How your budget form works - a visual guide to understanding the automatic calculations
💡 Hover over (or tap) any colored box to see more detail.
📍 How It Starts
You Type a Number
Enter any dollar amount in a budget line
System Checks Status
Makes sure it's safe to calculate without conflicts
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🔄 What Happens When You Enter Data
Is System Busy?
Prevents multiple calculations at once (system allows up to 4 calculations "in line" at a time)
❌ YES → Wait
Keeps Current Value
Doesn't change anything until it's safe
The system prevents confusion by waiting if multiple fields are being calculated. Your data is protected. If it ever looks "stuck," it's just holding for a safe moment - it will finish.
✅ NO → Calculate
Lock Other Changes
Temporarily prevents other fields from changing
Add Up Your Numbers
Sums the line items you entered. Hidden lines are skipped, and the total is rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
Calculate Fees
Adds internal administrative fees automatically, if this budget line is subject to fees
Show Grand Total
Displays total with fees in the grand total field
💡 Good to know:
• All amounts and fees are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
• Budget lines that are hidden on the form are never counted in a total.
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🎯 Special Calculation Modes
Box Mode Selected?
Did you check one of the Box Modes?
📦 YES → Use Box Calculation
Multiply Box Fields
Uses a special formula based on the box type
Special Calculation Modes:
Per Diem: Cost per Bed × Bed Quantity × Number of Days
Gifts-in-Kind: Price per Unit ($/lb) × Gross lbs Total. Optionally, enter invoices as a negative number to subtract actual expenses
Non-Monetary: Single value (no multiplication)
Exemption: Single value — EFSP, COVID, or Disaster income ONLY
📝 NO → Use Standard Calculation
Add All Line Items
Sums every budget line you filled in
Salary Section?
Are you in Grant or Match Expenses?
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Check Staff Details
Verifies salary calculations if you entered staff
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💵 Which Box Modes Waive Fees?
Not every Box Mode skips fees the same way. Per Diem still applies the standard THQ/DHQ fees; the other three do not.
| Box Mode | Fields | Fees Applied? | Can Return Funds (Deobligate)? |
|---|
| Per Diem | Cost per Bed, Bed Quantity, Number of Days | YES - Standard Fees Apply | Yes |
| Gifts-in-Kind | Price per Unit ($/lb), Gross lbs Total, Invoices (optional) | NO - Fees Waived | No* |
| Non-Monetary | Single Value | NO - Fees Waived | No |
| Exemption | Single Value (EFSP / COVID / Disaster) | NO - Fees Waived | Yes |
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💰 Handling Different Amounts
Calculate Your Total
Adds up everything you entered
Negative Amount?
Did you enter a negative number?
⚠️ IMPORTANT - Before You Deobligate:
Negative amounts (returning unused funds) are meant for "Agreement" and "Amendment/Modification" contract types. Always confirm the contract type dropdown menu is set correctly before you enter a negative amount to return funds.
⚠️ YES (Cash Income or Grant Expense) → Deobligation Mode
Activate Deobligation
Deobligation mode for returning unused funds
🟣 DEOBLIGATION MODE - AUTOMATIC ACTIONS:
When you enter a negative amount, the system automatically:
• Uses your negative amount as the total for that side
• Copies the same negative amount to the matching Income or Expense side, so both sides balance
• Removes all administrative fees
• Shows a purple message to tell you deobligation is active
• Prompts you to enter terminated staff salary information below, if applicable
This also works in the Per Diem and Exemption Box Modes.
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Purple Indicator Shows
The validation message and Grand Total boxes turn purple to show deobligation is active
🚫 Not Allowed → Negative Error
Negative Error Triggered
Match Income, Match Expense, Non-Monetary, and the price/pounds fields in Gifts-in-Kind are never allowed to be negative
🟪 NEGATIVE ERROR - A SAFETY CHECK:
A negative number can never be used in:
• Match Income
• Match Expense
• Non-Monetary Box Mode
• The price and pounds fields in Gifts-in-Kind
If a negative slips in, the system:
• Names the problem area with the Negative number
• Displays an "Amounts Cannot be Negative" message
• Returns the value to $0 automatically
• Keeps your other totals protected from bad data
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Negative Error Indicator Shows
The validation message and Grand Total colors automatically activate.
✅ NO → Normal Cash/Grant Processing
Calculate Fees
Adds Standard THQ 10% and DHQ 1.8% assessment fees (11.8% combined)
Box Mode?
Is a special mode box checked, and does that box waive fees? (see fee table above)
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NO Box / Per Diem: Fees Apply
Standard THQ 10% and DHQ 1.8% assessment fees applied
GIK / Non-Monetary / Exemption: Fees Waived
Fees waived because these three modes represent non-cash or restricted-fee funding
Calculate Grand Cash/Grant Totals
Sums the subtotal and fee amounts together for the grand value
💼 CASH/GRANT PROCESSING FEATURES:
• Available for deobligation mode
• Feeds the Amount and Supportive Services fields on Page 1 of the checklist
• Primary income/expense tracking pair
✅ NO → Normal Match/Match Processing
Calculate Fees
Adds Standard THQ 10% and DHQ 1.8% assessment fees (11.8% combined)
Box Mode?
