> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/budgets-and-forecasts/getting-started/overview-of-key-terms-and-concepts/dimensions.md). # Dimensions Whether you create budgets or contribute values to them, it’s important to understand how dimensions work in Budgets & Forecasts. Dimensions control the structure of the budget and determine where your data sits and how it's analysed. ### Basic concepts Read the [Dimensions](https://docs.phocassoftware.com/basics/getting-started/dimensions) page for general information about dimensions, a core concept in Phocas. {% hint style="success" %} **Quick definitions** * **Dimension**: A field you can use to group and filter financial data (for example, Account, Branch, Category). * **Dimension entity**: An item within a dimension (for example, an account code or a category name). * **Dimension group**: A set of related dimensions. Each group contains a primary dimension and one or more sub-dimensions. {% endhint %} If you also use the Financial Statements module, your budgets and forecasts share the same account and dimension structure as your statements. Read the Financial Statements > [Overview of dimensions](/financial-statements/getting-started/overview-of-the-link-between-financial-statements-and-dimensions.md) page to learn how dimensions affect statement structure and account mapping. ### Dimensions in Budgets & Forecasts In Budgets & Forecasts, a **dimension** represents a level in the budget hierarchy. A **dimension entity** is a specific value within a dimension. For example, a common dimension is Country. Its dimension entities might be Australia, United Kingdom, and United States. The dimensions available in a budget or forecast come from the underlying database and are set when the [budget is created](/budgets-and-forecasts/owner-and-administrator/create-a-budget.md). If you're a budget creator, choosing the right dimensions upfront ensures contributors can enter data at the right level. When you enter budget or forecast values, you're always entering them against a combination of an account and one or more dimension entities. This determines how your values roll up and how they appear in analysis and financial statements. Dimensions are used in several [filtering methods](/budgets-and-forecasts/getting-started/overview-of-key-terms-and-concepts/filtering-methods.md). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.phocassoftware.com/budgets-and-forecasts/getting-started/overview-of-key-terms-and-concepts/dimensions.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.