Your 2026 Hotel Budgeting Season Timeline
Every hotel’s budgeting process looks different – but the most successful operators follow a disciplined, data-driven approach. Follow our step-by-step timeline from August through February to stay aligned, efficient, and confident as you plan for 2026 profitability.
- AUGUST
Kickoff: Start Strong with Data
Establish a Budget Timeline
Step 1
Why it matters:
A structured timeline keeps your team aligned and avoids last-minute crunches.
How to do it:
Use August as your launch point, following the Hotel Data Conference when new industrywide forecasts are released. Create user permissions and key milestones in TruePlan, including initial data collection, departmental submissions, and final reviews.
Gather Historical Data
Step 2
Why it matters:
Your past performance is your best guide for future goals.
How to do it:
Pull last year’s actuals (revenues, expenses, GOPPAR, etc.) into TruePlan automatically. Verify accuracy before building assumptions.
- SEPTEMBER
Engage Department Leaders
Step 3
Why it matters:
Budgets built in isolation fail in execution.
How to do it:
Collaborate with Ops, Sales, and Finance to capture expected changes in staffing, group business, and F&B performance. Use shared dashboards so everyone works from the same data set.
Implement Standardized Drivers
Step 4
Why it matters:
Standardized drivers ensure consistent assumptions portfolio-wide.
How to do it:
Create drivers like labor per occupied room or cost per cover in TruePlan, and apply them across departments for apples-to-apples comparisons.
- OCTOBER
Incorporate Real-Time Data Integration
Step 5
Why it matters:
Data connections bring accuracy and speed.
How to do it:
Integrate PMS, POS, and GL systems into TruePlan. Live feeds update your working budget as new numbers roll in.
Draft Initial Budget
Step 6
Why it matters:
A complete first draft reveals trends and early gaps.
How to do it:
Compile departmental submissions into one portfolio view. Share with executives for top-level validation.
- NOVEMBER
Facilitate Collaboration and Feedback
Step 7
Why it matters:
Input from every stakeholder turns numbers into strategy.
How to do it:
Use TruePlan’s comment and version-tracking tools to gather real-time feedback and document all changes.
Refine and Adjust the Budget
Step 8
Why it matters:
Final tweaks align your forecast with reality.
How to do it:
Adjust assumptions based on updated demand indicators and feedback from ownership. Keep revisions transparent in TruePlan’s audit log.
- DECEMBER
Final Review and Approval
Step 9
Why it matters:
December is crunch time – accuracy is everything.
How to do it:
Conduct final review sessions across properties or regions. Approve through TruePlan’s automated workflow and lock your 2026 budget by year-end.
- JANUARY
Monitor and Adjust Throughout the Year
Step 10
Why it matters:
A budget isn’t static – it’s a living roadmap.
How to do it:
Turn your approved 2026 budget into a dynamic forecast. Compare weekly or monthly actuals against plan, using TruePlan’s forecasting module to re-project performance based on real-time data.
Bonus:
Hold a January kickoff meeting to align teams on new KPIs and success metrics.
- FEBRUARY
- Evaluate third-party data (comp set, web traffic, flight demand, weather) to refine your forecast accuracy.
- Begin planning early initiatives for Q2 with updated intelligence.
- TruePlan helps layer in these external data sources automatically – closing the loop between planning, forecasting, and execution.
Power Your Budgeting Process with TruePlan
Otelier’s TruePlan is the hotel industry’s most advanced budgeting and forecasting solution – purpose-built to connect relevant data from the system in your tech stack, simplify collaboration and speed up approvals.
TruePlan helps you:
Automate data collection across PMS, POS, and accounting systems
Create standardized drivers to ensure accuracy and consistency
Collaborate in real time with department and ownership teams
Turn static budgets into living forecasts that update automatically
Additional
Resources
Explore more tools and guides to make your 2026 planning season your most efficient yet.
Hotel Budgeting Checklist
A detailed walkthrough of every step in the budgeting process.
Budgeting Software Buyer’s Guide
Compare key features, integrations, and ROI metrics when selecting your next budgeting platform.
2025 Hotel Planning Calendar
See all key industry events, financial milestones, and operational planning dates in one place.