Hotel Investor Apps (HIA) is excited to announce a series of powerful new enhancements to its Budgeting & Forecasting Module, as part of its hospitality ERP platform. These improvements are designed to streamline budgeting workflows, reduce repetitive tasks, and provide greater control and precision over financial planning for hotel operators.

Increased Control and Streamlined Operations

HIA’s Budgeting Module now offers unprecedented control over financial planning, from locking and unlocking budget lines to performing mass updates across multiple accounts.

Kim Vassell-Jacob, HIA’s Budgeting & Forecasting expert, highlights the benefits: “These enhancements make the budgeting process not only faster and more intuitive but also more secure. Our goal is to save time while improving precision, so hotel operators can focus on making data-driven decisions.”

With features like flexible data uploads, reusable budget configurations, and simplified driver management, the enhanced Budgeting Module is an indispensable tool for hotels looking to streamline their financial operations.

Key Enhancements to the HIA Budgeting Module:

Manage Updates in Bulk for Greater Efficiency

• Users can now update several fields in the budget at the same time; filtering subsets by either Driver, Budget Account Group, or Account for Driver. 

Customizable Budget Drivers by Account Group

• Users can create custom budget drivers by account group, allowing for more granular control and simplified management. For example, grouping all room expenses with a single Per Occupied Room (POR) driver eliminates the need to individually update multiple accounts, streamlining large budget categories.

New ‘Lock Budget’ Functionality for Enhanced Accuracy and Security

• Budget lines will now automatically lock once they have been approved and released. In locked status, budget lines cannot be modified, preventing accidental changes. 
• A new “Unlock Budget Records” button will be available, based on user access roles, which allows users to modify the budget record. Any changes will require a re-release to maintain security and accuracy. 

Flexible Data Upload Options 

• New functionality now aggregates references to the same account and imports the sum into a single line item, streamlining the import process. 

Automatic GL Conversion for Seamless Migration

• For users transitioning from select accounting software, an automatic General Ledger (GL) conversion tool is now available, making it easier to import historical budget data and align with your Chart of Accounts (COA). 

New “Fixed” Budget Driver Simplifies Set Expenses

• Users can designate fixed amounts across all periods. Users may alternately distribute an annual total over the year.

Expanded Chart of Accounts Pre-population

• The new functionality allows users to prepopulate their Chart of Accounts (COA) in the budget, either by loading the entire chart or a specific range. This eliminates the need for manual coding and improves accuracy when setting up new budgets.

Real-Time Validation and Notifications

• The system provides real-time validation of budget amounts. If a budget amount does not match the distribution across periods, users will be alerted with a popup notification, ensuring no field is released unless the figures are correct.

The latest developments to HIA’s Budgeting & Forecasting module are one way that HIA continues to lead the way in hospitality ERP solutions. These powerful new features not only save time but also ensure precision, helping hoteliers focus on driving growth and making informed financial decisions.

If you are ready for streamlined hotel budgeting fully integrated with your hotel accounting software, request a demo of HIA’s ERP with Budgeting & Forecasting here. 

Jaime Goss, VP

Jaime Goss has over a decade of marketing experience in the hospitality industry. At Hotel Investor Apps, Jaime heads up marketing initiatives including brand strategy, website design, content, email marketing, advertising and press relations.