budsjettåret

Budsjettåret is the twelve-month period for which an organization plans its income and expenses. It is the time frame used to prepare, approve, and report a budget. In both public administration and the private sector, the budsjettåret anchors the annual budgeting process and the corresponding financial reporting. The exact dates of the budsjettåret vary by country and organization; in many places the budget year coincides with the calendar year.

In public budgeting, budsjettåret is often the year for which appropriations are enacted. In Norway, for example, the central government prepares a budget for the coming year, which the Storting approves. The budsjettåret typically runs from January 1 to December 31, with supplementary budgets possible during the year and monitoring through accounts and reports.

In corporate budgeting, the budsjettåret may match the calendar year or a different fiscal year. Budgets are prepared at the start of the year, approved by management or the board, and used to steer operations and measure performance. Variances between budgeted and actual results are analyzed after the year ends.

The term emphasizes the temporal focus of budgeting: planning, authorization, execution, and accountability within a single year. While the concept is widely used, the precise definition and dates of the budsjettåret depend on legal frameworks, organizational rules, and national accounting standards.