What phases are
A phase is one set of values inside a budget. Every phase uses the same account structure, so you can compare different versions or stages of the budget without changing screens.
Saturation supports four phase types:
Phase type | Use it for |
Estimate | Planned costs that you enter and edit. Start with a blank phase or copy another Estimate phase. |
Committed | Eligible purchase orders that you have promised but not fully paid. Saturation calculates the values from purchase orders and their linked actuals. |
Actual | Transactions assigned to budget lines. Saturation calculates the values from transaction data. |
Rollup | A formula that combines other phases, such as Estimate minus Actual or Actual plus Committed. |
Each phase has a Total column. Estimate phases can also show detail columns such as Quantity, Rate, Multiplier, Unit, Fringes, and Overtime.
Add a phase
Open the project’s Budget.
Select the Topsheet fields icon in the budget toolbar.
Select Add phase or column > Add phase.
Choose Estimate, Committed, Actual, or Rollup.
Enter a name and choose a color.
Complete the settings for that phase type.
Select Create.
The available settings depend on the phase type:
Estimate: start blank or choose an existing Estimate under Copy phase.
Committed: optionally filter purchase orders by PO date or Vendor.
Actual: choose a base currency and optionally filter transactions by Date Range, Transaction Status, Source, Currency, Contact, or Tags.
Rollup: choose a base currency and enter a formula that references existing phases. Available templates can fill the formula for you.
Manage phases
Select the Topsheet fields icon to open the phase and column panel.
From this panel, you can:
Hide or show a phase with the eye control.
Lock an Estimate phase to prevent changes.
Rename or duplicate an Estimate phase from its overflow menu.
Drag phases into a different order.
Expand an Estimate phase to show its detail columns, or collapse it to its Total column.
You can also select a phase name in the budget header to open its menu. Use Edit phase to change the phase’s settings. The same menu includes Move left, Move right, Lock phase, Hide phase, and Delete phase when those actions are available.
Some system phases cannot be deleted. For example, the default Actual phase has Delete phase disabled. To change a calculated total, update its filters or the source transactions or purchase orders instead of typing into the total.
Filter Committed and Actual phases
Committed and Actual phases are calculated from source records rather than typed directly into the budget.
A Committed phase can include all eligible purchase orders or filter them by PO date or Vendor.
An Actual phase can filter transactions by Date Range, Transaction Status, Source, Currency, Contact, or Tags.
Changing a filter recalculates the phase. To change an amount, update the source purchase order or transaction.
Change a phase’s base currency
Estimate, Actual, and Rollup phases have a Base currency setting. Select the phase name in the budget header, select Edit phase, and choose the currency. Actual and Rollup phases also show this setting when you create them.
Add the currencies and conversion rates the project needs under Library > Currencies.
Use phase-specific globals
A project global can use a different override in each Estimate phase:
Open Library > Globals.
Select Vary by phase.
Enter the override in the column for the Estimate phase.
The base Value continues to apply where you do not enter an override.
Save phase combinations as views
A saved view can remember the filters, visible phases, and visible columns for a specific review:
Hide or show the phases and columns you need.
Open Views.
Select New view > Save current view.
Open the saved view’s actions menu to rename it, copy its link, or select Share.
Sharing a view controls what the viewer sees. It does not delete or change the phases that are hidden from that view.
Create a Rollup phase
A Rollup calculates across other phases and updates when its referenced phases change.
Open the Topsheet fields panel.
Select Add phase or column > Add phase.
Select Rollup.
Enter a name, choose a color, and choose the Rollup’s base currency.
In Formula, type @ and select a phase. Add more phase references with +, -, *, /, or parentheses.
Select Create.
You can reference more than two phases in one formula. Selecting a phase from the @ menu handles phase names that contain spaces.
Templates can include Variance and % Change. Total Cost and % Paid also appear when the required source phases are available.
To change a Rollup later, select its name in the budget header, select Edit phase, update the settings or formula, and select Save.
FAQs
Can I share just one phase?
Yes. Hide the other phases and columns, save the arrangement as a view, then open that view’s actions menu and select Share.
How do I change a phase’s currency?
Select the phase name in the budget header, select Edit phase, and change Base currency. This setting is available for Estimate, Actual, and Rollup phases.
Can a Rollup use more than two phases?
Yes. Add each phase from the @ menu and connect the references with supported operators and parentheses.
Can I edit a Rollup after creating it?
Yes. Select the Rollup name, select Edit phase, and update its name, color, base currency, display settings, or formula.