--- title: "Financials module (NEW)" canonical: "https://support.appfire.com/space/SPM/1918404223/Financials%20module%20(NEW)" format: markdown --- > Macro (aura-html) > Macro (excerpt-include) # Financials module (old navigation)
Click to expand the guide ## About the Financials module In most organizations, managing a portfolio of projects goes beyond tracking tasks and deadlines; it also involves monitoring the financials. Traditionally, this requires separate tools for finance tracking, but BigPicture’s Financials module integrates [financial management](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918633194) directly into your project workflow. The Financials module lets you track both **actual costs** (for completed tasks) and **estimated costs** (for upcoming tasks). These costs are calculated based on hourly rates assigned to teams or resources, and estimated time and effort. This provides an up-to-date view of project expenses, helping you compare actual spending with the planned budget. BigPicture’s cost calculations can be applied to individual projects or an entire portfolio, offering real-time insights into the financial health of your initiatives. This feature helps you monitor whether projects are on a budget and allows for early detection of potential cost overruns. By incorporating financial tracking into the project management process, BigPicture empowers teams to make informed decisions, streamline workflows, and reduce financial risks, ensuring projects stay on track and within budget. The following video presents a short overview of the Financials module. ## Security and access ### App-level security roles Access to the financial information is restricted. Only people who have been assigned a financial role can interact with the information. The following permissions are required for the Financial module: - **App Financial Viewer** - can open the Financials module and view the information but can’t make any changes. - **App Financial Admin** - can set up the Financials module itself and configure the rates. - Financial module access. - Editing hourly rates in App Administration. - Edit Financial data in the Financial panel, including budget and cost calculation. ### Role in box configuration A user has to have access to a specific box (for which calculations are made) or to the Home box (which gives access to all the boxes). ## Main features The table presents the main features of the Financials module. | **Feature** | **Description** | **Screenshot** | | --- | --- | --- | | Planned vs Actual costs panel | The Planned vs Actual costs panel is available for individual [initiatives](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=spm&title=OLD%20Initiative&linkCreation=true&fromPageId=1918404223) and [portfolios](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=spm&title=OLD%20Actual%20vs%20Planned&linkCreation=true&fromPageId=1918404223). It displays all the costs of effort for all tasks in the portfolio, broken down into specific initiatives. It displays such data as:
- Budget estimated for the select box - Total cost of execution of the selected box - Actual cost - Remaining cost - Tasks progress - Interactive** Cost distribution by initiatives** pie chart - Interactive **Cost over time** chart - A detailed breakdown of **Initiatives costs and budgets** | ![ready-financial-module.png](media://e1418c62-8340-46ae-b8c1-e7c435ecc358) | | [Period](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2269839509) | Adjust the view to show financial data from a selected period only. | ![change-period.png](media://a6ae3149-f2d9-4488-aa23-7427bb0c8954) | | Work effort estimation | Work can be estimated in:
- Man-days - Story points | ![calculation-details.png](media://94dd851f-bba7-4f60-b209-91692b628a09) | | Hourly rates | Cost can be calculated hourly by:
- box (only in $) - teams (many other currencies available) |
# Financials module (new navigation)
Click to expand the guide ## About the Financials module In most organizations, managing a portfolio of projects goes beyond tracking tasks and deadlines; it also involves monitoring the financials. Traditionally, this requires separate tools for finance tracking, but BigPicture’s Financials module integrates [financial management](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/1918633194) directly into your project workflow. The Financials module lets you track both **actual costs** (for completed tasks) and **estimated costs** (for upcoming tasks). These costs are calculated based on hourly rates assigned to teams or resources, and estimated time and effort. This provides an up-to-date view of project expenses, helping you compare actual spending with the planned budget. BigPicture’s cost calculations can be applied to individual projects or an entire portfolio, offering real-time insights into the financial health of your initiatives. This feature helps you monitor whether projects are on a budget and allows for early detection of potential cost overruns. By incorporating financial tracking into the project management process, BigPicture empowers teams to make informed decisions, streamline workflows, and reduce financial risks, ensuring projects stay on track and within budget. The following video presents a short overview of the Financials module. ## Security and access ### App-level security roles Access to the financial information is restricted. Only people who have been assigned a financial role can interact with the information. The following permissions are required for the Financial module: - **App Financial Viewer** - can open the Financials module and view the information, but can’t make any changes. - **App Financial Admin** - can set up the Financials module itself and configure the rates. - Financial module access. - Editing hourly rates in App Administration. - Edit Financial data in the Financial panel, including budget and cost calculation. ### Role in box configuration A user has to have access to a specific box (for which calculations are made) or to the Home box (which gives access to all the boxes). ## Main features The table presents the main features of the Financials module. | **Feature** | **Description** | | --- | --- | | Planned vs Actual costs panel | The Planned vs Actual costs panel is available for individual [initiatives](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=spm&title=OLD%20Initiative&linkCreation=true&fromPageId=1918404223) and [portfolios](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/pages/createpage.action?spaceKey=spm&title=OLD%20Actual%20vs%20Planned&linkCreation=true&fromPageId=1918404223). It displays all the costs of effort for all tasks in the portfolio, broken down into specific initiatives. It displays such data as:
- Budget estimated for the select box - Total cost of execution of the selected box - Actual cost - Remaining cost - Tasks progress - Interactive** Cost distribution by initiatives** pie chart - Interactive **Cost over time** chart - A detailed breakdown of **Initiatives costs and budgets**
![Screenshot of the Financials module.](media://0ce60736-d8cc-45c0-b772-394fb6da813e) | | [Period](https://appfire.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SPM/pages/2269839509) | Adjust the view to show financial data for the selected period.
![Screenshot of the Change period option in the Financials module.](media://16c5b90a-98c9-45ea-8388-51ac00ec51d6) | | Work effort estimation | Work can be estimated in:
- Man-days - Story points | | Hourly rates | Cost can be calculated hourly by:
- Box (only in $) - Teams (many other currencies available) |