Preparing Line-Item Activities

This chapter provides an overview of line-item activities and discusses how to:

• Work with line-item activities.

• Work with methods.

• Check bottom-up budgets against top-down plans.

• Make adjustments.

• Use SpreadSheet Add-In functionality.

• Submit a line-item activity.

Understanding Line-Item Activities

In Planning and Budgeting, preparers or casual preparers are budget users at the lowest-level planning center defined for the planning model. Budget preparers are responsible for preparing, modifying, and submitting a detailed, line-item budget for their respective planning centers. If applicable, they also prepare, modify, and submit position and asset budgets.

Preparers start with a base budget that the budget coordinator develops. A coordinator usually works in the central budget office. The base budget may be populated with proposed budget data (based on prior year actuals, prior year budget figures, or some other basis). Alternatively, the base budget may be blank for zero-based budgeting. In that case, you must build the budget plan from the ground up.

In Planning and Budgeting, you work with line-item activities in data slices based on the planning center definition. This increases the efficiency of the system and lets other budget users access other data slices of the planning model at the same time. When you work with a data slice, you're doing so for a specific planning center for a specific activity and scenario combination. (Remember that you can define multiple line item activities, and also define whether individual line item activities do or do not include data from associated assets and position budgeting activities.)

The sum of the line items for every planning center in the business unit comprises the organization's entire budget. Line-item budgets include personnel, capital, non-personnel expenditures and revenue estimates for a defined period of time, and related position and asset data. If you use position budgeting, the system uses the data entered in position budgeting to calculate the personnel line items for salary, earnings, benefits, and employer-paid taxes. If you use asset budgeting, the system uses the data that you enter in asset budgeting to calculate asset and depreciation expenses.

See Also

Understanding Planning and Budgeting Activities

Common Elements Used in This Chapter

Dimensions Used in Line-Items and Their Relationship to Other Activities

Planning and Budgeting supports integration with Financial Management and third-party financial applications. The dimensions that you work with in line-item activities must be:

• Selected for use in Planning and Budgeting.

• Available in the financial application with which you integrate Planning and Budgeting.

• Included as dimensions in the planning model.

The dimensions that are defined as dimensions in the planning model appear in line-item activity.

Dimensions Configured for Planning and Budgeting

Use the Dimension Configuration page to select the dimensions that you want to make available in Planning and Budgeting. Select dimensions independent of the data sources with which you integrate Planning and Budgeting. However, if you select a dimension that an integration source does not support, you should evaluate the use of the dimension in the planning model in conjunction to your requirement in sending data back to the source system.

Dimensions Available by Financial Integration Source

Define the financial integration source using the Budget Installation Options page.

Note. As you can define multiple line-item activities, you can define activities that do transfer data back to your financials application, and other activities that do not transfer data back to your financials application. For the line-item activities that do not transfer data, you can specify any dimension, and you select dimensions at the planning model level.

In cases when you define activities that use non-general ledger ChartField dimensions, first associate these activities to the planning model, then restrict the activities that transfer data back to the general ledger to contain ChartField dimensions recognized by your financial application.

Dimensions Defined and Included as Dimensions in the Planning Model

Define the dimensions that you want to include in the planning model using the Dimension Configuration and the Activities pages. Select from the dimensions that are available in the financial data integration source.

See Defining the History (Analysis Base).

See Defining Activities.

Changing Dimension Combinations in Line-Item Activity

When changing dimension combinations for a row in line-item activity as a preparer, the system retains the associated method details as defined by the original dimension combinations. The following conditions apply:

• When changing the dimension combination for a row in line-item activity, a message indicates that the related method details will be retained when you save changes.

  Click OK to proceed or click Cancel. Exceptions to this include:

  • If the default method defined in the planning model does not allow override of the method, it changes to the new method and the system does not retain any of the original values.

    If the original method is the same as the new method for the dimension combination, the system checks for other override controls such as driver, base, and driver parameter. If an override is not allowed on any of these, the system does not retain the method details. Click OK to proceed or click Cancel.

  • When a row is assigned as either the source or the target of the RELATE method, the system does not allow dimension changes.

• Any adjustments originally made on the line-item row are also retained when you make and save the dimension changes.

  In this case, the system ignores the adjustment flag option on the Method Default page in the planning model for the line item activity.

• Changes to the dimension combination are not allowed after you apply mass adjustments or allocations.

  You must reverse mass adjustments or allocations before changing the dimension combination in the line-item budget row.

• For methods that are calculated based on an historical value, even though the system retains the method details, the method amounts are different if the history amounts for the modified line are different from the history amounts for the original line. If history data does not exist for the modified line, the history and method amounts are zero.

Inquiring on Combination Edit and Commitment Control Rules

When enforcing valid ChartField (dimension) combinations during planning and budgeting in your line item activity, an online check will be performed when adding any new ChartField combinations. You will not be able to save an invalid combination when the enforce budget is enabled for the line item activity and scenario. The budget coordinator uses the Activity Scenario page in the planning model to turn on enforcement of valid ChartField combinations for a line item activity. The staging process performs this validation check, and will mark an invalid rows in error with the red x symbol instead of a green check-mark when the row is in error and needs to be corrected. If you fail to correct this error online, the system will prevent you from submitting your budget, and does not allow submission if there are invalid combination rows.

