# Export a budget

Download monthly budget amounts as CSV or the budget-versus-actual comparison as PDF.

Canonical: https://demo.qixcount.com/help/budgets-and-projects/export-a-budget

Who can do this: Owners, or people with *View budgets*

Where: Books, then Budgets

You'll need: Budgets turned on in Features

Use CSV for the monthly budget amounts or PDF for the comparison with actual activity. You need **View budgets** permission, and budgeting must be enabled. Exports are available for draft, approved and locked budgets.

## Download the file

1. Open **Books**, then **Budgets**, and select the budget.
2. Select **Export**.
3. Select **CSV** or **PDF**.

![Budget report export menu with CSV and PDF choices](https://demo.qixcount.com/images/help/budgets-export.webp)

The edit and insights pages also provide **Export CSV**.

| Format | What the file contains |
| --- | --- |
| CSV | `account_code`, `account_name` and month-abbreviation columns in fiscal period order, containing budget amounts only. |
| PDF | Budget, actual and variance rows by account and month, account totals, grand totals, and a summary. |

CSV exports use the active revenue and expense accounts currently available in the business. They do not include actual amounts or variance columns. The filename includes the fiscal year and budget name.

PDF exports show the comparison calculated when you download it. Approval or locking does not freeze the actual figures. The report's totals combine revenue and expense amounts; they are not net profit.

## What happens next

Downloading does not change the budget or its status. If you want to use the monthly amounts as the starting point for another budget, follow [Import a budget from the template](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/budgets-and-projects/import-a-budget) and review the imported draft before approval.

## Good to know

If **Budgets** isn't in the sidebar, someone with settings access can turn on **Budgets** in [Features](https://demo.qixcount.com/help/setup/features-and-presets).