Scenarios

Compare alternatives without changing the approved budget.

Active ScenariosScenarios
StatusComputedSharedVersion.Status is Draft, InReview or Approved
Computed
SCN-22120SC-284
SCN-74676SC-592
SCN-69891SC-768
Shared
SCN-63007SC-665
SCN-37177SC-609
SCN-12739SC-304
Records in this module

Branch from a known starting point

Choose the BudgetVersion and source Scenario that the alternative should inherit. The clone keeps the budget cells, driver values, defaults and formula revisions used at that point. Active Scenarios shows the alternatives available for the review. A branch named BoardCommit does not itself establish board approval, and a scenario copied from a locked plan does not gain permission to change that plan. Keep the author and lineage visible so another reviewer can reconstruct the starting assumptions.

Change the assumption and retain the result

Apply an override to the scenario’s own driver basis, such as a revised sales growth assumption or a different hiring schedule. Validate dependencies before computing the affected lines. Scenario Results retains each WhatIfRuns execution and its input summary rather than replacing the previous result. Compare outputs using the same periods, entities and reviewed account mapping. The planning EBITDA measure requires its defined revenue, cost-of-sales and operating-expense classes; a generic total of expense accounts is not a sufficient calculation basis.

Scenario ResultsWhatIfRuns
Scenario.StatusComputedShared
Run NumberScenarioBaseline RevenueScenario RevenueBaseline EBITDA
WIR-18679SCN-409331,097.2926,831.724,827.93
WIR-34145SCN-334224,995.309,741.344,172.99
WIR-96640SCN-151028,238.4538,104.9735,730.37
WIR-79568SCN-443339,967.8535,871.7047,010.97
WIR-51032SCN-710634,445.7618,088.5641,513.76
WIR-93103SCN-132337,035.8238,636.4622,183.41
Scenarios →

Bring a reviewed alternative into planning

A scenario comparison informs a decision; it does not approve a budget or forecast. If Finance chooses an alternative, create the intended draft version or explicitly scoped forecast changes, retain the source run and complete the applicable review route. ForecastAdjustments belongs to a particular RollingForecast and cannot be copied into an annual scenario without an explicit conversion. Preserve the original what-if evidence even after a new plan is selected so later reporting can explain the decision in context.

Rollout checks

Pilot a base, upside and downside run using the same monthly population. Change one driver at a time and compare its effect with the expected formula result. Confirm that repeated calculations retain their own evidence and cannot overwrite the approved baseline. Test that a shared scenario does not expose restricted personnel inputs through its detail links or exports.

Reports

All reports

EBITDA Bridge

Walks from prior-period EBITDA to current-period EBITDA via Volume, Price, Mix, Cost, and Headcount drivers using the BudgetLines × Drivers decomposition. Powers the "what changed" narrative in every BoardPack. US dollars only at this tier.

Scenario Comparison

Side-by-side WhatIfRuns for one Version: BaselineRevenue, ScenarioRevenue, BaselineOpEx, ScenarioOpEx, BaselineEBITDA, ScenarioEBITDA, RevenueDelta, EBITDADelta, with InputsSummary expanded. Used by FP&A Director and CFO to stress-test the call before it goes to the board.

Roles and permissions

CFO

Owns Targets, signs off the final BudgetVersion, reviews and approves BoardPacks. The named approver at the top of the budget-approval chain.

Permissions and records
  • CRUD on Targets (sets the top-down goalposts)
  • Read on every BudgetCycles, BudgetVersions, BudgetLines, Drivers, DriverValues, DriverFormulas, Scenarios, WhatIfRuns, RollingForecasts, RollingForecastSubmissions, ForecastAdjustments, VarianceAnalyses, FluxComments, Commitments, BudgetTransfers, Approvals, AssumptionsLog org-wide
  • Approve BudgetVersions at the CFO step (Status: InReview → Approved)
  • Approve BudgetTransfers above a configured threshold
  • Scenarios
  • WhatIfRuns
  • BudgetVersions
  • BudgetLines
  • DriverValues
  • DriverFormulas
  • AssumptionsLog
FP&A Director

Designs each BudgetCycle, manages Versions through the cycle, runs Scenarios, owns the RollingForecasts, builds BoardPacks. The day-to-day owner of the planning workbench.

