates. Ensure you’ve selected Yes for the Billable field. |
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Ensure all users are assigned the appropriate primary role You can import role assignments using the User import.
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Resource Management > Roles field You can also view a user’s primary role on the main page of their user profile
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Each billable role must be assigned to at least one user before you can add a SmartBudget. You can assign roles to non-billable users, but it’s not required. |
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Enter all business costs for your organization |
Administration > Company > Business Costs |
This might include rent, utilities, insurance, office equipment and supplies, entertainment, travel expenses, etc. Business costs are typically added as annual amounts. Business costs will apply to any SmartBudget whose period overlaps the cost effective dates by at least one day. This establishes an amount per day rate, that the SmartBudget will apply to each day in the plan. If a SmartBudget is created with no overlapping business costs, no business costs will be factored into that plan’s calculations. |
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Ensure all users have a direct cost assigned You can import direct cost values.
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Administration > Users > Billing & Cost tab |
This value represents the employee’s total costs to your organization, excluding costs covered under business costs. It typically includes salary, paid time off, cost of travel, etc., and is usually added as an annual amount. Ensure this is set for all employees, not just billable ones.
The date range for direct cost must overlap with a SmartBudget period by at least one day, for each user, or the SmartBudget won’t generate.
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Ensure all users are assigned an office schedule You can assign schedules using User mass edit.
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To create schedules: Administration > Schedules > Office Schedules To assign them to users: Administration > Users > Schedule tab |
Scheduled hours are used to determine the hours used in cost calculations. If no schedule is in effect, the last hours per day value is used. Schedule effective dates do not have to overlap with the plan period. |
FAQs
Are all business costs required?
Yes, if you want the SmartBudget calculations to produce optimal goal rates. The less accurate and complete your cost data, the less optimal your calculated rates will be, so it’s advisable to input all relevant costs into the system.
Related links
Maximizing profit with SmartBudget
Adding and committing a SmartBudget
How SmartBudget billing rates are calculated
Setting up roles
Mass adding, updating, and deleting data using data import