Budget Allocation Sankey Diagram: Editable Template
An editable Sankey template that follows revenue into cost of delivery, R&D, sales, admin and profit, then into the line items under each. Replace the figures.
A budget Sankey shows where the money goes in proportion: each ribbon is as wide as the amount it carries, so the biggest claims on revenue are obvious at a glance.
This template starts from two revenue streams, groups the total into five allocations, and splits each allocation into the line items that make it up. Profit is its own ribbon, so it is visible next to the costs it competes with.
Swap in your own departments and numbers. Because every ribbon is calculated from the amounts you type, there is nothing to resize by hand when the budget changes.
How to read this diagram
- Revenue of 1,000 splits into five ribbons: delivery 300, R&D 280, sales and marketing 220, G&A 100 and profit 100.
- Cost of delivery is the widest allocation; inside it, support (180) outweighs hosting (120).
- Profit ends at the allocation column because nothing is spent from it in this model. Add a further flow if you want to show a dividend or reinvestment.
- Figures are invented to demonstrate the layout and are not benchmarks.
The data behind it
Invented figures in thousands of euros for a small software company, balanced so each allocation equals the sum of its line items.
| From | To | Amount (k€) |
|---|---|---|
| Subscriptions | Revenue | 720 |
| Services | Revenue | 280 |
| Revenue | Cost of delivery | 300 |
| Revenue | R&D | 280 |
| Revenue | Sales & marketing | 220 |
| Revenue | G&A | 100 |
| Revenue | Profit | 100 |
| Cost of delivery | Hosting | 120 |
| Cost of delivery | Support | 180 |
| R&D | Engineering salaries | 230 |
| R&D | Tools | 50 |
| Sales & marketing | Sales salaries | 140 |
| Sales & marketing | Advertising | 80 |
| G&A | Rent | 40 |
| G&A | Admin | 60 |
The same data as CSV
source,target,value
Subscriptions,Revenue,720
Services,Revenue,280
Revenue,Cost of delivery,300
Revenue,R&D,280
Revenue,Sales & marketing,220
Revenue,G&A,100
Revenue,Profit,100
Cost of delivery,Hosting,120
Cost of delivery,Support,180
R&D,Engineering salaries,230
R&D,Tools,50
Sales & marketing,Sales salaries,140
Sales & marketing,Advertising,80
G&A,Rent,40
G&A,Admin,60How it works
Replace the income rows
Edit the income nodes and amounts. Revenue is the sum of what flows into it, so it updates as you change them.
Rename the allocations
Rename the five allocation nodes to your own departments or budget lines and update their amounts.
Break each allocation into line items
Add the items under each allocation. Make the items add up to the allocation, or let the balance check point to the gap.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use this for a personal or household budget?
Yes. Replace the sources with pay and other income, the allocations with needs, savings and wants, and the items with your own spending lines.
How do I show a deficit?
Add a source node such as Savings drawn down or Loan so the money that covers the gap is visible on the left.
Are these numbers real?
No. They are invented to show the structure.
Edit this budget Sankey
Open the template as your own chart and replace the figures with your budget.