Edit the workbook setup

Changes the way you set up a budget or forecast workbook.

User permissions: Budgets & Forecasts and Manage Budgets & Forecasts

Suppose you've just created a new Sales budget workbook and are now exploring its layout and contents. You discover that it doesn't look as expected and you need to make some changes. For example, it has two levels: Country and Branch, but you want to add a third level for the Product Class.

You can edit the setup of a workbook at any time, but it's better to do it immediately after you create the workbook:

• Before you start the workflow and data entry process. When such changes are made later in the budgeting process, they are likely to be destructive.

• Before you add other worksheet tabs to the workbook. The addition some tabs results in the structural settings in the setup becoming locked for editing.

Read the Best practices for efficient budgeting, as some practices relate to the workbook setup

Locked settings when worksheet tabs are present

The structural settings in the workbook setup are automatically locked if one of the following worksheet tabs are added to the workbook:

• Database

• Lookup

• Headcount

• Reference

• Balance Sheet

• Allocations

The locked structural settings are:

• Database and Statement (financial)

• Period type (you can still change the period)

• Baseline stream

This editing restriction reduces the risk of losing data or breaking links, which could require a workbook restore.

Consider the impacts carefully before unlocking and editing the structural settings. It's a good idea to clone the workbook first, so you have a copy to fall back on.

To change locked settings, you can:

• Remove the linked tabs: If you're restructuring the workbook, delete all linked worksheet tabs first. The structural settings will be unlocked, available for editing.

• Unlock the settings: If you need to make a quick change, switch the Structural settings button to Editable, then make your changes. The setup automatically locks again after saving.

Destructive changes

Changes to the following settings are destructive:

• Database: You can only switch to another database of the same type; you can't switch from a financial budget to an operational budget and vice versa

• Template (for financial budgets only)

• Period type, including custom periods

• Start and end dates

• Stream

• Measure

• Offset

• Hierarchy

• Budget-wide filter

If your change is destructive, you will get a message informing you that it might change the budget structure, but you can still proceed with that change.

Accessing the setup

Use any of these methods to access the workbook setup:

• In the workbook, either:

  • Click the Budget (or Forecast) menu and click Edit workbook setup.

  • Right-click the Main tab at the bottom and click Edit workbook setup.

• On your Budgets & Forecasts homepage, locate the workbook, click its Menu button, and click Edit setup.

Unlock the structural settings, if required, make your changes, then click Save and finish.