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How to upload actuals, budget & forecast

June 1, 2020
UpdatedNovember 1, 2024
ByEric Cevey
Views3335
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What is the Data Upload Centre?

The Data Upload Centre is a module that allows you to upload various types of data to PMI. This data includes:

Budget & Forecast

  • Upload Revenue
  • Upload Room Nights, Guest Nights
  • Upload Covers
  • Upload Hours
  • Upload Personnel Cost

Actuals

  • Upload Revenue per day
  • Upload Room Nights, Guest Nights per day
  • Upload Covers per day
  • Upload Hours per day
  • Upload Hours as a lump sum – will be spread per day according to Cost Driver. The downloaded hours are NOT including TKS imported hours.
  • Upload Personnel Cost as Total Salary Cost
  • Upload Personnel Cost as Hourly Rate

Examples of tasks

  • Via the upload tool, it is possible to upload both past ACTUAL labor cost to PMI and future BUDGET & FORECAST labor cost.
  • It is also possible to use this function to ADJUST the number of HOURS per cockpit for past month. But be aware that the upload function does not affect the TKS imported hours. The adjustment needs to be calculated and the adjusted hours can be uploaded via this function.

Using the PMI Upload Template

The Data Upload Centre is found in the Administration column in the main menu.

 Select Budget, Forecast & Actuals.

Here you can choose to create an upload template or upload data now, if you have already created a template. 

Create Upload Template – Start here if you do not already have a template. Always download the latest updated document. Do not use an old template on your computer.

Upload Data Now – When the downloaded template has been updated with data, save it to your computer and then upload it here.

 

The Wizard will guide you through 5 steps:

1 – Data And Layout

What data do you want to edit/upload?

  • Budget
  • Forecast
  • Actual

Here you can mix as you like. The Note at the bottom appears when you mix Actual with Budget and/or Forecast.

You may also download the template in Vertical or Horizontal View as well as possibility to have all departments chosen in one tab or have one tab per department.

 

2 – Date Range

Date Range

Date Range options are as follows:

  • Budget – only total month values, option to select past month and future months (if the lock function is activated in PMI you will not be able to upload data to locked months)
  • Forecast – only total month values, option to select past month and future months (if the lock function is activated in PMI you will not be able to upload data to locked months)
  • Actuals – if downloaded separately you have the option to select days in the past.
  • Actuals – if downloaded together with Budget and/or Forecast the date range will only be available monthly, i.e you cannot upload Guest Nigths, Room Nights, Revenue and Covers/Units. This because these needs to be updated to PMI per day and not as a monthly sum.

3 – Departments

Select all or separate departments and click the arrow to move them to the right.

 

4 – Content

Content

Select the content you want to edit or upload.

  • Hours cannot be deselected unless Labor Cost is deselected first.
  • When Actual only is only selected in step 1 you get the option to edit hour either Monthly Sum or Daily.
  • If select Monthly Sum the hours will be distributed daily according to Cost Driver.

 

5 – Download

Select the content you want to edit or upload.

  • Hours cannot be deselected unless Labor Cost is deselected first.
  • When Actual only is only selected in step 1 you get the option to edit hour either Monthly Sum or Daily.
  • If select Monthly Sum the hours will be distributed daily according to Cost Driver.

The file will be downloaded to your computer.

Edit the template

  • The template can be edited in the open cells
  • Do not create formulas in the template
  • If paste is used, please use Paste Values
  • Do not use CUT from another document and Paste into the file, then the file will not be possible to upload to PMI

Locked Budget – Forecast – Actuals

Even though cells are editable you might not be able to upload data, this is if PMI is locked. Read more here – Advanced Setting (heading Period Update). You will get a notification about this at the last step – see below.

Hours

Part of the hours you are budgeting/forecasting, may be fixed (minimum staff). PMI will then distribute these hours first. The Hours column should include the total hours and the Fixed the part of the total hours that are fixed.
Actual hours can only be added/edited as Productive and/or Non Productive.

 

Upload Data

Select Upload Data Now!
Select excel file

Browse the saved file and upload.

When Upload is clicked, you will get a message detailing what will be uploaded. If, for example, you have Locked Period, PMI will alert you what will, and what will not be uploaded.