Note. The use of the enforce budget flag for combination edits and commitment control rules is only valid for a line item activity, since a ledger is associated with type of data. Any data inserted into the line item from invalid combinations entered in position and asset budgeting activities will need to be corrected in the activity the combination is coming from.

When using single signon options to the PeopleSoft Financial Management system, you can access the Combination Edit and Commitment Control Setup Inquiry page that has available links directly to PeopleSoft General Ledger. The links on this page are useful when troubleshooting to determine valid ChartField combinations. Once you know the Process Groups used for validation, you can click Review Budgets Combo Data to display a list of all valid combinations for each Process Group. For further analysis, the combination setup pages are also available.

Note. Refer to the Ledger for a Unit page regarding validation. The system requires the process group you define on this page as the rules are driven (or keyed) by process group.

Working with Line-Item Activities

This section provides an overview of line-item amounts and methods and discusses how to:

• Maintain line-item data entry details.

• Add a new line-item entry.

• Review planning targets.

• Perform variance analysis.

• Perform version analysis.

• Manage user views.

• Enter row display filter information.

• Enter row display option information.

• Enter column display option information.

• Fix combination errors and change dimension members.

• Add notes to line-item activities.

• View line-item activities by budget period and adjust line amounts.

See Also

Building the Planning Model

Working With Planning and Budgeting Activities

Understanding Line-Item Amounts and Methods

Primarily using the Line Items Detail page, you can enter fixed budget amounts into line items directly or have the system calculate budget amounts by assigning each line item a method. To manually enter a budget amount for a line item, use hot key functions to quickly enter data, enter amounts directly into each budget period, or assign the AMTPER (amount per budget period) method, and then enter a fixed budget amount by budget period.

Apply the rules-based methodology using the appropriate method types when possible. If you use methods to calculate budget amounts, select from a set of delivered methods. Override the methods and method details assigned to line items in the base budget if the coordinator enables override capability using the Assign Planning Method Defaults: Override Control page.

Enter characters in the Hot Keys column to help you quickly enter budget data across periods.

To indicate increases, perform line-item budgeting using positive values. To indicate decreases in expenditures or revenues, use negative values.

Note. If you define a ledger as the proposed budget that combines revenue and expense account types, the monetary values appear as gross amounts or summed totals. Planning and Budgeting does not use values by account type within the line-item activity. For net income amounts, access the available inquiry options for line-item analysis.

Pages Used to Work with Line-Item Activities

See Also

Using the Planning Workspaces

Maintaining Line-Item Data Entry Details

Access the Line Item Details page.

Add and edit line-item budgets. If you use additional line item activities, the system can derive line-item data (LINEITEM) from other line item activities associated with the same scenario. If you use the position or asset budgeting activities, the system derives these line-item budgets from detailed position or asset budgeting data. If you have the necessary permissions for these activities, access the position and asset budgeting activities by clicking the total amount for the POSBUD or ASSET method total.

See Reporting and Analyzing Results.

Dimensions and Members

The Dimensions and Members collapsible group box lets you set up filters to control the amount of data that appears on the Amount Summary page. The values on the Dimension and Filter Dimension Members tabs come from the line-item selection criteria that you define using the Row Display Filter page when using User Views. In fact, this group box has the same functionality as that used when defining user views, on the Row Display Filter page.

Action Menu

The options that appear in the Action Menu collapsible group box depend on the view definition that you set up using the Select Line Items Budgets page.

User View

Account Summary

The budget data for each line item appears on this tab in the grid.

Note. If you click a link or button that opens another page, the system saves your data before you access the new page.

Use the other two tabs to view the budget amounts for each period. The tabs that are available depend on the total number of periods in the budget. Click the Show all columns button to expand all columns across a single page view.

Note. You can also use the individual method details pages associated with a line-item budget to work with line-item details, including adjustments.

Totals

See Also

Setting Up Methods

Adding a New Line-Item Entry

Access the Add Line Item page.

Note. If you have enabled the Enforce Budget option for the planning model at the scenario level, the system automatically validates the staged data being inserted into the line-item activity. For standard or project type scenarios, the system performs combination edit validations; for control budget type scenarios, the system also validates against the defined Commitment Control rulesets. A red X icon appears for the line-items the system cannot validate, instead of a green check mark.

Fields display here based on the selected dimension of this activity and scenario.

Reviewing Planning Targets

Access the Planning Targets page.

Tolerance Rules

Planning Target Details

The system displays the line-item budget according to the planning center and account or account node. When displaying data, the system recognizes the signage definitions that you specify using the Account Type Options page.

Compare the planning target and budget total with the amount difference and percentage variance.

If the control level is set to active and the line item does not comply with the planning target rules and tolerances, you cannot submit the budgets.

Note. If you budgeted for items that do not roll to the target node or account, these line items appear in the Planning Target Error Details group box.

See Also

Setting Up Planning Target Rules

Performing Variance Analysis

Access the Variance Analysis page.

Statistical Account Analysis	Select for the system to perform statistical account analysis calculations in the variance analysis.
Compare to Self	Select for the planning model to be compared to itself.
Comparison Scenario	Select to specify another planning model for the variance analysis.
Labels	Select to specify column label display for the variance analysis. Values are: Code Code and Description Description
Select View Currency	Select the currency in which you want to review the variance analysis.
Run	Click to perform the variance analysis results.

Refresh	Click to update the display.
Unload Analytic Instance	Click to unload the analytic instance from the display.

Performing Version Analysis

Access the Version Analysis page.

