Import a job budget into Adaptive by uploading a CSV or Excel file. Adaptive opens the budget import in AI Assistant, prepares a preview, and lets you review or fix rows before anything is submitted.
1. Open the Budget Import
To start a budget import:
Go to Jobs.
Open the job you want to update.
Open the job budget.
Click Import budget if the budget is empty, or click Import from the budget actions area if the budget already has lines.
Adaptive opens AI Assistant with the import ready for that job.
Note: If you do not see the import option, you may not have permission to manage the job budget, or the job may use a lump sum budget.
2. Prepare Your File
You can upload a CSV or Excel file. Your file should include the budget lines you want to add or update.
Common budget import fields include:
Job: The job name.
Cost_Code: The cost code for the budget line.
Account: The account for the budget line.
Category: Optional. Adaptive can create the category on the job if it does not already exist.
Cost_Budget: The cost budget amount.
Revenue_Budget: The revenue budget amount.
Cost_Changes: Optional cost-side change amount.
Revenue_Changes: Optional revenue-side change amount.
Important: Each row must include either Cost_Code or Account, but not both.
Budget rows match jobs, cost codes, and accounts by their display names in Adaptive. Make sure names match exactly, including spelling, spacing, and capitalization.
3. Upload the File
In AI Assistant, upload or drag and drop your budget file.
Adaptive reads the file and may ask you to confirm details such as:
Which job to import into.
Which sheet to use, if the file has multiple sheets.
Which row contains the headers.
Which columns contain cost codes, accounts, categories, and budget amounts.
4. Review the Budget Preview
After Adaptive processes the file, the Budget preview opens in the Spreadsheet viewer.
Review the preview before continuing. If a row is marked in red, check that:
The job name matches an existing job in Adaptive.
The row has either Cost_Code or Account.
The row does not include both Cost_Code and Account.
The cost code or account name matches an existing value in Adaptive.
Budget amounts are formatted as numbers.
Rows with unresolved issues are skipped until they are corrected.
From the preview, you can:
Click Continue without changes to import the matched rows as shown.
Edit cells directly in the viewer, then click Submit changes and continue.
Download the file, edit it, and re-upload it.
Click Cancel import to stop before submitting.
Adaptive also shows the number of rows in the preview, including matched and unmatched rows.
5. Submit the Import
When the preview looks correct, continue from the preview confirmation.
Adaptive submits the matched rows and updates the job budget. Imported rows create or update budget lines based on the job and the matched cost code or account.
If your file includes duplicate rows for the same job and cost code, or the same job and account, Adaptive adds those amounts together before updating the budget line.
6. Review the Updated Budget
After the import finishes:
Return to the job budget.
Confirm the imported budget lines appear correctly.
Review cost budget amounts, revenue budget amounts, categories, and changes if your file included them.
If your import includes categories, revenue budget amounts, or change amounts, Adaptive enables the related budget settings for the job as needed.
Percentage-Based Markups
Do not import percentage-based markups, such as a builder fee, as regular budget lines.
Instead, use Adaptive’s markup tools so the markup can calculate from the budget lines it applies to. This helps the markup update correctly when budget lines change later.
Learn more about using markups in Adaptive here: Using Markups (Cost Plus vs. Fixed Price)
If you have any questions or want to share feedback, feel free to reach out at [email protected].