Troubleshooting tips

This section provides additional troubleshooting advice for readers experiencing specific issues. While it’s packed with useful insights, you may skip it if you’re not facing any related problems.

Why is PMI showing hours instead of FTE in Budget (Target) & forecast?

If you’ve selected FTE in the Budget & Forecast module but the system still shows Hours under productivity, here’s what to check:

Possible Reasons:

  1. FTEs are centrally managed: In some cases, FTE values are uploaded or controlled by a central team (e.g., head office), which overrides local FTE input and forces the view to show hours.
  2. Toggle was not applied correctly: Double-check that the FTE toggle is selected. If needed, refresh the view after toggling.
  3. Permissions or configuration: Some user roles or property setups may not allow FTE input locally. Instead, the interface defaults to hours.

What to do:

  • Confirm that the FTE toggle is selected.
  • Try refreshing the page after changing the toggle.
  • If it still shows hours, check internally if your FTEs are managed centrally.
  • If unclear, contact your administrator or controller for confirmation.

Why does the Room nights total in the Cockpit differ from the rooms Live forecast?

Common Cause:
In most cases, the discrepancy is due to how the Cost Driver (Room Nights) is configured in the Cockpit.

  • The Cockpit might be using Room Nights from the previous day as a cost driver.
  • The Rooms Live Forecast typically shows Room Nights for the same day.

This mismatch leads to differing totals, even if the forecast source and timing are aligned.

What to Do:

  • Open the Cost Driver settings in the Cockpit.
  • Check whether Room Nights are based on:
    • Previous day
    • Same day
    • Or another custom setting
  • Align this with what you see in the Rooms Live Forecast for a fair comparison.

If everything else matches (forecast type, manual edits, import timing), this is the key area to check

Why does the column in the P&L module not say “Budget” even though I’m working with the Budget version?

You’re using the Budget version in the P&L module, but the staff-related column shows a different label—perhaps “Scheduled” or something entirely custom. Here’s why that happens and how to fix it.

The Real Reason: This setting isn’t controlled in the P&L module—it’s actually configured in the Cockpit. To make the column reflect Budget hours rather than another value (like Scheduled), follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Cockpit.
  2. Find the setting that defines whether the P&L module uses Scheduled hours or Budget hours.
  3. Switch the setting to use Budget hours.
  4. Save your changes and return to the P&L module.

Once done, the column will update to reflect the correct data type—Budget—instead of the previously displayed label.

Need help finding the setting? This article has the details: Use Forecast/Budget Hours from Cockpit in P&L Staff Module

Understanding zero OTB in Flash report

In PMI, the Flash Report provides a daily overview of revenue figures, both actual and forecasted, across all departments. Users may encounter situations where the Flash Report displays zero On the Books (OTB) data for specific dates leading to concerns about data accuracy.

Clarifying OTB in Flash Reports
It’s important to note that the Flash Report does not directly display OTB figures. Instead, it presents actual revenue data up to the current date and relies on the Live Forecast for future dates. The Live Forecast incorporates OTB data, which represents revenue from existing bookings or sales for upcoming dates. Therefore, if revenue actuals are zero for specific dates, the OTB for those dates will also be zero, reflecting no current bookings or sales recorded.

Providing context for better insights

Issue: Users ask broad questions like “Where is my data?” or “What do these figures tell you about my productivity?”without providing sufficient context or visual input.

If you're unsure why specific data or insights aren't displaying as expected, ensure your query includes enough context. You can also use the Query Library, which offers premade queries tailored to common needs—screenshots are automatically added when required for these queries. 

For custom queries, consider taking a screenshot of the relevant data or view by clicking the camera icon. Providing clear context or visuals helps the AI analyze your data more effectively and deliver accurate responses.

How to enter hours for last year in PMI

If you need to add or adjust historical hours in PMI (e.g. for last year), manual entry is not done in Budget & Forecast. Instead, you can use one of these two methods:

Option 1: Upload hours via template (recommended)

  1. Go to Administration > Data Upload Centre.
  2. Click on Download Templates.
  3. Select and download the hours upload template.
  4. Fill in the template with your data (make sure to use the correct year and department codes).
  5. 'Go to Import Files and upload your completed template.
  6. Map the fields correctly, validate, and resolve any errors.
  7. Click Update PMI to apply the changes.