Select All	Select the appropriate version checkboxes you want to include in the version analysis calculation.
Run	Click to display the version analysis results.

Managing User Views

Access the User Views page.

Enter general user information to create a private or public view.

Entering Row Display Filter Information

Access the Row Display Filter page.

Dimensions	Displays only those dimensions available to you.
Dimension Level	Select up to three dimensions to display on the row, nested hierarchically in the order in which you select them. Values are First, Second,and Third. Note. For a flat view, do not select any dimension levels.
Show Code	Select to display the associated dimension's value code.
Show Description	Select to display the associated dimension's description.

Note. Fields in the Filter Dimension Members grid are described earlier.

Select the Row Display Options tab to access the Row Display Options page.

Entering Row Display Option Information

Access the Row Display Options page.

Row Summary	Select to display only summary nodes for the first row dimension.
Row Detail	Select to display only detailed (editable) cells for all row dimensions.
Hide Zero Total Amounts for Proposed Budget/Forecast	Select to hide line items for which the total amount is zero (0). If you select this option, the system displays only those line items with entered values.
Method Amount	Select to display the assigned method rows for accessing method details or entering budget amounts.
Adjustment Amount	Select to display rows for incremental or mass adjustment amounts when applied.
Allocation Amount	Select to display amount rows that you cannot modify using the line-item activity; these amounts are applied through the Edit Allocation option when available on My Planning Workspace for the master version.
Total Amount	Displays the total of the method, adjustment, and allocation amount. Note. Access to modifying the method, adjustment, and allocation amount must be granted.
Display Entry Currency	Select to display all entry currency rows. Alternatively, enter a currency value in the Filter Dimension Members grid on the Row Display Filter page to display only one entry currency.
Display Statistic Rows	Select to display the statistical amount rows, and then enter a statistical value in the Filter Dimension Members grid on the Row Display Filter page to display only one statistical type.
Display Target Currency	Select to display one or all target currencies. You cannot view statistical rows and target currencies at the same time.
One	Select to display one target currency, and then select the currency from the drop-down list box.
All	Select to display all target currencies.

Entering Column Display Option Information

Access the Column Display Options page.

Period Summary	Select to display only summary nodes for the budget periods.
Period Detail	Select to display only detailed (editable) cells for all budget periods.
Prior Year Actuals, Year To Date Actuals, Current Year Budget, Current Year Forecast	Select which columns of historical data you want to display during line-item preparation. Historical information appears as full year totals in the columns.

Fixing Combination Errors and Changing Dimension Members

Access the ChartField Errors page or the Modify Dimensions page.

If you access this page by clicking the Review Error link (icon that includes a red x) on the Line Item Details page, the dimension error resulting from the dimension validation process appears. The type of error for the line item appears to the right of the dimension that resulted in an error.

Adding Notes to Line-Item Activities

Access the Line Item Notes page.

Public Note	Select to let other users view your notes.
Private Note	Select so that only you can view your notes.
Append Note to Log	Click to save and attach a note to the notes log.
Date Time Stamp	The system applies a date and time stamp, attaches a user ID to the note, and indicates whether the note is private or public.
	Click the Delete This Row button to delete a note that you create. Other users cannot delete your notes.

Viewing Line-Item Rows by Budget Period and Adjusting Line Amounts

Access the individual method pages to view the budget period details and adjust line-item amounts.

See Setting Up Methods.

Working with Methods

Every line within a budget has a method assigned to it. A method defines how the system calculates the budget amount for the line or derives the amount if a calculation is not necessary.

This section provides an overviews of method calculations, method attributes, and how methods work, lists common elements, and discusses how to use the:

• AMTFTE (amount per full-time equivalent) method.

• AMTHC (amount per headcount) method.

• AMTPER (amount per budget period) method.

• AMTUNT (amount times defined units) method.

• ANN% (annual growth percentage) method.

• ASSET (from asset budgeting) method.

• BASBUD (base budget) method.

• DISTR (distribution) method.

• ECODRV (economic driver) method.

• FLEX (flexible formula) method.

• LINEITEM (from line item) method.

• ITM (itemization) method.

• JOIN method.

• METH=0 (zero method amount) method.

• PER% (period growth percentage) method.

• POSBUD (from position budgeting) method.

• RELATE (related account or statistical code) method.

• UNTAMT (units times defined amount) method.

Understanding Method Calculations

The method group ID associated with a line item activity from the Activity Group page defines the methods that are available during the planning and budgeting development process.

The following methods require a calculation:

• AMTFTE: The system uses a defined amount for each full-time equivalent (FTE).

• AMTHC: The system uses a defined amount for each headcount.

• ANN%: The system applies an annual growth rate to an historical or current base value.

• ECODRV: The system applies a growth rate to an historical or current base value.

• PER%: The system uses a defined growth rate for a budget period.

• RELATE: The system multiplies a percentage or amount by a line-item entry.

• FLEX: The system calculates the budget amount using the user-defined formula specified for this line item

The following methods do not require a calculation because the system derives the budget amounts through other means:

• AMTPER: Enter a budget amount by budget period.

• ASSET: The system derives budget amounts from the details in the asset budgeting activity.

• BASBUD: The system uses the base budget as the budget amount.

• POSBUD: The system derives budget amounts from the details in the position budgeting activity.

• LINEITEM: The system derives the budget amounts from the associated line item child activity.

