Open the budget dialog
Open the project, find the Budget area, and click Set up budget. If a budget already exists, choose Edit budget instead. Use this dialog for the Budgeting reports described here.
Choose a budget type
Choose the type that fits the control you want.
- Hour budget
- An hour limit, for example 100 hours. In the Budgeting overview, it's compared against billable time.
- Fixed price
- A total amount with a currency. Usage equals the value of billable time, not internal costs and not the amount already invoiced.
- Time & materials
- Tracking with no fixed limit. The dialog requires neither an hour nor a money ceiling.
- Non-billable
- A budget category for internal work with no limit. Still check the billable setting on tasks and time entries: this budget choice alone doesn't automatically mark time entries as non-billable.
- Retainer
- An allowance with hours and/or a money amount, plus an optional monthly reset. The Retainers tab prioritizes money when both limits are set.
Enter the limit, currency, and bill rate
Enter a positive hour limit, or the total amount. For money budgets, you can choose EUR, USD, GBP, or CHF. Bill rate (project override) is the client rate per hour for new time entries in this project; without an override, the team rate applies where relevant. It isn't an internal cost rate. An empty rate and an explicitly entered 0 are different settings.
Save and verify
Click Save and check the budget in the project, then in Budgeting. Budgets newly created through this dialog are saved as active. Existing drafts aren't automatically activated just by editing them. A budget limit doesn't stop time tracking; the report just flags usage and overruns.
Place changes correctly
A changed ceiling changes the comparison against existing time. A changed bill rate, on the other hand, doesn't automatically overwrite rates already stored on time entries. Switching to Non-billable also doesn't retroactively correct existing time entries.
Frequently asked questions
Which budget type do I need for 40 hours of client work?
Choose Hour budget and enter 40. Add a bill rate if the hours should also be valued in money.
Is the fixed price automatically the revenue in profitability?
No. Profitability values billable time and expenses. It doesn't take the fixed price as revenue across the board.
Why can't a visible budget dialog be saved?
Saving requires Owner or Admin rights. A visible button alone doesn't mean your role is allowed to save the change.