Note: If the period is locked, it must be unlocked first via Advanced Settings > Period Locking. Only d2o or designated admins can unlock past periods.

Option 2: Manual entry in Cockpit (if allowed)

  1. Navigate to the Cockpit for the department in question.
  2. Use the date selector to switch to the previous year.
  3. If editable, enter the hours directly in the relevant rows.
  4. Save your changes.

Manual entry for historical hours is only possible if the period is unlocked and your role has the appropriate permissions.

How to change covers on historical dates

If you need to update covers on a past date, use the Flash Report instead of Live Forecast. Follow these steps:

  1. Navigate to the Flash Report.
  2. Select the historical date you wish to edit.
  3. Click on the Edit tool (Pen icon).
  4. Manually adjust the covers as needed.
  5. Save your changes.

Note:

  • Live Forecast is designed for adjusting future covers.
  • Flash Reports handle updates for historical data, such as revenue and actual figures.

How can I manually enter hours for last year?

You can manually enter last year’s hours in the Timesheet Cockpit by clicking the pencil icon next to the relevant day and department. This is useful when historical data is missing or needs adjustment for benchmarking purposes.

Steps:

  1. Go to the Timesheet Cockpit.
  2. Navigate to the correct department and date.
  3. Click the pencil icon to edit hours.
  4. Enter the value and click Save.

Important:

  • Ensure the hours you enter are accurate and reflect actual staffing for the given date.
  • If you are benchmarking or reprocessing historical productivity, make sure the correct cost drivers are in place.

Note on Timekeeping Integration:

If you are using an external timekeeping system, hours should only be added manually in PMI if they cannot be entered in the source system. Examples include outsourced staff or call-in employees that are not recorded in the timekeeping system.

Forecast discrepancies in cockpits

If the forecast data in the cockpit does not match the actuals, showing discrepancies in the Monthly To Date (MTD) usage, a potential cause is that a cost driver was not forecasted, leading the system to calculate zero forecast and only display actuals.

Steps to Resolve:

1. Verify Cost Drivers: Ensure all relevant cost drivers have been forecasted for the period in question.
2. Update Forecasts:
• Navigate to the forecast module.
• Ensure all cost drivers are included.
• Resubmit the forecast for the affected month(s).
3. Verify Correction: Check that the cockpit now displays the correct forecast and actual hours.

Changing revenue for today & tomorrow in PMI

Key Points to Remember:

  • Budget & Forecast Module changes totals on a monthly basis only.
  • Flash Report allows you to edit historical values.
  • Live Forecast allows you to edit future values (including today and tomorrow) by switching to “manual.”

Steps to edit revenue for historical dates (Past)

  1. Open the Flash Report.
  2. Expand or select the past date you want to edit; click the plus icon.
  3. Click the pencil icon (if available) to override the revenue value.

Steps to edit revenue for future dates (Today & Tomorrow)

  1. Go to the Live Forecast.
  2. Expand or select the specific date (e.g., today, tomorrow).
  3. Switch the date to “manual” if required.
  4. Enter the new revenue value in the editable field.

Can’t find RevPOLU in the Flash report

Issue: You’re looking for the RevPOLU (Revenue per Operated Labor Unit) metric in the Flash report, but it’s not there.

Explanation: The Flash Report shows pacing against Forecast, Budget, and Last Year for revenue centers — but it does not include RevPOLU.

To track RevPOLU versus target, budget, or last year, go to the:

  • Management Perspective view
    → There you can monitor RevPOLU trends and compare to previous periods
    → Available both on desktop and in the PMI App

Tip: RevPOLU is also shown in the GM Daily Digest and can be part of portfolio and benchmarking views, but not in Flash Report.

Can I view or customize graphs in the Benchmarking module?

The Benchmarking module in PMI does not support graphs at all — neither in the desktop version nor in the app. It is a table-only feature designed for data comparison, not visual display.

Common Confusion: Flash Report vs. Benchmarking

  • Flash Report (in the PMI app) does include graphs such as lines and bars, and offers visual comparisons.
  • Benchmarking, by contrast, focuses on numeric comparisons across properties or regions, displayed in table format only.

If you’re looking to visualize trends or performance comparisons, try using the Flash Report in the mobile app instead.

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