DIGIT Construction · Construction
A commitment is not a cost… and a budget is not a forecast
Four separate concepts: budget, actual cost, commitments, and estimate to complete and at completion.
There is no real screenshot of this area yet; the diagrams on this page explain the process only, and the screens are shown in a demo session per edition and scope.
- 01Approved budgetApproved
- 02Record actualsPosted
- 03Count commitmentsOpen
- 04Estimate to completeReviewed
- 05DecisionAssigned
- Shown in a demo
- Described in the company profile, shown in a demo session per edition.
- Depends on scope
- Depends on set-up, an integration or a service defined in scope.
Adapted from the DIGIT Corporate Profile 2026, page 22, 24
One cost figure hides four questions
How much did we plan to spend? How much have we spent? How much have we committed? And how much do we expect to spend to the end? Each question has its own figure and document.
- 01
Budget
The approved estimate and its approved revisions.
- 02
Actuals and commitments
What was actually spent kept apart from what is contracted but not yet spent.
- 03
Forecast
The estimate to complete is assessed by its owner, not calculated automatically from the budget.
Four concepts that are never merged
Shown side by side; none replaces another.
Budget
Means What was planned for the line
Does not mean Not a cap on the forecast
Actual cost
Means Recorded invoices, material issues and certificates
Does not mean Excludes open orders
Commitments
Means Approved purchase and subcontract orders not yet executed
Does not mean Not a cost yet
ETC / EAC
Means Estimate to complete, and estimate at completion
Does not mean Not budget minus actuals
The cost review cycle
What happens in the monthly cost review.
- Step 1:
Approved budget
- Record
- Project budget
- Owner
- Cost controller
- State
- Approved
- Output
- Line reference
- Step 2:
Record actuals
- Record
- Invoices, issues and certificates
- Owner
- Finance and site
- State
- Posted
- Output
- Actual cost
- Step 3:
Count commitments
- Record
- Open orders
- Owner
- Procurement and contracts
- State
- Open
- Output
- Commitments
- Step 4:
Estimate to complete
- Record
- Line forecast
- Owner
- Project manager
- State
- Reviewed
- Output
- ETC / EAC
- Step 5:
Decision
- Record
- Review note
- Owner
- Project director
- State
- Assigned
- Output
- Action on lines over budget
The source of each figure
Every figure opens its documents.
Project budget and revisions
BudgetFrom the approved estimate and change orders.
Shown in a demoActual cost
ActualsInvoices, material issues and subcontract certificates.
Shown in a demoCommitments
CommitmentsOpen purchase and subcontract orders.
Shown in a demoForecast
ETC · EACThe owner’s estimate of what remains and why.
Shown in a demo
Cost review questions
Each question with its correct figure.
Which lines will their forecast exceed the budget?
EAC against budget per line.
- Source
- Forecast and budget
- Decided by
- Project manager
How much of the budget is tied up in commitments?
Open commitments per line.
- Source
- Purchase and subcontract orders
- Decided by
- Cost controller
What changed the forecast since last month?
The forecast difference and its recorded reason.
- Source
- Forecast history
- Decided by
- Project director
Cost views
The four columns always kept apart.
Project cost report
Budget, actuals, commitments and ETC/EAC per line.
Shown in a demoForecast history
How EAC changed over months and why.
Shown in a demo
Where the figures come from
Each column comes from a department.
Next step
See this process on a scenario close to your work
A short discovery session to define what your company needs, then we show the screens available in your edition and explain what needs set-up.
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DIGIT · Budget, Actual Cost, Commitments & Forecast