How to Configure Global and Project Budget Settings

Introduction

This guide explains how to configure budget settings in Easy8 both on the global level and within individual projects. The settings allow you to define default behavior for how budgets are created and managed. While global settings apply system-wide, project-level settings allow exceptions and customization for specific projects.

Target Audience

Administrator

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

Administrator access rights
Budgets module enabled in Administration >> Plugins

How to Configure Global Budget Settings

Step 1: Access Global Settings

Open the Global menu
Go to Administration
Click Budgets

Step 2: Configure Settings

The Budget settings screen includes several tabs that define how rates and cost data are used across projects. The tabs include:

Rate hierarchy: Set the priority order in which rates are used (user > role > activity)
Rates by role: Set internal and external rates per role (e.g. developer, manager)
Rates by activity: Set cost rates for types of work like programming, consulting, or testing
Rates by user: Assign individual internal and external hourly rates to each user
Other settings: Configure how costs are counted and calculated:
- VAT settings (how amounts are displayed, VAT rate)
- Method for counting incomes, expenses, and personal costs
- Planned hourly rate and unit
- Travel cost parameters (per unit/day, distance units)
- Whether to include budgets from subprojects
- Enable/disable planned budgets
- Enable budgets on tasks, milestones, campaigns, or opportunities
- Mapping settings for converting between planned and real values

After adjusting these settings, click Save.

How to Configure Budget Settings in a Project

Step 1: Open Project Budget Settings

Navigate to the desired project
Click on Project controls >> Budget settings

Step 2: Adjust Project-Specific Settings

The project-level Budget Settings page is visually almost identical to the global settings and includes the same tabs: Rate hierarchy, Rates by role, Rates by activity, Rates by user, and Other settings
However, only members and roles active in the project will be available for configuration in those tabs
Use these tabs to define how rates and costs are calculated specifically for this project (overriding global rules)
Settings like travel cost parameters, subproject inclusion, and budget usage on tasks, campaigns, and milestones can be defined locally
All changes apply only to this project unless stated otherwise at the bottom of the configuration form

Differences Between Global and Project Settings

Global settings apply to all projects unless overridden
Project settings allow for customization of currency or enabled features on a per-project basis

Corner Situations

Conclusion

You have successfully configured both global and project-level budget settings. This flexibility allows you to manage financial behavior consistently or tailor it to individual project needs.