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Monthly Business Budget Variance
Compare budget and actual revenue, variable costs and fixed costs. Calculate monthly variances and assign review owners with a free browser worksheet.
Enter your own assumptions, calculate and keep a backup. Load the fictional example to see a filled-in report.
Set up your worksheet
Your report
Enter your details, then calculate to review results.
Save or download your work
Work stays in this page until you choose Save on this device. Device saves belong to this browser and can be removed by clearing browser data. JSON keeps an editable backup; CSV and PDF keep a report.
Monthly Business Budget Variance: complete guide
What this worksheet does
Amount variance = actual − budget. Percentage variance = amount variance ÷ budget × 100, undefined for a zero budget. Modeled operating remainder = revenue − variable costs − fixed costs. Cash dates, tax, financing and inventory valuation are outside this worksheet.
Keep up to 100 editable entries. The worksheet runs in your browser and does not send its entries to another service. The calculations use the inputs you provide; currency selectors label amounts without conversion.
How to use it
- Set a descriptive worksheet name and complete the settings for your planning period.
- Add one entry per record. Use consistent units and keep the evidence behind your assumptions.
- Calculate and inspect the report, including any review notes. Change an input and calculate again to replace the old result.
- Save an editable backup before changing a scenario. Use the related guide below for the wider operating workflow.
Inputs and units
| Field | Rule |
|---|---|
| Worksheet name | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Currency | Required for calculation. Choose USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, EUR, NZD. |
| Budget month | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Budget line | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Line type | Required for calculation. Choose Revenue, Variable cost, Fixed cost. |
| Budget amount | Required for calculation. 0–1000000; up to two decimal places. |
| Actual amount | Required for calculation. 0–1000000; up to two decimal places. |
| Review owner | Required for calculation. Up to 160 characters. |
| Review date | Required for calculation. Valid calendar date, 1900–2200; no timezone shift. |
| Explanation and next action | Optional. Up to 600 characters. |
Calculation and scope
Amount variance = actual − budget. Percentage variance = amount variance ÷ budget × 100, undefined for a zero budget. Modeled operating remainder = revenue − variable costs − fixed costs. Cash dates, tax, financing and inventory valuation are outside this worksheet.
Fictional worked example
Load the fictional example to reproduce this report. The sample is an original illustration, not a customer result or a market benchmark. The dollar figures below use USD.
| Result | Sample value |
|---|---|
| Budget operating remainder | $3,000.00 |
| Actual operating remainder | $2,000.00 |
| Remainder variance | -$1,000.00 |
| Budget line | Type | Budget | Actual | Amount variance | Variance % | Effect on remainder | Owner | Review date | Explanation / action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | Revenue | $10,000.00 | $9,000.00 | -$1,000.00 | -10% | -$1,000.00 | Owner | 2026-11-02 | Check orders and average order value separately. |
| Direct costs | Variable cost | $4,000.00 | $3,800.00 | -$200.00 | -5% | $200.00 | Owner | 2026-11-02 | Lower total cost does not establish lower unit cost. |
| Overhead | Fixed cost | $3,000.00 | $3,200.00 | $200.00 | 6.67% | -$200.00 | Owner | 2026-11-02 | Identify the additional 200 before renewing spending. |
Save, restore and export
Save on this device writes an explicit save to this browser; it does not download a file or sync across devices. Clearing browser storage can remove it. Download backup keeps an editable JSON file for this exact worksheet. Import previews the backup before replacing current entries; save again if you want to replace the device save. CSV contains the calculated report, not an editable import format. Print / Save PDF opens the browser print dialog; choose Save as PDF where available.
Questions and limits
Is the example my result?
No. It is fictional data. Replace its assumptions with your own records, then calculate again.
Does saving share my worksheet?
No. Device saves belong to this browser. Move an editable worksheet with its JSON backup and keep sensitive information out of a shared device.
Does a report establish that my plan is correct?
No. Arithmetic can be consistent while the input assumptions are wrong. Keep evidence, review the scope described above and check any decisions against your real records.
Continue the workflow
Small Business Budget Example: Plan Costs, Then Compare Actuals. Small Business Budget Template: Monthly Variance Review.
Compare the operating result with collections
Suppose the fictional $9,000 actual revenue includes a $500 invoice still unpaid. Under a consistent billed-revenue basis, the $2,000 operating remainder does not change merely because collection is late. Cash receipts can nevertheless be $500 lower. Reconcile cash separately rather than reducing revenue solely to match the bank.
Choose your next planning step
- cash flow variance report: Check whether the operating result and bank movement tell different stories.
Turn the monthly review into an operating plan
Review Small Business Planner 2026–2028 for the wider goals, tasks and finance-planning workflow. Small Business Planner 2026–2028 — Goals, Finance & Operations. Paid products are separate; the free JSON backup is not a paid-product import file.