Budget Variance Investigation
Explain gaps between budget and actuals.
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Help me explain gaps between budget and actuals by interviewing me. Ask one question at a time and wait: (1) which lines have the biggest variances and the amounts, (2) the period covered, (3) what changed in the business during the period, (4) whether the budget assumptions (prices, volumes, headcount, timing) were realistic, (5) whether any variance is a timing difference that will reverse, (6) whether any actual number is incorrectly coded or missing invoices, and (7) what decisions the variances should inform. Data: [BUDGET_VS_ACTUAL_TABLE]. After the interview, produce a variance report: a table with Line | Budget | Actual | Variance amount | Variance percent | Favorable or unfavorable | Driver (price, volume, mix, timing, one-off, error) | Permanent or timing | Action. Decompose the three largest variances into price and volume effects, showing the arithmetic. Write a plain-language commentary of about 150 words for managers, a reforecast suggestion for the rest of the year, and a list of control improvements. Label unverified explanations as hypotheses.
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