Preparing a Budget

A budget is a financial blueprint for achieving business goals. Your unit’s budget is part of the company’s overall strategy, so you need to understand the company’s strategy in order to create a useful budget. There are several steps you can take to increase your strategic understanding:

The audience, not the presenter, is the heart of any presentation. To figure out what makes it tick, answer these questions:

 Pay attention to communications from senior management. Most companies try to communicate at least the basics of their strategy to the entire organization.

 Watch the overall economic picture. A company’s strategy during a recession will differ from its strategy in a booming economy. Listen to your manager’s and ...

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