A method can have an associated driver, driver parameter, and base. Coordinators create drivers for the methods that require them.

Methods that use delivered drivers include AMTFTE and AMTHC.

For example, you can use the BC FTE (planning center full-time equivalent) driver or the BU FTE (business unit full-time equivalent) driver for the AMTFTE method. You cannot change or add a driver for this method.

The value that you use as the driver—the driver parameter—determines the line-item budget calculation. For example, suppose that the AMTFTE method uses the BC FTE driver. The coordinator defines the driver parameter as 100.00 USD. The system calculates the number of FTEs based on the position budgeting activity, and then multiplies it by 100.00 USD. You can change the driver amounts for the BC FTE driver only if the coordinator enables overrides. You cannot change the FTE count for this AMTFTE method. The system calculates it based on information in the position budgeting activity.

The following six methods use a lookup table for their driver parameters:

• AMTFTE

• AMTHC

• AMTUNT

• DISTR

• RELATE

• UNTAMT

Coordinators use lookup tables to assign specific driver values to each planning center in the organization. Coordinators can choose to use these lookup tables to assign driver parameters or to define a default value for the method driver.

A method can also have a base against which the method is applied. Define the following types of method bases:

• Prior year actuals

• Year-to-date actuals

• Current year budget

• Current year forecast

• History (up to five optional values that the coordinator defines)

Inflation Factors

If you want the system to calculate the line-item budget for travel expenses by applying an inflation factor to the prior year actual expenditure for travel, the method base is the prior year actual expenditure figure.

The ANN% method, which applies a growth rate to an historical value on an annual basis, uses both a driver parameter and a method base. For this method, define a growth rate (driver parameter) and an historical value (method base) on which to apply the growth rate. For example, you could specify a 5 percent growth rate (driver parameter) and apply it to the prior year budget value of 88,000.00 USD (method base) for the vehicle maintenance budget. The system calculates 92,400.00 USD as the proposed vehicle maintenance budget. For budgets that contain more than one period, such as quarterly periods, you may choose to spread the amount evenly or weight it.

Overrides

Coordinators define the default methods and the method details (driver, driver parameter, and base) for line items in the planning model. A preparer can override the defaults if the coordinator enables overrides for the method. Each method criterion has its own override check box. Overriding a method is not the same as overriding the driver, driver parameter, or method base associated with the method. For the ANN% and PER% methods, the driver parameter is not defined by the coordinator; instead, the preparer enters the parameter when preparing the budget.

Understanding Method Attributes

The following table shows the method attributes of the delivered methods. Change the method name to suit your organization's needs.

For budget preparers, detailed method definitions appear on a separate page. The method pages display similar information with variations in the use of drivers, driver parameters, and base fields depending on the method type. For the ASSET, POSBUD, METH=0, and BASBUD methods, the method detail pages are used only to make adjustments (when applicable) and to view total and period details.

Understanding How Methods Work

This section reviews how methods work and provides examples.

Note. We do not discuss the AMTPER, ASSET, BASBUD, METH=0, and POSBUD methods here because these methods do not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base.

AMTFTE

Position budgeting data defines the number of FTEs for a planning center or business unit. The coordinator defines the cost per FTE to be calculated against the number of FTEs by budget period. The AMTFTE method does not use a method base. The formula for the AMTFTE method is:

(Cost per FTE for a budget period) * (Number of FTEs) = (Calculated amount for a budget period)

After the system calculates the amounts for each budget period and the totals for all budget periods, it adds them together to calculate the total method amount for the line item:

(Sum of all calculated budget period amounts) = (Method amount for line item)

For example, suppose that you are responsible for developing the office supplies budget for a new department that is starting up at the beginning of 2003. You want to accomplish this by budgeting 33.00 USD for each FTE in the department. You figure that, with the discount that your organization receives from the vendor, 33.00 USD for each FTE should be enough to cover the one-time costs of new office supplies and the ongoing costs of supplies for a year.

Use the AMTFTE method to budget for the office supplies line item and use the following data:

Suppose that the planning center FTE value is 10. This is the number of FTEs that comes from the position budgeting data. The planning center (the new department) has 10 FTEs because that is the number of FTEs authorized to staff the new department.

The system calculates the following 2003 office supplies budget amount:

Note. When using the system delivered BU FTE driver with this method, the FTE count comes from the sum of all FTEs for the business unit model and depends on the FTE count in the master version to capture this information. Therefore, an FTE value and calculated amount could vary until all related information is in the master version from planning center details.

AMTHC

The position budgeting data defines the headcount for a planning center or business unit. The coordinator defines the cost per headcount to be calculated against the headcount by budget period. The AMTHC method does not use a method base. The formula for the AMTHC method is:

(Cost per headcount for a budget period) * (Headcount) = (Calculated amount for a budget period)

After the system calculates method amounts for all budget periods, it adds them together to calculate the total method amount for the line item:

(Sum of all calculated budget period amounts) = (Method amount for line item)

For example, suppose that you are budgeting for a business unit's annual employee recognition reception. You want to budget 7.00 USD per person for the beverages line item; so you enter 7.00 as the amount. You know that every employee within the business unit center plans to attend the event. The position budgeting data calculates a headcount of 2,670 employees in the planning center. The calculated line-item budget amount is 18,690.00 USD, which is 2,670 multiplied by 7.00 USD.

