Create and Design Financial Templates
Use Financial Builder to create statement templates and edit their layout (Design View).
Where: Mission Control → Financial Statements → Financial Builder
Route: /missioncontrol/financials/builder
For AI generation, see Generate a financial template with AI. To run numbers, create a saved statement in Run a financial statement.
Templates, row sets, and column sets
| Concept | What it is |
|---|---|
| Template | Named statement design you select in the left Financial Templates list |
| Row set | Shared row definitions bound to the template |
| Column set | Shared column definitions bound to the template |
Multiple templates can share the same row or column set. Saving a design that uses a shared set can update other templates — Builder warns you with Update shared definitions? before persisting.
Create a template
- Open Financial Builder.
- Click New template (or on the empty state, Create Template).
- In Create Financial Template:
- Enter Template name (must be unique on the team).
- Optionally enter Description.
- Choose a Row set and Column set, or pick + Create new… and enter a name for each.
- Click Create.
New row/column sets are seeded with a starter layout (page headers, a ColHeader row, summary/formula rows, and default Description / Balance columns). The new template is selected so you can edit the canvas immediately.
Empty state quick-starts (Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow, Trial Balance → Create & Queue Selected) use AI generation. Use them only when you intend that path; otherwise use Create Template.
Manage templates in the sidebar
Left panel: Financial Templates, with Search templates....
| Action (⋯ menu) | What it does |
|---|---|
| Open | Selects the template and loads the design |
| Rename | Inline rename (Enter or blur to save; Esc to cancel) |
| Duplicate | Creates a copy |
| Edit | Opens Edit Financial Template (name, description, row/column set binding) |
| Delete | Opens Delete Template |
Team-shared templates show a users icon and the menu note Shared template (vs Owned by you). If you lack edit rights, Edit Financial Template is view-only.
Delete options
Delete Template checks shared usage:
| Situation | Controls |
|---|---|
| Saved financial statements still reference the sets | Message to delete those saved items first; primary action is Close |
| Sets are shared with other templates | Only Delete Template Only (sets stay for the other templates) |
| Sets are exclusive to this template | Delete Template Only or Delete Template + Rows/Columns |
Design the canvas
- Select a template in the sidebar.
- Use the center design grid and the right Inspector / Row Inspector / Column Inspector / Cell Inspector (title follows selection).
- Click Save to persist. Cancel clears the selection (unsaved draft edits on the canvas are not kept).
Edits stay in a working draft until you Save. If the row/column sets are shared, confirm Update shared definitions? (lists Impacted templates) before the save completes.
Only one ColHeader row is allowed per design.
Row Controls
Select a row (left sticky area), then use:
| Control | Use |
|---|---|
| Add Row | Append a row |
| Insert Row Above / Insert Row Below | Insert relative to the selected row |
| Move Row Up / Move Row Down | Reorder |
| Duplicate Row | Copy the selected row |
| Delete Row | Remove from the draft (no confirm) |
Row types: Summary, Detail, DetailGroup, Title, Blank, Formula, PageHeader, ColHeader.
In the inspector Row Properties, set Row Type, Description, Indent Level, Reverse Sign, Hide Row, and (for Detail types) Detail Label.
For Summary / Detail / DetailGroup:
- Company Filters — optional company override for the row
- Account Filters — include/exclude account criteria
For Formula rows: use Formula → SUM Builder (RowSeq start/end) or edit Formula Expression (for example SUM(R60:R80)). Optional Time Range Override overrides Balance column time ranges for that row only.
For PageHeader rows: edit Page Header left/center/right text and style.
Column Controls
Select a column header, then use:
| Control | Use |
|---|---|
| Add Column | Append a column |
| Insert Column Left / Insert Column Right | Insert relative to the selection |
| Move Column Left / Move Column Right | Reorder |
| Duplicate Column | Copy the selected column |
| Delete Column | Remove from the draft (no confirm) |
Column types: Balance, Formula, Description, Blank.
In Column Properties: Column Type, Width, Hide column.
For Balance columns, Column Balance sets Time Range, Attribute, year/month offsets, and optional Company Override / Part Override.
Column Headers edit the ColHeader band text (requires a ColHeader row). Column Style controls format, borders, and alignment.
Report Controls
| Control | Use |
|---|---|
| Show Details / Hide Details | Expand or shrink the sticky row-header column (formulas and type badges) |
| Assign Tree | Bind a financial tree to this template — see Build financial trees |
| GL Assignments | Open Part 1 coverage review; Back to Builder returns to the grid |
Recommended design pass
- Create the template with new (or dedicated) row/column sets so early edits do not surprise other templates.
- Set column types and Balance Time Range / headers first.
- Build rows top-down: page headers → ColHeader → titles → Summary/Detail with account filters → Formula totals.
- Save, then run the template from Financial Viewer to verify numbers before scheduling.
Do not use Viewer to redesign structure. Design here; run there.