Is a special mode box checked, and does that box waive fees?
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NO Box / Per Diem: Fees Apply
Standard THQ 10% and DHQ 1.8% assessment fees applied
GIK / Non-Monetary / Exemption: Fees Waived
Fees waived for non-cash or restricted-fee funding sources
Calculate Grand Match/Match Totals
Sums the subtotal and fee amounts together for the grand value
🤝 MATCH/MATCH PROCESSING FEATURES:
• Will NOT override the status message if Match totals are zero
• Never available for deobligation mode - Match can't be reduced with a negative number
• Automatically returns to $0 if a negative value is entered (see Negative Error above)
• Feeds the Match field on Page 1 of the checklist
• Secondary match contribution tracking pair
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📄 Page 1 Summary Fields - Filled In For You
Three summary fields on Page 1 of the checklist fill in on their own from your budget. You never need to type in them.
AmountShows your Cash Income total
MatchShows your Match Income total
Supportive ServicesShows the internal fee amount calculated on your Cash Income
When these fields show $0 instead of a number:
• A Non-Monetary or Gifts-in-Kind Box Mode is checked
• The budget is in Deobligation Mode or showing a Negative Error
• In certain Amendment situations, based on the Amendment Amount you entered
These fields never show a negative number.
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✅ Understanding Color Indicators
Check Status
System checks if income matches expenses
What Color to Show?
The system checks conditions in a strict priority order: a Negative Error is shown first if present, then Deobligation, then Box Mode, then Balanced/Unbalanced, then Idle. This keeps the most important message on top.
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🟢 GreenBalanced
Income equals expenses - budget is balanced!
🔴 RedUnbalanced
Income doesn't match expenses. The message tells you which pair is off: Cash/Grant, Match/Match, or both.
🟡 YellowBox Mode
A Box Mode is checked and no amounts have been entered yet
🟣 PurpleDeobligation
You entered a negative amount to return funds
🟪 Purple/RedNegative Error
A negative number was entered somewhere it isn't allowed (like Match fields) - the system reset it to $0
🟠 OrangeSalary Error
Staff detail doesn't match the budget, OR more than 5 positions were entered
⚪ WhiteEmpty/Idle
No data entered yet or all zeros
🎨 Two things to watch for:
• The Grand Total boxes change color along with the message at the top, so you can see at a glance what needs attention.
• When a Box Mode is on, the message starts with the mode name (for example, "Per Diem Mode is Active"). It stays yellow until you enter amounts, then turns green or red to show whether the budget balances.
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📦 Special Mode Boxes - What They Do
Check a Box
Click one of the four special mode checkboxes
Activate Special Mode
Changes how calculations work
🔴 CHECKING A BOX AUTOMATICALLY:
When you check a special mode box, the system immediately:
1. Unchecks any other special mode boxes
2. Clears the input fields for the new mode
3. Changes field labels to match the mode
4. Hides the regular Cash Income lines (see "Other" Income Lines below)
5. Resets the Cash Income total and its fees to zero
6. Shows a yellow message naming the active mode
Unchecking all boxes resets everything to normal and shows "Box Mode is Deactivated."
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Per DiemFor shelter bed costs: 3 fields - Cost per Bed, Bed Quantity, Number of Days. Standard fees still apply.
Gifts-in-KindFor donated goods: Price per Unit ($/lb), Gross lbs Total, and an optional Invoices field (enter as a negative). Fees waived. The message shows the Estimated Gross Value and the Actual Expenses.
Non-MonetaryFor in-kind contributions: 1 field for the total value. Fees waived. Cannot be deobligated.
ExemptionFor EFSP, COVID, or Disaster income only: 1 field, fees waived.
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🏷️ "Other" Cash Income Lines in Box Mode
When a Box Mode is on, the regular Cash Income lines are hidden because the box calculation takes their place. The last three Cash Income lines (the "Other" lines) work differently: they come back when you type a description in their matching description box. This lets you add extra cash income on top of the box amount, with a description attached to explain it.
Box Mode Is On
All Cash Income amount lines are hidden and cleared
Type a Description
Fill in the description box for one of the last three "Other" Cash Income lines
Amount Field Appears
The matching dollar-amount field becomes visible so you can enter the amount. It is added to the box amount in your Cash Income total.
Blank Description = Hidden Field
Clear the description and the amount field hides and empties again, so no unexplained amounts are counted
With no Box Mode checked, every Cash Income line is visible as usual.
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👥 Salary Calculator - How It Works
Enter Salary or Fringe Amounts
Type amounts on the Salary and Fringe expense lines in Grant Expenses or Match Expenses
Calculator Turns On
The staff count box appears by itself. It also appears when you deobligate, so you can enter terminated staff.