Note. When using the system delivered BU HC driver with this method, the headcount (HC) comes from the sum of all headcounts for the business unit model and depends on the total headcount located in the master version to capture this information. Therefore, your headcount value and calculated amount could vary until all related information is located in the master version from planning center details.

AMTUNT

Using the AMTUNT method, the coordinator controls the number of units, and the preparer enters the cost per unit. The AMTUNT method uses a driver and driver parameters. Coordinators define drivers and driver parameters. For example, a coordinator can define drivers and driver values for such quantities as the number of trade shows planned, training classes, or items produced. Use any of these drivers and driver parameters to estimate a budget for a particular method. The method does not use a method base.

The formula for the AMTUNT method is:

(Cost per unit for a budget period) * (Number of units for a budget period) = (Calculated amount for a budget period)

After the system calculates the method amounts for all budget periods, it adds them together to calculate the total method amount for the line item:

(Sum of all calculated budget period amounts) = (Method amount for line item)

For example, suppose that you want to budget for supplies in the Customer Training Center. You want to estimate a certain amount for every student enrolled per quarter (assuming that the budget period is quarterly). The coordinator defines the number of students enrolled per quarter.

Enter the amount per enrolled student that you want to budget per quarter, and the system calculates the budget amounts for you as shown in the following table:

ANN%

The ANN% method uses a method base. It does not use a driver or driver parameter. Enter an annual growth rate that the system applies to the method base to calculate the method amount. The formula for the ANN% method is:

(Method base) * [1 + (Growth rate)] = (Method amount)

For example, suppose that you use the ANN% method to estimate office supply expenses for 2003 (assuming that there are no adjustments or allocations). To apply a 5 percent growth rate to the 2001 actual expenditure for office supplies, enter Prior Year Actuals as the base and 5 for the percentage. If the annual 2001 actual expenditure for office supplies was 5,000.00 USD, the 2003 budget amount calculation is 5,250.00 USD for the year.

DISTR

Use the DISTR method to distribute or assign constant budget amounts by planning center before publishing the model working with the budgets. The DISTR method does not use a method base.

In line-item budgeting, view the default values assigned to the planning center in the Amount column. If no overrides are allowed, you cannot change the driver. If overrides are allowed, select another driver. When overrides are allowed for the driver parameter, you can also change the amounts in the Amount column.

For example, suppose that the central budget office is responsible for the distribution of rent expenses across the organization. This expense is typically assigned and pushed down to the planning centers. In this case, constant dollar amounts are already assigned to an account by planning center when you copy from the base version.

ECODRV

The Economic Driver method uses a driver, driver parameter, and method base. Coordinators define the drivers, driver parameters, and method base when assigned to a specific account. For example, a coordinator can define drivers and driver values for economic indicators such as inflation rate, gross domestic product, unemployment rate, employment cost index, business licenses, and housing construction starts. Use any of these drivers and driver parameters to estimate a budget for a particular line item. The method is based on annual budget periods. It also uses a method base. Select a method base, and then enter the percentage rate that you want to apply against the base to calculate the method amount for the line item. The formula for the ECODRV method is:

(Method base) * [1 + (Percentage)] = (Method amount)

For example, suppose that you want to use the ECODRV method to estimate revenue growth based on the projected increase in sales in a region. Define a driver as regional growth and assign a driver parameter of 5 percent to it. The base is 1.5 million USD—the actual revenue figure for the prior year. The system calculates a budget amount for revenue of 1.575 million USD.

ITM

The ITM method does not use driver parameters or a method base. Define an item, select one of the delivered drivers, and then enter values for each item that the system uses to calculate the method amount. The formula for the ITM method using QTY*COST is:

(Number of units) * (Cost per unit) = (Calculated amount)

The formula for the ITM method using PERSUM is:

(Sum of calculated amounts for all items) = (Method amount)

Use the Export Itemization Information page to export budgeting data using the ITM method from the planning model for the master version, which is typically run by the coordinator.

The following table shows an example of a 2003 annual budget by quarter (the budget period) for travel expenses using the ITM method:

If you access the Itemization page for this example, you see the following data that supports the travel expense line-item results:

JOIN

The JOIN method combines the existing methods UNTAMT and AMTUNT into one method. It multiplies the defined amount by the defined unit. The JOIN method provides the driver parameter values for the amount per unit and number of units. Coordinators define the drivers and driver parameters. A coordinator can define drivers and set standard costs or number of units. This method requires a known number of units (such as number of computers) and the cost per unit must be defined. These components have already been linked and assigned a driver ID such as COMPUTERS. For example, when you select COMPUTERS as the driver ID, the system provides information by period for units and cost.

If the coordinator allows overrides of the driver parameter, change the parameters by entering new amounts in place of existing ones. If the coordinator allows driver overrides, change the driver, but only if there are other JOIN drivers defined. If overrides are not allowed, both the Number of Units column and the Cost Per Unit column are display-only.

This method can be associated with a driver lookup table by default.

For example, suppose that the coordinator defines the number of units per budget period as 2 and the cost per unit of travel as 2,500.00 USD. For any type of employee travel, the standard cost estimate per trip is 2,500.00 USD. The new travel policy for the department allows only two trips per month.

The coordinator defines a driver called TRAVEL to calculate two trips per month per department at a cost of 2,500.00 USD each. You know that in December there will be three authorized trips and that in August there will be only one. In this case, you could select the TRAVEL driver, and then override the entries for the 8^th and 12^th budget periods.

