Back to results for “Cash Budgeting”
Budgeting & Forecasting › The Master Budget

How do changes in one budget cascade through the master budget?

Advanced

Answer

Because the budgets are interlinked, a change in one flows through the rest. For example, raising the sales forecast increases production, which raises materials, labor, and overheads, changing costs, profit, receivables, payables, inventory, and cash—altering all three pro forma statements. This interdependence is why master budgets are best modeled so changes recalculate automatically.
Real-world example Increasing the sales budget 10% ripples through production, purchasing, cash, and the budgeted balance sheet.

Common follow-ups: Why model the master budget? | What happens if sales change?