Enter Staff Count (0-5)
Type how many different positions you need
Show Detail Rows
Form expands to show fields for each position
0 Staff Selected
Hide Calculator
All detail fields disappear, including the staff count field itself
🔴 ZERO AUTOMATICALLY:
• Hides all salary detail rows
• Clears all position descriptions
• Removes all calculated results
• Shows "Calculator OFF" message
1-5 Staff Selected
Show Position Fields
Displays rows for each position you selected, and keeps the staff count field visible while you work
Calculate Each Position
Multiplies quantity × time % × salary, then adds fringe
Check Total Match
Compares the staff detail totals to the Salary and Fringe budget lines
6+ Staff (Breach)
Max Breached
The calculator only supports up to 5 positions at once
"Max number of staff breached. Please include a list of staff in a separate document."
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💡 How Position Calculation Works:
For each position line:
• Multiply: (number of people) × (% of time) × (yearly salary)
• Add: fringe benefits amount
• The result appears below the row as a plain-English sentence: how many, new or existing, full or part-time, job title, % of time, salary, fringe, and the total
Handy shortcuts:
• % of time: type 50 or 0.5 - both mean 50%
• Part-time: choosing Part-time automatically sets that row's fringe to $0
• Number of people: automatically spelled out in words, like "Two (2)"
• Deobligation: staff totals show as negative amounts, in parentheses
Color Indicators:
• Orange: Staff detail totals don't match your budget lines
• Green: Everything matches perfectly
🔴 If you remove your Salary and Fringe amounts from the budget lines (and you're not deobligating), the calculator turns OFF and every staff detail row is cleared automatically.
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☑️ Review Checkboxes Check Themselves
You Fill In a Section
Enter information in the checklist sections
Review Box Checks Itself
The matching Review checkbox switches to Yes when its section has an entry
Reviewers See What's Filled In
Sections left blank or marked N/A stay unchecked
The checklist has ten Review checkboxes, and each one watches a specific part of the form. A box turns to Yes as soon as its section contains an entry. If a section is blank, or only says "N/A" (in any form, like NA or n/a), its box stays unchecked. You never need to check these boxes yourself.
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💾 What the System Remembers
Budget TotalsRemembers all your income and expense totals, fees, and grand totals
Box SelectionRemembers which special mode you're using
Staff CountRemembers how many positions you have
Last StatusRemembers if the budget was balanced, in a box mode, or in deobligation
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The system saves your work automatically so it can:
• Prevent duplicate calculations
• Remember your settings when you switch between fields
• Show you the right status colors
• Keep special modes active while you work
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🔄 When Things Get Cleared Automatically
🔴 AUTOMATIC CLEARING HAPPENS WHEN:
1. Switching Between Box Modes
• Old box's input fields clear
• New box's labels and fields appear
• Regular Cash Income lines hide and clear
2. Unchecking All Boxes
• All box input fields clear
• Regular Cash Income lines reappear
• Cash Income total resets to zero
• Everything returns to normal mode
3. Entering a Negative Amount (Deobligation)
• The negative amount becomes the total for that side
• The same negative amount is copied to the matching Income or Expense side
• All fees are removed automatically
• Both sides are balanced automatically
4. Going Back to Positive (Removing Deobligation)
• The automatically copied negative amount clears
• Normal calculations resume
• Fees reapply
• Colors return to normal
5. Entering a Negative Where It Isn't Allowed
• Match Income, Match Expense, Non-Monetary, and the price/pounds fields in Gifts-in-Kind never accept negatives
• The value is automatically returned to $0
• A Negative Error message displays until corrected
6. Setting Staff Count to Zero
• All position detail rows hide
• All descriptions clear
• All result calculations clear
• Calculator turns "OFF" and the staff count field itself hides
7. Removing All Salary and Fringe Amounts
• Calculator turns "OFF"
• All staff detail rows clear and hide
8. Typing a Blank Description on an "Other" Cash Income Line (Box Mode)
• The matching amount field hides and empties
⚠️ These are safety features to prevent confusion and errors!
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🛡️ How the System Protects Your Data
Prevents ConflictsWon't calculate two things at once
Locks ChangesTemporarily freezes fields during calculation
Buffers ActionsVerifies it's safe before changing anything - up to 4 actions can be "in line" at once
Prevents LoopsStops calculations from going in circles
Waits for SafetyHolds changes if the system is busy
Validates ResultsDouble-checks calculations before showing them, in a set priority order
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Why This Matters:
The system has multiple safety layers to ensure:
• Your numbers never get scrambled
• Calculations always finish completely
• Income and expenses stay in sync
• Fees calculate correctly
• Special modes work properly
• Negative numbers only apply where they're legitimately allowed
If you see fields not changing immediately, the system is protecting your data by waiting for a safe moment to update.
Please send bug reports or feedback to:
Divisional HQ Social Services Dept.
attn: Grants & Contracts Analyst