Project budget tracking: budget vs. actuals
Track per project the gap between budgeted and actual hours and costs — with traffic-light status turning orange at 85% consumption.
Budget overruns are usually discovered when it is too late. This free Excel template puts budget and actuals side by side for both hours and costs, per project. The traffic-light status turns 🟠 once 85% of the budget is consumed and 🔴 on overrun — so you can intervene before the money runs out.
Fifteen project rows with automatic difference and percentage columns. The instructions include one golden tip: book additional work as a separate project, otherwise it pollutes your original budget measurement.
What's inside?
- Budget vs. actuals for hours and costs per project
- Automatic difference and percentage columns
- Traffic-light status: 🟢 on track, 🟠 nearly spent, 🔴 overrun
- Fifteen project rows, easily extended
- Works in Excel, Google Sheets and LibreOffice
Frequently asked questions
Why does the template warn at 85% already?
Because the last 15% of a budget almost always burns faster than planned: finishing, delivery and aftercare are notoriously underestimated. At 85% you still have room to adjust or agree on additional work.
How do I keep actual hours up to date?
Transfer weekly from your time tracking. Manual retyping is error-prone — with PrikKlokPlus budget versus actuals per project is visible in real time without retyping.
How do I handle additional work?
Give it its own project row with its own budget. That keeps your original estimate measurable and gives you evidence for the additional-work invoice.
🔜 Free next week
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