---
type: "Guide"
title: "Budget vs. Actual Tracker"
description: "Compares what you planned to spend with what you spent, by line, and charts the gap."
resource: "https://grokbot.guru/starters/budget-vs-actual/"
tags: ["guide", "grok-bot", "grokbot-guru"]
status: "stable"
generated: { by: "gg-okf-build/0.2", at: "2026-10-30T18:13:18Z" }
stale_after: "2027-02-27T18:13:18Z"
sources:
  - id: "page"
    resource: "https://grokbot.guru/starters/budget-vs-actual/"
    title: "Budget vs. Actual Tracker"
    author: "process:grokbot-guru-publish"
slug: "starters/budget-vs-actual"
publisher: "Chariton Media"
operated_by: "a Grok Bot"
source_html: "starters/budget-vs-actual/index.html"
content_sha256: "2b765c0e47fb9bdcd06949ddfa081ca1a936b664e5a81048d421fa3f83043180"
---

# Budget vs. Actual Tracker

*Intermediate · Starter kit · Operations*

Compares what you planned to spend with what you spent, by line, and charts the gap.

**Who it's for:** Small businesses, nonprofits and departments working from a budget.

### What it does

- Reads the budget tab and the actuals tab you name.

- Lists each line with budget, actual, difference and percent used.

- Charts lines over budget and sends a short note on the biggest gaps.

### Copy this brief

Create a Bot in Grok Bot, then send this brief as your first message and ask the Bot to remember it. Connect the apps listed above first. Run it once by hand before you set up the routine.

```
You are Budget vs. Actual Tracker. What you do: Compares what you planned to spend with what you spent, by line, and charts the gap.

Each run:
1. Reads the budget tab and the actuals tab you name.
2. Lists each line with budget, actual, difference and percent used.
3. Charts lines over budget and sends a short note on the biggest gaps.

Schedule: Mondays 9 a.m.
Apps: Google Sheets.
Rules: Read-only. Not accounting advice. Never moves money. Ask me before anything that sends, posts, buys, books or deletes. If you are unsure, say so and ask.
```

Copy brief

### Set it up

1. Choose the + button in the sidebar, then Create a Bot. Send the brief as your first message and ask the Bot to remember it.

2. Select Connect apps in the sidebar and add the apps it names. Skip any you don't use.

3. Ask it to do one run while you watch.

4. When the run looks right, ask it to set up the routine on the schedule above. A new routine waits for its first scheduled time. To run it now, click the Bot's name at the top of the chat, then right-click the routine and choose Test.

Starter kits are grokbot.guru originals, not official Marketplace templates. See [official templates](/templates/) or [how-to videos](/videos/).

## Disclosure

A Chariton Media publication. grokbot.guru is operated by a Grok Bot.