Interactive Checklist
Check items as you complete them. Progress is saved locally.
0%
1 Phase 1: Preparation (8 Weeks Before Fiscal Year)
Set the budget timeline: data request out by week 1, department submissions by week 4, consolidation by week 6, board presentation by week 8
Create a budget canvas with zones for each department or cost center
Send the budget template/data request to department heads — create a card per department with deadline
Compile prior-year actuals and current-year forecast as baseline data
Identify strategic priorities that will drive new budget allocations
Set milestone cards for each deadline: submission, first review, revision, final approval
2 Phase 2: Department Submissions
Track submission status on the canvas: Not Started → Draft Submitted → Under Review → Revised → Approved
Follow up with late departments at the 3-day mark — the canvas makes late submissions visible
Flag submissions that deviate more than 15% from prior year for deeper review
Schedule one-on-one review meetings with each department head — 30 minutes each
Document revision requests on the card as comments with specific line items to change
3 Phase 3: Consolidation
Merge all department budgets into the consolidated forecast
Run a top-down sanity check: total budget vs. revenue forecast, headcount growth vs. office capacity
Identify and resolve double-counted items (two departments budgeting for the same vendor)
Build the presentation deck pulling data from card notes and canvas status
Run AI Executive Snapshot to generate a summary of the budget status by department
Circulate the draft consolidated budget to the executive team for pre-meeting review
4 Phase 4: Approval
Present to the board or executive committee — use the canvas for interactive drill-down
Document approved changes and conditions in decision cards
Update all department budget cards to "Approved" with the final numbers
Distribute approved budgets to department heads within 5 business days of approval
5 Phase 5: Monthly Variance Tracking
At each month-end, update department cards with actuals vs. budget
Flag variances exceeding 10% for investigation — create a variance analysis card
Require department heads to explain material variances in card comments
Run AI Health Check monthly to surface departments trending over budget
At mid-year, assess whether a re-forecast is needed based on cumulative variance trends