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How do I track budget vs actual costs in Bolster?

Bolster Budget helps you compare your estimate to real job costs by tracking expected and unexpected spend and keeping budget updates connected to your quote data .

Bolster’s Budget experience is designed to help you track costs (expected and unexpected) and test your estimate against real job costs, without relying on disconnected spreadsheets. The goal is that your budget can populate from quote data, and improvements you discover on a job can inform future estimating and profitability.

What you can do in Budget

  • Compare budgeted (estimated) vs actual costs so you can see where you’re over or under

  • Keep budget tracking connected to the rest of Bolster, including your estimate and expense capture workflows

Best practice workflow

  1. Start with an estimate that includes your scope and line items (your budget is intended to come from quote data)

  2. Use the Budget view to monitor totals and variance as you enter real costs (actuals)

  3. As the job progresses, record expenses (receipts, bills) so your actuals reflect real spending and tie back to the right items

Tips

  • Treat your budget as a living view of the job: update actuals as receipts and bills come in so variance stays meaningful

  • Use what you learn (items taking longer or costing more) to improve future pricing and profitability