Before you begin
You need permission to create a project before you can start a new one. You also need budget edit access to change budget rows or values. If the project header shows View only, you can review the budget but cannot edit it.
Creating a new project
Select Projects from the workspace navigation.
Select New Project.
Under Start from, choose how to create the budget:
Template starts with a public or workspace template.
Blank creates an empty budget.
Import creates the project from a supported budget file.
Enter the project Name.
Add a cover image or choose a Project type if needed.
If document imports are available in your workspace, attach any files that should be added to the new project.
Select Create Project.
Saturation opens the new project's budget after creating it. A template or imported budget may take a moment to finish loading its rows.
To create a project inside a space, open that space before selecting New Project. The new project is assigned to the open space. You can also move it to another space later from its menu on the Projects page.
Open an existing budget
Select Projects from the workspace navigation.
Open the project you want to budget.
The Budget page will open from the project navigation.
Adding line items and accounts to the budget
Select Add line. Otherwise, use the + button at the bottom of the sheet.
Enter an ID in the first column, such as 1000 or 2000-1.
Enter the cost name in Description.
Press Enter to confirm the edit.
To insert a line in a specific place, right-click a row, then select Insert > Add line below. Tip: You can also select a row and press Command+I on macOS or Ctrl+I on Windows.
The Insert menu also has actions for adding a subtotal, markup, banner, or incentive.
Turn a line into an account
Accounts contain related budget lines and roll their costs into one total.
Right-click the line that should become an account.
Select Expand account.
Saturation converts the row to an account, preserves its existing budget values on a child line, and opens the account. Use the + button to add more lines inside it.
Select an account's description or total to open it. Use the breadcrumb above the sheet to return to a parent account or the top-level budget.
Moving line items and accounts
Use the drag handle at the left of a row to change its position within the current section:
Point to the right side of the row to reveal the handle.
Hold the handle and drag the row above or below another row.
Release it in the new position.
You can also select a row and press Command+Shift+Up or Command+Shift+Down on macOS. Use Ctrl+Shift+Up or Ctrl+Shift+Down on Windows.
To move a line or account into another account:
Right-click the row. If you selected several rows, right-click within the selection.
Select Move row.
Choose the destination account.
Deleting line items and accounts
Right-click the line or account you want to remove.
Select Delete row.
You can also select a row and press Command+D on macOS or Ctrl+D on Windows. When several rows are selected, the action removes the full selection.
Deleting an account also deletes every line and nested account inside it. If the deletion was a mistake, press Command+Z on macOS or Ctrl+Z on Windows. Undo restores the account and its nested rows.
Filling in line items and accounts
Enter cost details on line items within an estimate phase. Account rows show totals rolled up from their child lines, so their phase-detail cells are read-only.
Select a cell and press Enter to edit it.
Enter the values that apply to the line.
Press Enter to confirm, or use Tab to save the value and move to the next cell. Shift+Tab moves back.
The estimate columns include:
Qty: The number of units. A quantity of 3 with the unit Day means three days.
Unit: What the rate covers, such as an hour, day, week, or item.
Rate: The cost for one unit.
X: The number of people or items on the line. For example, 2 on a Line Producer row means two line producers.
Fringes: The fringes applied to the line.
OT: Overtime. Open the cell to enter overtime hours and multipliers, or type a total overtime amount as an override.
Saturation calculates the line total and updates every affected total. Cell changes save when you confirm the edit or leave the cell. There is no separate Save button for budget values.
Work with phase columns and totals
An estimate phase can show the detail columns used to calculate each line. The phase's Total column stays visible when those columns are collapsed.
To expand or collapse a phase:
Open the menu on the phase's Total header.
Select Expand phase or Collapse phase.
Add another phase
Select the Columns & phases icon in the budget toolbar.
Select Add phase or column > Add phase.
Choose a phase type:
Estimate for planned costs entered in the budget.
Committed for purchase orders that have been promised but not paid.
Actual for costs from transactions.
Rollup for a summary or comparison of other phases.
Enter a name and choose a color.
Complete any settings for the selected phase, then select Create.
Use Columns & phases again to show or hide columns and change their order on the sheet.
Change how rates and totals display
When a budget uses more than one currency, you can choose which currency appears in an estimate phase without changing the stored cost.
Open the Rate column menu and turn on Show in base currency to display converted rates.
Open the phase's Total column menu and turn on Show original currency to display each line total in its source currency.
These controls change the display only. Saturation continues to calculate phase and grand totals using the phase's currency settings.
Best practices
Use spaces to group projects by production or another structure your team follows. Create a space from the menu beside New Project.
Give each account and line item a unique ID. For lines inside an account, use the account ID followed by a sequence, such as 2000-1 and 2000-2.
Keep costs on the line items inside an account. The account row should show the total of its child lines.
Save a reusable chart of accounts as a workspace template. Open the finished budget and select Export > Template.