For all businesses, understanding how actual financial performance compares to your plans is essential. Dryrun’s Forecast vs. Actuals feature is designed to give businesses unparalleled visibility into variances, offering a powerful tool for comparing actual outcomes against forecasts and budgets. 

By syncing with your accounting software and utilizing historical data, together with a powerful Auto Forecast feature, Dryrun enables precise tracking and insightful comparisons, helping businesses refine strategies and maintain financial control.

Whether you’re comparing forecast vs actuals or budget vs actuals, this feature simplifies complex financial analysis, making it accessible and actionable.

What is Forecast vs Actuals in Dryrun?

Dryrun’s Forecast vs. Actuals feature bridges the gap between what was planned and what happened. It allows businesses to track their actual performance against created forecasts or budgets. By pulling real-time historical data from your accounting software, Dryrun ensures accuracy and eliminates the need for tedious manual data entry.

Once integrated, users can:

• Compare weekly or monthly actuals against forecasts or budgets.
• Spot trends in income and expenses.
• Uncover opportunities for growth or areas where cost savings are necessary.

Key Benefits 

1. Complete Variance Transparency

With Dryrun, you don’t just see numbers—you understand them. Variances are clearly displayed, allowing you to:

• Identify why certain forecasts or budgets weren’t met.
• Recognize consistent patterns (e.g., recurring underspending in certain departments or overspending on specific projects).
• Take proactive measures to address challenges or capitalize on successes.

2. Flexible Comparisons for Diverse Needs

Dryrun offers flexibility to compare forecast vs. actuals or budget vs. actuals depending on your focus:

• Forecast vs. Actuals: Ideal for monitoring dynamic cash flow forecasts and sales projections.
• Budget vs. Actuals: Perfect for organizations with a fixed annual or quarterly budget looking to control expenditures.

3. Real-Time Data Integration

Dryrun syncs directly with leading accounting software, such as QuickBooks, Xero, and other ERPs, to pull historical data automatically. This integration:

• Reduces manual effort and the potential for errors.
• Ensures that your comparisons are based on accurate, up-to-date information.
• Provides historical context for understanding trends.

4. Scenario-Based Decision Making

Dryrun is renowned for its scenario modeling, and the Forecast vs. Actuals feature takes it further. By showing how real-world outcomes align with scenarios, businesses can refine forecasts and make more informed decisions.

Imagine a SaaS company forecasting revenue growth of 20% based on launching a new feature. When the Forecast vs. Actuals data reveals only 10% growth, they can compare scenarios to see how delays in marketing campaigns or customer adoption rates impacted performance.

5. Enhanced Budget Management

Budgets can easily become outdated or irrelevant without proper tracking. With Budget vs. Actuals, you can:

• Spot areas of overspending and take corrective action.
• Identify underutilized budgets and reallocate funds effectively.
• Ensure teams stay accountable and aligned with financial goals.

For example, a non-profit organization using Dryrun might find that fundraising expenses have exceeded the budget by 15%, while program costs are under-budget by 10%. This insight allows them to rebalance allocations to ensure their mission remains funded.

Real-World Applications Across Industries

Dryrun’s Forecast vs. Actuals feature serves a wide range of industries, providing tailored benefits for different business models:

1. Retail

Retailers can use the feature to compare sales forecasts during peak seasons like holidays, ensuring inventory levels match demand and reducing excess stock costs.

2. Professional Services

‍Agencies and consultancies can monitor actual billable hours against forecasted hours to manage resource allocation effectively.

3. Hospitality

‍Restaurants and hotels can track actual revenue against seasonal forecasts to adjust staffing and promotions as needed.

4. Manufacturing

‍Compare production forecasts to actual output and adjust purchasing or scheduling to avoid bottlenecks or overproduction.

5. Construction:

‍Construction companies can track project costs against estimates, ensuring better financial control and the ability to adjust resources and improve cost projections for future projects, ultimately increasing profitability and client satisfaction.

Why Choose Dryrun for Forecast vs Actuals?

Unlike static spreadsheets that require constant manual updates and are prone to errors, Dryrun offers:

• Time Savings: Automate data import and variance tracking, freeing up your team for strategic tasks.
• Clear Visualizations: Easily digest complex data through intuitive dashboards and charts.
• Collaboration: Share insights across your finance team and stakeholders for better decision-making.

Your Path to Financial Clarity Starts Here

Dryrun’s Forecast vs Actuals feature empowers businesses with the insights they need to take control of their financial future. By combining historical accuracy with flexible forecasting and budgeting tools, Dryrun transforms how businesses monitor performance and make decisions.

Take the guesswork out of financial management. Sign up for a demo of Dryrun today and experience the clarity and confidence that comes from knowing where you stand—and where you’re going.

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Dryrun delivers real-time, dynamic cash flow and revenue forecasts with complete manual control and unlimited scenario modeling.

Book your DISCOVERY CALL to learn about the Dryrun advantage or START YOUR TRIAL today!