📊 Budget Changelog

Overview

Budget Changelog lets you compare budget backups and see exactly what changed between versions. When you open the Budget Backups sidebar in JobTread, you can select two backups to compare and get a detailed, human-readable report of all additions, deletions, and modifications.

Key Features

• Side-by-Side Comparison - Compare any two budget backups
• Human-Readable Changes - See changes in plain language, not raw data
• Line Item Tracking - Track additions, deletions, and modifications
• Cost Change Summary - See total cost impact of changes
• Detailed Report - Opens a formatted report in a new tab

Requirements

Prerequisites

• JT Power Tools extension installed
• Active Power User license
• JobTread API Grant Key configured (required)
• Budget backups created in JobTread

Setting Up

Step 1: Configure API Access

1. Open the JT Power Tools popup
2. Go to the "License" tab
3. Scroll to the API Configuration section
4. Enter your JobTread Grant Key
5. Click "Test Connection" to verify

Step 2: Enable Budget Changelog

1. In the extension popup, find "Budget Changelog"
2. Toggle it ON
3. Refresh JobTread to apply changes

Using Budget Changelog

Comparing Budgets

1. Open a Job Budget
   Navigate to any job's budget page in JobTread
2. Open Budget Backups Sidebar
   Click on the Budget Backups option to open the sidebar
3. Select Backups to Compare
   Check the boxes next to two backup versions you want to compare
4. Click Compare
   Click the "Compare Selected" button that appears
5. View the Report
   A detailed changelog report opens in a new tab

Understanding the Report

Report Sections

The changelog report includes several sections:

Summary

• Date range of the comparison
• Total number of changes
• Net cost impact

Added Items

• New line items added to the budget
• Shows item name, quantity, and cost
• Highlighted in green

Removed Items

• Line items that were deleted
• Shows what was removed and its cost
• Highlighted in red

Modified Items

• Items that changed between versions
• Shows before and after values
• Includes quantity, cost, and description changes
• Highlighted in yellow/orange

Change Types Tracked

• Quantity Changes - When quantities increase or decrease
• Price Changes - Unit cost modifications
• Total Cost Changes - Overall line item cost differences
• Description Changes - Text or name modifications
• Group Changes - Items moved between budget groups

Common Use Cases

Change Order Documentation

Use Budget Changelog to document what changed for change orders:

• Create a backup before making changes
• Make your budget modifications
• Create another backup after changes
• Compare the two to generate a change summary
• Use the report for client communication or records

Audit Trail

Track budget changes over time:

• Compare current budget to the original estimate
• See cumulative changes throughout a project
• Identify when specific changes were made

Team Review

Review changes made by team members:

• Compare backups from different dates
• See what was modified and by how much
• Verify changes match approved modifications

Best Practices

Creating Useful Backups

• Create backups before major budget changes
• Use descriptive backup names (e.g., "Pre-Change Order #3")
• Create backups at key project milestones
• Maintain regular backup schedules for active projects

Effective Comparisons

• Compare sequential backups for detailed change tracking
• Compare original to current for overall project changes
• Use the report for client-facing change documentation

Troubleshooting

Compare Button Not Appearing

Solution:

• Verify Budget Changelog is enabled in extension popup
• Check that your API Grant Key is configured
• Make sure you've selected exactly two backups
• Refresh the page and try again

Report Not Loading

Solution:

• Check your internet connection
• Verify your API key has proper permissions
• Try with a different pair of backups
• Check browser console for error messages

Missing Change Data

Solution:

• Ensure both backups contain valid budget data
• Very old backups may have different data formats
• Try comparing more recent backups

Related Guides

• Custom Field Filter - Another Power User feature
• Budget Hierarchy Shading - Visual budget organization
• Premium Features - License activation and API setup
• Installation & Setup - Get started with JT Power Tools