PER%

The PER% method uses a method base. The PER% method does not use a driver or driver parameter. Enter a growth rate value for each budget period. The system applies the growth rate to the method amount for the prior budget period. The formula for the PER% method is:

(Prior budget period calculated amount) * [1 + (Budget period growth rate)] = (Next budget period calculated amount)

There is one exception to this formula. No prior budget period calculated amount exists for the first budget period calculated amount. The calculated amount for the first budget period uses the defined method base. The system uses this formula to calculate the first budget period calculated amount:

(Last budget period of method base) * [1 + (Budget period growth rate)] = (Calculated amount for the first budget period)

After the system calculates the amounts for all budget periods, it adds them together to calculate the total method amount for the line item.

(Sum of all calculated budget period amounts) = (Method amount for line item)

For example, suppose that you want to generate a 2003 budget amount for telephone expenses using the PER% method and you have quarterly budget periods. Assume there are no adjustments or allocations. You define base as Current Year Budget, which has a Q4 budget amount of 100.00 USD. You define the method using the following data:

Your 2003 budget for telephone expenses using the PER% method would be as follows:

RELATE

The RELATE method lets you define a line-item budget by associating it with other account or statistical code amounts. Define these line-item amounts or rates at a single, global level or value, or assign a lookup table driver to reference values specific to a planning center. The RELATE method accommodates the following scenarios in a line-item activity:

To calculate anticipated overtime expenses, you could use the RELATE method to define a global percentage of 5 percent to be multiplied times account 610000 for employee salary. In this case, the driver is associated with the driver ID name, account, and percent value. The account reference is display-only if the coordinator prohibits driver parameter overrides.

An example using a statistical code follows:

To calculate the anticipated overtime expenses using the statistical code, the budget office could assign a lookup ID to the driver and use a statistical code instead of an account. In this case, the Basis and Value Type columns display the statistical source value used to calculate total overtime hours. The Value column represents an amount or rate applied against this statistical amount. In this case, the value is drawn from the driver lookup table (if a value exists for the planning center).

UNTAMT

In the UNTAMT method, the coordinator controls the costs per unit and the preparer enters the number of units. The UNTAMT method uses a driver and driver parameter. Coordinators define the drivers and driver parameters. A coordinator can define drivers and set standard costs for such items as airfare, hotel accommodations, computers, desk furniture, and vehicles. Use these drivers and driver parameters to estimate a budget for these items. The method does not use a method base. The preparer enters the number of units to be calculated against the cost per unit by budget period.

The formula for the UNTAMT method is:

(Number of units for a budget period) * (Cost per unit for a budget period) = (Calculated amount for a budget period)

After the system calculates the method amounts for all budget periods, it adds them together to calculate the total method amount for the line item:

(Sum of all calculated budget period amounts) = (Method amount for line item)

Suppose that the coordinator defines the cost per unit of travel as 2,500.00 USD for all budget periods. For any type of employee travel, the standard cost estimate per trip is 2,500.00 USD. You do not override this predefined cost per trip. You have monthly budget periods. You enter the number of trips estimated for the planning center for each month, and the budget amounts per budget period are calculated as shown in the following table:

Common Elements Used in This Section

Pages Used to Work with Methods

Using the AMTFTE Method

Access the Amount Per FTE page.

The AMTFTE method uses a driver and driver parameter. Select one of the delivered drivers as the driver of the method. You cannot add other drivers.

Using the AMTHC Method

Access the Amount Per Headcount page.

The AMTHC method uses a driver and driver parameter. Select one of the delivered drivers as the driver of the method. You cannot add other drivers.

Using the AMTPER Method

Access the Amount Per Period page.

The AMTPER method does not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base. Use the AMTPER method to enter budget amounts by budget period to determine the amount for the line item. Applying the AMTPER method to a line item lets you manually control the amount to budget per budget period.

See Also

Building the Planning Model

Using the AMTUNT Method

Access the Amount x Defined Units page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays AMTUNT to override the default method.
Driver ID	Select the desired driver. Available driver options include those assigned by the coordinator.
Cost Per Unit	Enter a value to override the default for each budget period. The system multiplies this amount against the defined number of units to determine the method amount for each budget period.

Using the ANN% Method

Access the Annual Growth Percentage page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays ANN% to override the default method.
Base	Select the value to which the method is applied.
Spread Type	Select the desired spread type. Values are: Spread Evenly or Spread Weighted.
Growth Percentage	Enter the annual growth rate that you want applied to the base.

Using the ASSET Method

Access the Line Item Details page.

The ASSET method does not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base. Assign the ASSET method to line items in the budget to indicate that the budget amounts are calculated from asset data. ChartField combinations within line-item activity pick up asset values defined in detail within the Asset Budgeting activity. The coordinator typically assigns the ASSET method to all asset accounts.

The preparer cannot modify a method amount for a line item with the ASSET method. However, authorized users can apply adjustments, apply allocations, and select to hold the line item from mass adjustments. Preparers can also override the ASSET method assigned to a line item if the coordinator enables method overrides.

Note. If your organization does not use asset budgeting, the coordinator can disable the ASSET method to make it unavailable.

Using the BASBUD Method

Access the Line Item Details page.

