Setup page · Budgeting
Budget cost elements
A setup page where you define budget cost elements, the specific costs of a position such as base pay, health insurance or phone allowances.
- Used by
- Auditor, Budget clerk, Budget contributor and 6 more roles
- Business process
- Plan for proposed headcount and related expenses in Dynamics 365 Finance
- Menu item
HcmBudgetPurposeType- Main table
HcmBudgetPurposeType- Data entity
HcmBudgetCostElementEntity- Setup steps
- 1 on this page
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Everyone
1What it is and why
| What it is | A setup page where you define budget cost elements, the specific costs of a position such as base pay, health insurance or phone allowances. |
|---|---|
| What you do here | Used to define the cost details of forecast positions: the type of cost, how it's calculated and how it's spread over dates in a budget plan. |
| Example | For example, a training allowance of 5 percent of base pay, capped at $5,000 a year, can be set up as a Benefit cost element calculated from the earning elements. |
Functional consultant · Solution architect
2Where it fits
| Business process | Manage budgets › Plan budgets › Plan for proposed headcount and related expenses in Dynamics 365 Finance |
|---|---|
| Menu path | Budgeting › Setup › Budget planning › Budget cost elements |
| Set up first | — |
| Used next by | Forecast positions Microsoft Learn ↗Compensation groups Microsoft Learn ↗ |
| Related pages | — |
End user · Functional consultant
3How to do it
Step by step, with screenshots
Set up Budget cost elements1 screen
Used to define the cost details of forecast positions: the type of cost, how it's calculated and how it's spread over dates in a budget plan.
Screen 1
Create the budget cost element
Go to Budgeting > Setup > Budget planning > Budget cost elements
- Select New and enter the Budget cost element and Description
- Select the Budget cost type and check the Allocation method
- In the Cost calculation section, select Add and enter the Main account and Annual amount
- Select Save
1Budget cost element BEAT-PHONE 2Budget cost type Benefit 3Allocation method Start date Cost calculation BEAT, 10/15/2026 to Never, main account 610100, annual amount 600.00 
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page title tab to open what to set or check
Microsoft's steps
- Go to Budgeting > Setup > Budget planning > Budget cost elements and create a new budget cost element.
- Assign a budget cost type, such as Benefit.
- In the Forecast position override field, choose whether managers can change the amount.
- In the Allocation method field, choose how the cost is spread over dates.
- Add a cost calculation line with dates, a main account and a percentage or annual amount.
- Enter an annual limit if there is one.
- For a percentage-based cost, add the cost elements used as the calculation basis.
Source: Microsoft Learn ↗
Field guide
| Field | What it means | Worked example | Table column |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget cost type | Earning, Benefit, Taxes or Other; used mainly for totals.Microsoft Learn ↗ | Benefit | — |
| Forecast position override | Whether the amount can be changed on a forecast position.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | — |
| Allocation method | How the cost is spread over plan line dates: start date, monthly, quarterly, weekly or biweekly.Microsoft Learn ↗ | Start date | AllocationMethod |
| Add to positions | Adds the cost element to selected forecast positions.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | — |
| Update positions | Applies the element's current values to the forecast positions that already have it.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | — |
| Change dates | Changes the element's start and end dates on forecast positions straight away.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | — |
| Budget cost element | — | BEAT-PHONE | Purpose |
| Cost calculation | — | BEAT, 10/15/2026 to Never, main account 610100, annual amount 600.00 | — |
Functional consultant
4Setup decisions
| Setup step | Recommended value and why | Decision · common mistake · test |
|---|---|---|
| Set up Budget cost elements | — | — |
Solution architect
5Design impact
| Shared or per company | Shared: the same records are used by every legal entity. Microsoft data model ↗ |
|---|---|
| Can it be undone | — |
| Feature or country | — |
| If you change it later | — |
Technical architect
6Technical
| Menu item | HcmBudgetPurposeType Checked in Dynamics 365 |
|---|---|
| Form | HcmBudgetPurposeType Checked in Dynamics 365 |
| Table | HcmBudgetPurposeTypeShown as “Budget cost elements” in Record infoKey field: Purpose, Description, CostElementTypeChecked in Dynamics 365 |
| Data entities | HcmBudgetCostElementEntityBudget cost elements Microsoft data model ↗ |
| Who can open it | PrivilegesMaintain budget cost elements HcmBudgetCostElementMaintainView budget cost elements HcmBudgetCostElementViewDutiesInquire into budget master BudgetBudgetsInquireSet up position budgeting HcmForecastPositionBudgetMaintain9 security rolesAuditorAuditPolicyManagerBudget clerk BudgetBudgetClerkBudget contributor BudgetBudgetContributorBudget manager BudgetBudgetManagerChief financial officer CompanyChiefFinancialOfficerHuman resource assistant HcmHumanResourceAssistantAccounting manager LedgerAccountingManagerAccounting supervisor LedgerAccountingSupervisorFinancial controller LedgerFinancialController |
| Actions on the page | Options: Personalize, Page options, ShareChecked in Dynamics 365 |
Developer
7Developer
| Open it directly | https://<your-environment>/?mi=HcmBudgetPurposeType |
|---|---|
| Integrate with | HcmBudgetCostElementEntity data entity Microsoft data model ↗ |
| Table definition | HcmBudgetPurposeType columns and relations Microsoft data model ↗ |
Everyone
8Sources and checks
- learn.microsoft.com/dynamics365/finance/budgeting/position-forecasting
- learn.microsoft.com/common-data-model/schema/core/operationscommon/tables/finance/budget/group/hcmbudgetpurposetype
- Checked in a working Dynamics 365 system, version 10.0.49: the menu item, form, table and security, the page, the demo records and the values in the screenshots.