Budgeting doesn’t get the same attention as dragon-slaying or spell-slinging, but if you ask Greta Ironfist, it’s what keeps the doors open and the swords sharp. At the Waterdeep Trading Company, budgeting is how we make sure every gold piece has a job to do.

Let’s walk through how you can set up and use budgeting in Dynamics 365 Finance, with a few examples from our favorite trade hub on the Sword Coast.

Why Budgeting Is More Than Just Ledger Scrolls

Running a growing trading company means managing costs across different wards, cities, and sometimes even planes. Whether you’re buying spell ink in Waterdeep or renting a wagon in Elturel, you need a plan.

With Dynamics 365, budgeting helps you:

• Forecast future expenses
• Prevent overspending
• Align your spend with goals like expansion or inventory restocking

Creating a Budget Register Entry

A budget register entry is where you define how much money you’re allocating and where it’s going. This can be done by department, cost center, or project.

Here’s what Greta’s FY25 budget register might look like:

You can create these manually or import from Excel. It’s especially helpful when you’re dealing with dozens of departments and hundreds of accounts.

Setting Up Budget Control Rules

Budget control lets you apply rules that prevent spending over budget. You can set this up to stop transactions or just warn the user.

Here’s how we’ve configured ours:

This makes sure field teams don’t accidentally order 10 crates of holy water when they only need two.

Allocating Budgets Over Time

Not all costs hit at once. Some budgets, like the one for magical research or training, might be spread across the year.

Equal Monthly Allocation Example

You can also do weighted allocations if you expect spikes during busy seasons, like Greengrass or the Day of Wonders.

Reporting and Variance Tracking

Now that your budget is in the system, it’s easy to track how you’re doing. With the help of Power BI or built-in reports, you can compare budget to actuals.

Sample Variance Report

This kind of visibility lets Greta make smarter decisions and redirect funds when needed.

Final Thoughts

Budgeting in Faerûn is not just about counting coins. It’s about making sure your resources are lined up with your ambitions. Whether you’re building a new warehouse in Baldur’s Gate or launching a supply run to Icewind Dale, having your budgets set in Dynamics 365 means you can move with confidence.

Want to do this yourself? Download the Advanced Dungeons & Dynamics 365 guides at adnd365.com/start. For hands-on access, explore the live demo environment at https://public.adnd365.com, logging in with npc@adnd365.com and password N0nPl@yC#822!.

Let me know if you want to create a follow-up post on budgeting approvals, forecast comparisons, or project-based budgeting.