The BASBUD method does not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base. The coordinator assigns the BASBUD method to line items to indicate that the budget amounts are derived from some historical base or historical amount. This base budget can serve as a starting point to prepare line-item activities. Apply adjustments and allocations, and then select to hold the line item from mass adjustments. If the budget includes line items assigned the BASBUD method, preparers can override the method if the coordinator enables method overrides.

Using the DISTR Method

Access the Distribution Details page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays DISTR to override the default method.
Driver ID	Select from the drivers assigned at the coordinator level.
Amount	Enter a value for each budget period.

Using the ECODRV Method

Access the Economic Driver page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays ECODRV to override the default method.
Base and Driver ID	Select different values to override the defaults assigned at the coordinator level.
Spread Type	Select how the system applies the calculated annual amount to the budget periods. Values are: Spread Evenly or Spread Weighted.
Growth Percentage	Enter the annual growth rate that you want to apply to the base. The rate is for an annual basis. The system calculates the entered growth rate against the base to determine the calculated amount for the year.

Using the FLEX Method

Access the Flexible Formula page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays FLEX to override the default method, and select a Formula field value.
Formula	Select the desired flexible formula for this activity. The budget administrator establishes the available formulas. For example, select DEPR_EXP to calculate depreciation expense.

Using the LINEITEM Method

Access the Line Item page.

The LINEITEM method does not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base. Assign the LINEITEM method to line items in the budget to indicate that the budget amounts are calculated from another line item activity. Dimension combinations within the line-item activity pick up values defined in detail within the other line item activity. The coordinator typically assigns the LINEITEM method to accounts when data is from another line item activity.

The preparer cannot modify a method amount for a line item with the LINEITEM method. However, authorized users can apply adjustments, apply allocations, and select to hold the line item from mass adjustments. Preparers can also override the LINEITEM method assigned to a line item if the coordinator enables method overrides.

Using the ITM Method

Access the Itemization page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays ITM to override the default method.
Driver ID	Select from the delivered drivers for the ITM method. Values are: QTY*COST (quantity times cost): Multiplies the number of units by the cost per unit, displays the result in the Calculated Amount field, and then spreads or repeats the amount across budget periods. PERSUM (sum of periods): Enters a total value in the Calculated Amount field, and then spreads or repeats the amount across budget periods.
Number of Units and Cost Per Unit	Enter values if you select QTY*COST as the driver. The system uses the values to determine the calculated amount for the item.
Calculated Amount	Enter a constant value if you select PERSUM as the driver.
Spread Type	Select how the system applies the calculated amount to the budget period. Values are: Spread and Repeat.
From Budget Period and To Budget Period	Enter the range of the budget periods for the item. The system uses the budget period to budget the item entirely within the defined budget period range.

Using the JOIN Method

Access the AMTUNT x UNTAMT page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays JOIN to override the default method.
Driver ID	Select a different driver to override the default assigned at the coordinator level.
Number of Units and Cost Per Unit	Enter values for each budget period. The system multiplies this amount to determine the calculated method amount for a budget period.

Using the METH=0 Method

Access the Line Item Details page.

The METH=0 method does not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base. Because you cannot delete existing, detailed line-item rows, assign the METH=0 method to a line item to indicate that the budget amount is 0. The method amount for a line item using METH=0 has a 0 value. Apply adjustments, allocations, and then select to hold the line item from mass adjustments. If the budget includes line items assigned the METH=0 method, preparers can override the method if the coordinator enables method overrides.

Using the PER% Method

Access the Percent Per Period page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays PER% to override the default method.
Percentage	Enter the growth rate to calculate the amount for each budget period that you defined in the planning model.

Using the POSBUD Method

Access the Line Item Details page.

The POSBUD method does not use a driver, driver parameter, or method base. Assign the POSBUD method to line items in the budget to indicate that the budget amounts are calculated from position budgeting data. The coordinator typically assigns the POSBUD method to all personnel accounts (salary, earnings, and benefits accounts). The preparer cannot modify a method amount for a line item with the POSBUD method. However, authorized users can apply adjustments, apply allocations, and select to hold the line item from mass adjustments. Preparers can override the POSBUD method assigned to a line item if the coordinator enables method overrides.

Note. If your organization does not use position budgeting, the coordinator can disable the POSBUD method to make it unavailable.

Using the RELATE Method

Access the Related Account / Statistics Code page.

If overrides are allowed for the driver parameter, changes to the Account/Statistics Code column and the Value Type column can affect the calculated amount.

An override option lets you select a different driver ID to associate with another account predefined by the budget office. When override is enabled for the driver, selecting a different driver changes the lookup ID and account or statistics code to the code that the budget office defined for the driver.

Using the UNTAMT Method

Access the Units x Defined Amount page.

Default	Displays the same default method that appears on the Line Item Details page.
Method ID	Displays UNTAMT to override the default method.
Driver ID	Select a different driver to override the default assigned at the coordinator level.
Number of Units	Enter the number units that you want to budget based on the driver (cost per unit). The system multiplies this value by the cost per unit to determine the method amount for each budget period. The coordinator defines the default cost per unit.

Making Adjustments

In addition to using the methods, you can apply adjustments to modify line-item budgets. With adjustments, apply amount or percentage changes to multiple line-item budgets at once. Apply adjustments to line items that span multiple planning centers. Use adjustments in any role— preparer, reviewer, analyst, or coordinator—but the range of line-item budgets that you can access depends on your user ID security access. You must also be authorized to perform the Mass Adjustment activity.

