How to use Budget Variance Analysis in your AI agent

What you'll get

This skill takes your budget and actual spending figures and produces a structured variance report with root cause explanations and management commentary. It identifies material differences, labels them as favorable or adverse, and suggests corrective actions. Perfect for finance reviews, board packs, or explaining to stakeholders why numbers diverged from plan.

Step 1 — Get the skill source URL

The Budget Variance Analysis skill lives at:

Step 2 — Add it to your AI agent

Copy one of these prompts and paste it into your AI tool. The agent will fetch and install the skill for you.

Add the agent skill from https://github.com/mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills/tree/main/skills/budget-variance-analysis to my project.

Install this agent skill: https://github.com/mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills/tree/main/skills/budget-variance-analysis

Add this skill to .codex/skills/: https://github.com/mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills/tree/main/skills/budget-variance-analysis

Add the skill at https://github.com/mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills/tree/main/skills/budget-variance-analysis to my .gemini/skills/ directory.

Install this agent skill from https://github.com/mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills/tree/main/skills/budget-variance-analysis

Add this skill: https://github.com/mohitagw15856/pm-claude-skills/tree/main/skills/budget-variance-analysis

Step 3 — Try these prompts

Once the skill is installed, ask your AI things like:

• Preparing for a monthly or quarterly finance review and need to explain budget misses
• Write variance commentary for a board pack or investor update
• Investigating why a cost line is over budget and need structured analysis
• Turn raw actuals vs. budget numbers into a management-ready report

What this skill does

• Builds a variance summary table showing budget vs. actual with percentage and pound differences
• Explains each material variance with specific root causes and whether it's temporary or permanent
• Ranks the top variances requiring attention by size and strategic importance
• Produces executive summary commentary suitable for board presentations
• Recommends forecast revisions based on identified trends