In: Finance
Types of budgets employed by the organization (operating, capital, cash, statistical, FTE, etc.)
1. Operating Budget
An operating budget is a forecast and analysis of projected income
and expenses over the course of a specified time period. To create
an accurate picture, operating budgets must account for factors
such as sales, production, labor costs, materials costs, overhead,
manufacturing costs, and administrative expenses. Operating budgets
are generally created on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. A
manager might compare these reports month after month to see if a
company is overspending on supplies.
2. Cash Budget
A cash budget is a means of projecting how and when cash comes in
and flows out of a business within a specified time period. It can
be useful in helping a company determine whether it's managing its
cash wisely. Cash flow budgets consider factors such as accounts
payable and accounts receivable to assess whether a company has
ample cash on hand to continue operating, the extent to which it is
using its cash productively, and its likelihood of generating cash
in the near future. A construction company, for example, might use
its cash flow budget to determine whether it can start a new
building project before getting paid for the work it has in
progress.
3. Static Budget
A static budget is a fixed budget that remains unaltered regardless
of changes in factors such as sales volume or revenue. A plumbing
supply company, for example, might have a static budget in place
each year for warehousing and storage, regardless of how much
inventory it moves in and out due to increased or decreased
sales.
4. Financial Budget
A financial budget presents a company's strategy for managing its
assets, cash flow, income, and expenses. A financial budget is used
to establish a picture of a company's financial health and present
a comprehensive overview of its spending relative to revenues from
core operations. A software company, for instance, might use its
financial budget to determine its value in the context of a public
stock offering or merger.
5. Capital Budget
A financial budget presents a budget allocating money for the acquisition or maintenance of fixed assets such as land, buildings, and equipment. As part of capital budgeting, a company might assess a prospective project's lifetime cash inflows and outflows to determine whether the potential returns that would be generated meet a sufficient target benchmark. The process is also known as investment appraisal.