> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trykompass.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Track budget vs actuals

> Set the view, read the variance, get explanations from the people who own the lines, and use AI insights as a first draft.

Once a budget is live and actuals are syncing, **Budget vs Actuals** is current every morning without anyone touching it.

## Set the view

| Filter | What it does |
| - | - |
| Budget | Which budget to compare against. |
| Range | A half, a quarter or a custom span. |
| Dept | One department, branch or entity. **All Company** for the group position. |
| Threshold | Hides small variances. **Show all** displays every line. |

The headline figures compare revenue, net income, gross margin and EBITDA with budget. **Items over threshold** answers "what do I need to look at".

## Read the detail

* **Variance is signed by outcome.** A percentage is favourable when revenue beats budget or spend comes in under.
* **Switch the period basis** between monthly, quarterly and totals.
* **Expand a line** to see the items beneath it.
* **Export** the table to CSV, or the view to a presentation pack.

## Get the explanation from the owner

1. On the line that moved, click **Add explanation**.
2. Use **Assign to** to pick the line's owner, then **Assign**.
3. The line shows **Waiting for explanation** until they answer, and their answer stays with the figure for next month.

> **Assign in the review meeting, not after it.** A variance chased by email comes back as a paragraph nobody can connect to the line.

## AI insights

**Generate insights** writes up the movements that matter, their likely drivers and what to check, each tagged **high impact** or **medium impact**.

> **Insights are a first draft.** They say when the data cannot support a finding, such as when there are no actuals. Read the reasoning before passing anything on.

If the numbers look wrong, check the budget's unmapped count first. See *Map your budget*.


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