How to get notified when a project goes over budget
Set up an alert so you know the moment project costs approach the budget limit.
Nothing ruins a project's profitability like finding out you're over budget after the fact. This workflow alerts you as soon as committed costs hit a threshold — so you can act before it's too late.
Create a new workflow
Go to Workflows and click New Workflow. Name it "Over Budget Alert" or "Budget Warning (90%)".
Set the trigger
Choose the trigger When an expense is added. This runs the workflow every time someone records a new expense against any project.
Add a condition
Add a Condition step. Set it to check whether the project's total committed costs exceed 90% of the budgeted amount. You can adjust the percentage to whatever makes sense for your business — some contractors prefer 80%, others 95%.
Add the notification
Under the "Yes" branch (over threshold), add a Send Email action (or a notification) to the project manager. Include the project name, the current committed total, and the budget amount so they have context without needing to open Kaliun.
Save and enable
Click Save and toggle to Enabled. The alert is now active across all your projects.
You can also set up alerts for specific cost codes instead of the total budget. For example, get notified if electrical costs alone hit 90% of their budget line — even if the overall project is still on track.
What happens next
- Every new expense triggers a quick budget check in the background
- If the project is still under the threshold, nothing happens
- The moment costs cross your threshold, the project manager gets an email alert
- You catch budget overruns early enough to adjust scope, negotiate with subs, or talk to the client about a change order