RAPTOR - Resource Planning - Budgeting Workflow / FY27 Guidelines & Forecasting

Resource Planning

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Forecasting

Budgeting - workflow is now active for FY27 Revenue and Expense planning

Step 1     Enter & Submit - by 03/16/26         Step 2      Review & Approve - by 03/23/26

FY27 Revenue and Expense Budget Guidelines

• All unrestricted, restricted and designated indexes must be budgeted, with the exception of restricted indexes with a fund balance of less than $100 and expectation to close within a year. Additional information is included in the Budget / Fund Balance Management Responsibility University Policy.

• Operating budgets cuts of 2% from the permanent unrestricted (2xxxxx - centrally allocated funds) need to be submitted with your expense budgets. If there is an oversight of this requirement, the Budget and Financial Planning Office will adjust accordingly. Consult with your Vice President or Dean as to how they are implementing this permanent reduction.

• There will be a 5.0% increase in the spending per share rate. The rate for FY 27 will be adjusted to $8.754 per share. The appropriate spending amount has been automatically calculated and is included in RAPTOR, in account code 50390.

• Plans to use reserve drawdowns to fund expenditures must be clearly identified and tracked separately. For FY27, all approved reserve drawdowns should be budgeted in account code 79999 and recorded as a negative amount.

• The Administrative Fee for Revenue Producing Activities will remain at 4.5%. Revenue Producting Activities include short courses, seminars, conferences, athletic games, facilities rentals, etc.

• There is no standard increase for expense categories. Consult with your Vice President or Dean as to whether they are authorizing any change (flat dollar amount of percentage change).

• Rounding of numbers - all budget amounts must be rounded to $10 multiples (for example, list $16.50 as $20). If there is an oversight of this request, the Budget and Financial Planning Office will round amounts appropriately during the budgeting process.

• To make budgeting easier for a large group of expense items that make up general operations, many account codes have been collapsed into one account code (for example, 71000 or 72600).

• Click here to view additional information related to Understanding Tariffs from the Purchasing website.

      Forecasting

Using the group of RAPTOR reports within the Lehigh Reports tab shown in the image below, please summarize the major relevant favorable and unfavorable items that may be causing any projected variances in your budget.  Any major budget variances should be identified and explained. More information on reports available in the Lehigh Reports tab can be found here. 

It is time to conduct your Q2 review and annual forecast.  The FY26 dashboard is open in RAPTOR as of Wednesday, January 7, 2026.  Your review and forecast should be submitted by January 20, 2026.