See Also

Using Line-Item Mass Adjustments

Using SpreadSheet Add-In Functionality

This section gives an overview of SpreadSheet Add-In (SSAI) functionality and discusses how to:

• Access spreadsheets for data entry.

• Review a spreadsheet example.

Understanding SpreadSheet Add-In Functionality

The Planning and Budgeting SSAI functionality enables you to to retrieve and update planning and planning models using Microsoft Excel, instead of logging into the PeopleSoft Planning and Budget application. SSAI is a spreadsheet workbook that consists of a set of worksheets you use to retrieve and update planning and planning models.

The workbooks contains the following worksheets:

• Coversheet: Describes the sheets in the workbook, and describes the functionality available in each worksheet.

• Connect Information: Contains the connect information for communicating with a PeopleSoft Internet Applications (PIA) server, such as the Web Server machine name, protocol, and PeopleSoft site name. The system uses this data to access the server and retrieve budgeting data into the worksheets.

• Search Criteria: Defines the budgeting data the system retrieves based on the selected search criteria. You can filter data based on business units, planning models, activity, scenario, planning centers, and budget versions.

• Edit & Submit: (edit and submit) Contains the budgeting data the system retrieves, and also contains functionality to unlock the planning model and submit the model for approval. Note that you can only update and save AMTPER values.

Important! To use the SSAI functionality, you must first install the Planning and Budgeting Spreadsheet Add-In program Excel file, ExcelToCI-BP.xls. This spreadsheet must be available on all user machines that will use the Spreadsheet Add-In Program to work with the PeopleSoft Enterprise Planning and Budgeting application. For installation information, see PeopleSoft EPM Supplementary Application Installation Documentation for Budgeting and Planning.

Accessing Spreadsheets for Data Entry

To access a spreadsheet:

1. Access the SSAI functionality, which opens a workbook.

2. Select values for each search criteria field on the Search criteria worksheet: business unit, planning model ID, activity, scenario, planning center, and budget version ID.

3. Click the Find Rows button in the Search Criteria sheet. This retrieves the budget model data into the Edit & Submitsheet.

   The system locks the budget model to prevent data integrity errors after it retrieves the data.

4. Modify line items.

   Note. You can only work with line items that use the AMTPER method.

   You can save your work as an .xls file. To reopen the .xls file, select the Microsoft Excel File, Open command.

5. Click the Unlock button in the Edit & Submitshee to unlock the budget model. This makes it available to other users.

6. Click the Submit button in the Edit & Submitsheet to submit the budget model for approval.

Reviewing a Spreadsheet Example

The following is an example of what data can look like once downloaded to a spreadsheet. The system validates the amounts you enter. You can only enter numbers, up to a maximum of fifteen (15) digits of precision; these are MicroSoft Excel limitations. The functionality supports a maximum number of four (4) decimal digits. However, if a currency has a defined number of decimal digits of less than four digits (for example, two (2) digits), the system rounds the values to two digits when you save the worksheet.

Note. You can copy and paste data into a locked spreadsheet; however, you must ensure that the correct data is pasted into the correct cells. For locked spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel does not validate the data for you.

Connect Information Worksheet

Use the Connect Information worksheet to review connection information.

Search Criteria Worksheet

Use the Search criteria worksheet to specify the search parameters of the data for download.

The selected business unit value determines the available values of the remaining search criteria fields. Specify values starting with the Business Unit field, and continuing, in field order, to the right until you have selected all values.

Edit & Submit Worksheet

Use the Edit & Submit worksheet to edit the data and submit the budget for approval.

The following information describes parts of the spreadsheet and how the spreadsheet functions:

Spreadsheet Considerations

When you are working with line-item budgets in the spreadsheet format, consider the following:

• You can check out only one activity to one Microsoft Excel workbook.

  The stage changes process cannot distinguish which sheet to check in if more than one checkout exists within the workbook.

• The system displays the login dialog on the Login/Refresh button on the Search Criteria worksheet. Use this feature to change the user in SSAI. Note that the specified SSAI user determines the available business unit values on the Search Criteria page.

• The system displays status and errors in the status column as a balloon popup, on the Edit & Submit worksheet.

• When you define user preferences for a specific user, the system uses these preferences to populate the Search Criteria fields (as applicable) when that user logs in.

• Both the Search Criteria worksheet and the Edit & Submit worksheet display toolbars, each with their respective actions.

Submitting a Line-Item Activity

Use the My Planning Workspace: My Preparation Workspace to submit line-item budgets to the next planning center level. When you submit a budget version, the system sends it up to the next planning center level and updates the master budget version with data from the submitted version. The master version contains the most current budget submissions. You may submit more than one version at a time, but the system prevents you from submitting more than one version per planning center.

If defined, validation occurs for three types of rules:

• Verifies no rows marked in error due to commitment control validation.

• Verifies no rows marked in error due to combination edit validation.

• Verifies totals are within planning targets rules.

Any of these rules can be applied. When these rules are applied against the activity scenario in a planning model, validation occurs during submission. Prior to working on your line items, the staging process would have marked any rows in error if they did not pass combination edit or commitment control validation when used and enforced for a line item activity. All rows marked in error must be corrected or deleted prior to submission. You must access the Planning Targets page to review where your amounts are not within the rules defined for targets, and make any necessary adjustments within your line item entry grid. Submission is not allowed if the validation fails the criteria defined for any one of these rules.

See Also

Reviewing and Approving Budgets