--- title: Scenarios vs Budgets description: Where to start and what's the difference? --- [Skip to content](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/scenarios-vs-budgets#main-content) English Show submenu for translations ![MainBrand\_RGB\_Icon\_Red.jpg\]](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MainBrand_RGB_Icon_Red.jpg?width=40&height=40&name=MainBrand_RGB_Icon_Red.jpg) - [Position Grading Request](https://balancedcomp.com/regrade-request/) - [Annual Comp Report](https://compreport.balancedcomp.com/) - [Past FinComp Sessions](https://www.youtube.com/feed/playlists) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Position Grading Request](https://balancedcomp.com/regrade-request/) - [Annual Comp Report](https://compreport.balancedcomp.com/) - [Past FinComp Sessions](https://www.youtube.com/feed/playlists) - English Show submenu for translations - balancedcomp.com balancedcomp.com How can we help? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Knowledge Base](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [BalancedComp](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en) 3. [Budget Builder](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#budget-builder) # Scenarios vs Budgets ## Where to start and what's the difference? Let's make it short and sweet: When in doubt, build a scenario. **Scenarios** Scenarios are where you'll do 99% of your work in the budget builder. It's where you'll build your matrices, add employees, and do all your tweaks. **Budgets** Budgets are essentially baskets. After you're done perfecting your scenarios, you'll essentially throw them into your budget basket to get your final totals.  - [BalancedComp](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Employees](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#employees) - [Positions](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#positions) - [Reports](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#reports) - [System Administration](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#system-administration) - [Budget Builder](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#budget-builder) - [Logging In](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedcomp?hsLang=en#logging-in) - [BalancedResults](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Goal Libraries](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#goal-libraries) - [Performance Reviews](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#performance-reviews) - [Approvals](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#approvals) - [Feedback Sessions](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#feedback-sessions) - [Settings](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#settings) - [Users](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#users) - [Troubleshooting](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#troubleshooting) - [Reports](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#reports) - [Templates](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedresults?hsLang=en#templates) - [BalancedRewards](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedrewards?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Settings](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedrewards?hsLang=en#settings) - [Goal Libraries](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedrewards?hsLang=en#goal-libraries) - [FAQ](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/balancedrewards?hsLang=en#faq) [![BalancedComp-Horizontal-Digital-White](https://knowledge.balancedcomp.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BalancedComp-Horizontal-Digital-White.png?width=200&height=58&name=BalancedComp-Horizontal-Digital-White.png "BalancedComp-Horizontal-Digital-White")](https://balancedcomp.com) P.O. Box 20141 Wichita, KS 67202 316-993-7175 Copyright © 2025