> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.dataloy.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.dataloy.com/release-8.28/voyage-management-system/step-by-step-guides/planning/budgets.md).

# Budgets

Budgets

The **Budgets** module supports annual voyage planning. Rather than working with fixed voyages, budget planners build a view of the fleet's expected activity for a given year: which trades the vessels will run, how often, at what freight and cost levels, and what the resulting P\&L looks like in aggregate. This planned view is kept separate from the operational voyage record and can be revised or branched into multiple versions without touching live data.

The module is found under *Planning* in the main menu.

> **Note:** Access requires the **Budget Viewer** or **Administrator** role.

***

### What the Budgets Module Contains

A budget is built from a small number of building blocks:

| Building block       | Purpose                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| -------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Budget Scenario**  | A named version of the budget typically for a given year. All other data lives inside a scenario. Multiple scenarios can exist for the same year.                                                           |
| **Template Voyages** | The recurring voyage/trade definitions that make up the budget. Each template voyage represents one type of voyage the vessel is expected to run, with its route, cargo, and cost and revenue assumptions.  |
| **Budgeted Voyages** | Lightweight records that place planned occurrences of a template voyage onto the budget timeline. A Budgeted Voyage holds a start date and laycan; all trade details are inherited from the template.       |
| **Supporting data**  | Bunker prices, exchange rates, various costs and revenues, and cargo ports that feed into the budget P\&L calculations. These are listed for easy Bulk Editing in the dedicated tabs of the Budgets module. |

Template voyages and their occurrences are only accessible from the Budgets module. They are not visible in the main voyage lists used by operations.

***

### Versioning with Budget Scenarios

A budget scenario is the container for one version of the plan. Having multiple scenarios makes it straightforward to maintain several sets of assumptions in parallel and switch between them for comparison.

Common uses for multiple scenarios include:

* Comparing a conservative and an optimistic freight rate outlook for the same year.
* Keeping an original approved budget alongside a revised mid-year forecast.
* Creating a working draft for next year while the current year's budget remains intact.

Each scenario has a **Scenario Name** and a **Budget Year**, and the combination must be unique. The display name in VMS follows the format "Budget Year Scenario Name", for example "2027 Base Case".

The active scenario is selected from the scenario selector at the top of the Budgets module. Switching scenarios refreshes all tabs to show that version's data.

{% hint style="info" %}
Only users with the roles **Budget Viewer** or **Administrator** have access to the *Budgets* module.
{% endhint %}


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