Project Budget Settings

Configure and monitor your project's financial settings. Set budgets, define hourly rates for team members, review budget alerts, and customize work schedules that affect burn rate calculations.

Overview

Budget Settings is a Pro feature organized into four sub-tabs accessible from the project settings navigation:

• Allocation: View developer time allocation and costs
• Rates: Configure custom hourly rates per team member
• Alerts: Monitor budget threshold notifications
• Settings: Configure budget values and work schedule

Allocation Tab

Displays a table showing how each team member's time contributes to the project budget.

Developer Allocation Table

Each row shows a developer with the following columns:

• Developer: Name and avatar, with a "Custom" badge if they have a custom hourly rate
• Total Hours: All hours tracked by this developer
• Billable: Hours marked as billable to the client
• Non-Billable: Internal hours not charged to client
• Rate: The developer's hourly rate (default or custom)
• Cost: Total cost calculated from hours × rate
• %: Percentage of total budget consumed by this developer

Footer Totals

The table footer displays:

• Total number of team members
• Combined billable hours across all developers
• Combined non-billable hours
• Total cost for the project

Rates Tab

Manage individual hourly rates for team members. Custom rates override the project's default rate.

Adding a Custom Rate

1. Click the Add Rate button in the header
2. Select a team member from the dropdown
3. Enter their custom hourly rate
4. The rate applies to all future time calculations

Rate Display

The header shows the default rate configured in Settings. Team members without custom rates use this default.

Removing a Rate

Click the remove button next to any custom rate to delete it. The team member reverts to using the project's default rate.

Alerts Tab

View system-generated notifications when the budget approaches or exceeds thresholds.

Alert Types

• Warning (amber indicator): Budget has reached the warning threshold percentage
• Critical (red indicator): Budget has exceeded the critical threshold

Alert Information

Each alert displays:

• Alert type with colored indicator
• Threshold percentage that triggered the alert
• Date and time when the alert was triggered

Alerts are generated automatically by the system based on the thresholds configured in Settings.

Settings Tab

Configure the core budget parameters and project work schedule.

Budget Type

Choose between two calculation modes:

Fixed Value Mode

• Enter a total budget amount directly
• The system tracks spending against this fixed amount

Hours × Rate Mode

• Enter an hourly rate and estimated hours
• The system calculates total budget automatically
• Shows calculated budget based on your inputs

Threshold and Controls

• Warning Threshold: Percentage at which warning alerts trigger (default: 70%)
• Auto Block: When enabled, blocks time tracking when budget is exceeded

Work Schedule

Override the workspace default work schedule for this specific project:

Use Workspace Default

• Project uses the workspace's configured working days and hours
• Displays current workspace schedule for reference

Override for This Project

• Toggle to enable project-specific schedule
• Configure working days by clicking day buttons (Mon-Sun)
• Set hours per day for burn rate calculations
• Add project-specific holidays that exclude certain dates from calculations

Saving Changes

Click the Save button in the header to apply all settings changes at once.

How Budget Tracking Works

1. Team members log time against project tasks
2. Each time entry calculates cost using the member's rate (custom or default)
3. Costs accumulate against the project budget
4. When thresholds are reached, alerts are generated
5. If auto-block is enabled, time tracking stops when budget is exceeded

Requirements

This feature requires a Pro subscription.

Related Features

• Time Tracking - Log hours against tasks
• Billable Time - Review billable hours and costs
• Project Settings - Other project configurations

Budget Planning Best Practices

Estimating Project Budgets

When setting up a new project budget:

1. Review historical data: Check similar past projects for actual costs
2. Factor in uncertainty: Add 15-20% buffer for unexpected work
3. Consider team composition: Different rates affect total budget significantly
4. Account for overhead: Meetings, code reviews, and communication take time

Budget Calculation Methods

Choose the right approach for your situation:

Setting Thresholds

Configure meaningful alert thresholds:

Managing Team Rates

When to Use Custom Rates

Apply custom rates when:

• Team members have different experience levels
• Contract resources have negotiated rates
• Certain specialists command premium pricing
• Projects have unique billing arrangements

Rate Hierarchy

GitScrum applies rates in this order:

1. Custom project rate (if configured for member)
2. Default project rate (from Settings tab)
3. Workspace default (if no project rate set)

Auditing Rates

Regularly review rates to ensure accuracy:

1. Check all custom rates quarterly
2. Update for salary changes or role promotions
3. Remove rates for departed team members
4. Document reasons for rate variations

Budget Alerts Management

Alert Response Protocol

When alerts trigger:

Warning Alert (70%)

1. Review remaining tasks vs remaining budget
2. Assess if original estimate was accurate
3. Identify any scope creep
4. Communicate status to stakeholders
5. Adjust plan if needed

Critical Alert (90%)

1. Pause new work if necessary
2. Prioritize remaining budget for critical tasks
3. Escalate to project sponsor
4. Prepare budget extension request if needed
5. Document lessons learned

Preventing Alert Fatigue

If alerts trigger too frequently:

• Review if thresholds are set appropriately
• Check if initial budgets are realistic
• Consider if auto-block is appropriate for your workflow
• Address root causes of budget overruns

Work Schedule Impact on Budgets

How Schedules Affect Calculations

Work schedules influence:

• Burn rate projections: Hours per day × days per week
• Capacity planning: Available hours for the project
• Holiday exclusions: Days not counted in estimates

Project-Specific Schedule Scenarios

Holiday Management

Add project-specific holidays for:

• Client-specific holidays (different country)
• Planned team absences
• Company-wide events not in workspace calendar
• Project-specific milestones (no work days)

Reporting and Analysis

Budget Health Indicators

Monitor these metrics regularly:

Exporting Budget Data

For external reporting:

1. Screenshot or copy the Allocation table
2. Export time tracking reports for detailed breakdown
3. Use API for automated reporting integration

Troubleshooting Budget Issues

Budget Shows $0

If budget displays zero:

1. Navigate to Settings tab
2. Ensure budget value or hours × rate is configured
3. Click Save to apply settings
4. Refresh the page

Rates Not Applying

If time isn't calculating correctly:

1. Verify custom rate is saved (check Rates tab)
2. Confirm default rate is set in Settings
3. Check if time entry is marked billable vs non-billable
4. Review time entry timestamps vs rate effective date

Alerts Not Triggering

If expected alerts don't appear:

1. Verify thresholds are set (not 0%)
2. Check that budget is configured
3. Ensure time has been logged against the project
4. Refresh the Alerts tab

Auto-Block Considerations

When to Enable Auto-Block

Use auto-block for:

• Strict fixed-price contracts
• Budget caps that cannot be exceeded
• Projects requiring explicit approval for overages

When to Disable Auto-Block

Disable when:

• Budgets are estimates rather than limits
• Team needs flexibility to complete critical work
• Approval process handles overages separately

Team Communication

If auto-block is enabled:

1. Notify team of the policy
2. Explain how to request budget extension
3. Provide alternative tracking for blocked time
4. Monitor for blocked entries requiring action