Budgeting
You can create a new budget from a template, from a template file or as an empty budget, and KOSMA opens it.
A template gives a new budget its structure, so you do not start from an empty grid. You need any licence except **Free** (an expired trial counts as **Free**), and you must be signed in. As a guest, you can also create a budget in a project someone shared with you, even if you cannot edit its existing budgets.
In Budgeting, choose **New Budget** in the **Project** menu (⌘N on a Mac, Ctrl+N on Windows). KOSMA opens **New Budget**.
You can also start from the budget dropdown at the top left of Budgeting, above **Categories**. It shows the name of the current budget. Click it, choose **Manage Budgets** at the bottom of the list, then click  **Budget** in the **Budgets Manager**.
In a project you own that has no budget yet, KOSMA opens **New Budget** on its own when you open the project, except in the demo project. If the project has no budget yet, KOSMA shows  **Budget** in place of the dropdown. Click it.
In the field at the top of the dialog, replace the proposed name, such as New Budget 3, with your own.
Choose a genre under **Category** and a country under **Country**. **Category** starts at **All**, then lists the genres of the online catalogue, such as **Feature Film**, then **Custom Budgets** for your own templates. KOSMA shows the genres in English in every interface language. KOSMA keeps the **Category** you choose until you close KOSMA.
**Country** starts at **All**, then lists the country codes of the templates alphabetically, such as `AT`, `DE` or `INT`. `INT` marks a template that is tied to no single country. When you switch **Category** to **Custom Budgets**, KOSMA sets **Country** back to **All**.
Click a template in the list. Each row shows the **Template** name, an **Info** text and the template's language under  **Language**. You can sort by all three columns. The list opens in the order of the catalogue, and **No Template** stays first however you sort. The **Info** text names what a template is for, such as the funding body. **Info** and **Country** together lead you to the template for your production.
Choose **No Template** to start with an empty budget. **No Template** has this English name in every interface language.
A template from the online catalogue shows  **Downloaded** when it is already on this computer, or  **Online — not yet downloaded** when it is not. KOSMA downloads a template when you create a budget from it.
Without an internet connection, you can use only **No Template**, your own templates and the catalogue templates that are already downloaded.
To use a template someone sent you as a file, click  **Load File** and choose the `.kost` file. KOSMA also loads template files from KOSMA 2. KOSMA cannot load spreadsheets such as Excel files. KOSMA sets **Category** to **Custom Budgets** and selects the template. KOSMA does not keep this **Category** when you open the dialog again.
KOSMA copies the whole template into the new budget: the structure and its accounts, fringes, taxes, currencies and variables. You enter the name and your own figures. The new budget is not linked to the template, so later changes to the template do not change your budget.
Click **Ok**. If the template comes from an Excel spreadsheet, KOSMA first shows **Template Converted from Excel**:
This template was converted from an Excel file and may not fully correspond to the original. You are responsible for verifying that all rates (fringes, supplements, effects, etc.) are up to date.
Click **Ok** in this dialog. KOSMA creates the budget and opens it. To create another budget, start again at step 1.
You can change only your own templates, under **Custom Budgets**. Double-click a name to rename the template, or edit its **Info** or **Language** cell in place. You cannot hide a template. You cannot change or delete a catalogue template, and you cannot delete **No Template**. To save a budget as your own template, see [save a budget as a template](/kb/article/save-a-budget-as-a-template).
KOSMA deletes your template at once, without asking, on this computer and on the server. This cannot be undone.
To delete a template, click  **Delete custom template from list** in its row.
KOSMA loads only KOSMA budget templates. If the file is not a KOSMA template, KOSMA shows:
“{file name}” is not a KOSMA template file.
If the file is a template for another module, KOSMA shows:
“{file name}” is not a budget template.
If the file is a saved budget, KOSMA shows:
“{file name}” is a budget file, not a budget template.
Ask the sender for the budget template as a `.kost` file.
On a **Free** licence, you cannot create a budget, in your own project or as a guest. When you point at the button, KOSMA shows:
This dataset is locked because your Free licence does not allow editing it. Upgrade your licence — or ask your team admin, if your licence comes from a team.
To change your licence, see [upgrade your licence](/kb/article/upgrade-your-licence).
If you are not signed in, KOSMA shows:
This dataset is read-only because you are not signed in. Log in again to make changes.
Sign in again. See [work offline or in local-only mode](/kb/article/work-offline-or-in-local-only-mode).
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