Permissions and records
  • CRUD on BudgetCycles, BudgetVersions (create new Version, advance Status, lock), BudgetLines org-wide (only in authorized Draft Versions), Scenarios, WhatIfRuns, RollingForecasts, ForecastAdjustments, BoardPacks (Status: Draft → Generated → InReview)
  • Read on Targets, Drivers, DriverFormulas, RollingForecastSubmissions, Commitments, Approvals, AssumptionsLog
  • Approve BudgetVersions at the FP&A Director step
  • Approve BudgetTransfers up to threshold (above goes to CFO)
  • Scenarios
  • WhatIfRuns
  • BudgetVersions
  • BudgetLines
  • DriverFormulas
  • AssumptionsLog
FP&A Analyst

Operational role. Loads Actuals, runs and reviews VarianceAnalyses, prepares FluxComments, supports Cost-Center Heads through the submission cycle, drafts BoardPacks for Director review.

Permissions and records
  • Prepare and validate unpublished Actual and Forecast batches through the controlled workflows
  • cannot edit published snapshots
  • Maintain variance explanations, never manually set computed results or reviewer decisions
  • Edit draft DriverValues within the current editable Version
  • DriverValues
  • Scenarios
  • WhatIfRuns
  • BudgetVersions
  • DriverFormulas
  • AssumptionsLog
Cost-Center Head

Department / cost-center owner. Submits own Entity's BudgetLines (Type: Budget) during the cycle, defends Variance each month with FluxComments, requests BudgetTransfers.

Permissions and records
  • CRUD on BudgetVersions of own OwnerEntity while Status: Draft — submit flips to Status: Submitted
  • CRUD on BudgetLines of Type: Budget and Type: Forecast within own Version's draft / submission window where BudgetLines.Entity = own Entity OR Entity.Parent = own Entity (covers the sub-cost-center hierarchy under the head)
  • CRUD on RollingForecastSubmissions where Entity = own Entity while Status: Draft → Submitted
  • CRUD on own BudgetTransfers (Submit only — approval routes to FP&A Director / CFO)
  • BudgetVersions
  • BudgetLines
  • Scenarios
  • DriverValues
  • DriverFormulas
Manager

Line-of-business manager with scope limited to inputs that feed budget — headcount asks, capex requests, vendor cost estimates for own org. Sees aggregate own-org budget but no peer detail.

Permissions and records
  • Read on BudgetEntities for own org
  • Propose draft DriverValues of Driver.Category IN (Workforce, Productivity) for own org's Entity (e.g. proposes Headcount ask for next period)
  • Read aggregate BudgetLines of Type: Budget for own org Entity (own Entity totals only)
  • Read Drivers catalog
  • DriverValues
  • BudgetLines
Executive Reader

Read-only access to BoardPacks, top-line dashboards, and the approved BudgetVersion summary. Used by board members and exec staff.

Permissions and records
  • Read on BoardPacks (Status: Approved or Distributed only), the top-line BudgetVersions summary fields (TotalRevenue, TotalOpEx, EBITDA — no per-line breakdown), Targets org-wide, RollingForecasts summary, and the org-level VarianceAnalyses rollup
  • Cannot read BudgetLines per-cell, DriverValues, FluxComments, AssumptionsLog, or any draft / unapproved artifact
  • BudgetVersions
  • BudgetLines
  • DriverValues
  • AssumptionsLog
Auditor

Read-only with full AssumptionsLog access for compliance and internal-audit work. Includes draft and approved artifacts.

Permissions and records
  • Read on every table including AssumptionsLog (full audit trail), Approvals (full approval history), BudgetTransfers (including drafts and rejections), prior superseded BudgetVersions, and all Scenarios lineage
  • Cannot edit anything
  • cannot delete
  • no approval rights
  • Scenarios
  • BudgetVersions
  • AssumptionsLog

Related processes

Build and approve the budget

Take a scoped proposal through the required financial decisions.

5 stages · 3 approvals

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