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Startup Budget Template (12-Month, Free .xlsx)
A 12-month operating budget structured the way startups actually spend: revenue and COGS up top with a formula-driven gross margin row, then OpEx grouped by department, and an operating income line that shows your planned burn month by month. A second sheet tracks budget against actuals with variance dollars and percentages that color-flag automatically.
Best for: Founders building their first annual budget or standing up budget-to-actual reporting for the board.
What's Inside
- 12-month operating budget: editable revenue lines, COGS, gross profit, and a formula-driven gross margin row
- OpEx grouped the way startups budget: people by department (R&D, S&M, G&A), software and tools, marketing programs, office and ops, professional services
- Operating income / burn row computed per month, plus a full-year total column
- Budget vs Actuals sheet: budget linked from the budget sheet, editable actuals per month, variance $ and % with automatic red and green flags
Like all our templates, it ships as a properly formatted .xlsx with live formulas, freeze panes, and conditional formatting. Yellow cells are editable inputs; everything else recalculates automatically.
How to Use It
- 1Enter revenue assumptions in the yellow cells: subscription, services, and other revenue
- 2Fill in COGS (hosting, support, payment processing); gross margin computes automatically
- 3Budget OpEx by department: people costs for R&D, S&M, and G&A, then programs and overhead
- 4Read the operating income row; any negative month is your planned burn
- 5At each month-end close, enter actuals on the Budget vs Actuals sheet and review the color-flagged variances
Want the concepts behind the spreadsheet? Startup budget and operating expense planning: the full guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this startup budget template free?
Yes. The download is a direct .xlsx link with no signup, no email wall, and no watermarks.
Does the budget template work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Open Google Sheets and use File then Import to load the .xlsx. The formulas, cross-sheet links, and conditional variance colors carry over. Excel, Apple Numbers, and LibreOffice open it directly.
How does the Budget vs Actuals sheet work?
Budget columns pull automatically from the Operating Budget sheet, so the two never drift apart. Each month you enter actual revenue and actual spend in the yellow cells; variance dollars and percentages compute and turn green when favorable and red when unfavorable. A good rule: investigate any variance over 10% and document the cause for board reporting.
How is a budget different from a financial model?
A budget is the spending plan you commit to for a period and then track actuals against, line by line. A financial model connects revenue drivers, hiring, and spend so you can test decisions and scenarios before committing. Most startups need both: model first, then lock a budget from the chosen scenario.
More Free Templates
Templates get you started. When you want the numbers maintained for you, StartupCFO bundles a bookkeeper, CPA, and fractional CFO from $179/mo. See pricing.
