Starting a New Month

Use this guide when you are moving into the next budget month and want your forecast and live funding to stay separate.

1. Open the month you want to work in #

Open Budget and move to the next month. Future months are forecast views: use them to prepare category funding, not to treat future inflows as money already available.

2. Generate scheduled transactions #

If you plan with recurring inflows or outflows, use Generate Scheduled Transactions in the Budget contextual sidebar while in Planning Mode. You can also generate a month from the Scheduled Transactions page.

Review the generated occurrences before planning. Edit a pending occurrence if its date, amount, or category details need to differ from the rule. For inflows, also review the funding month; for outflows, confirm that the expected spending is in the category you intend to fund.

3. Plan the month #

Switch to Planning Mode. The summary shows Ready to Plan, based on pending scheduled inflows directed to that budget month.

Set Planned Assigned amounts for the categories the forecast should fund. If Targets are enabled, use Quick Plan to fill target needs, then review the result. Planning amounts do not change Assigned or account balances.

4. Apply funding when it becomes real #

When actual funding is available in the current month, remain in Planning Mode and choose Review & Apply. Review the categories and amounts, deselect anything you want to keep planned, then apply the selected funding.

Review & Apply increases Assigned and decreases the matching planned add-on by the same amount. Switch back to Assign Mode to work with the newly assigned money.

5. Check the month before moving on #

Before leaving Budget, confirm that:

• scheduled occurrences match the month you intend to plan
• scheduled outflows cover the bills and recurring spending you expect in that month
• Ready to Plan has not been overcommitted
• the categories you applied now have the Assigned amounts you expect
• remaining planned add-ons are deliberate

See also: Planning Mode, Review & Apply, and Assigning Money.