Cost Variance Analysis by LucidBrainz is a comprehensive financial control module for Odoo 18. This powerful tool enables businesses to track, analyze, and manage variances between actual expenses and estimated budgets across different cost centers and branches. The module automatically calculates favorable and unfavorable variances, generates accounting entries, and provides period-based analysis (monthly, quarterly, yearly) with complete audit trails. Perfect for manufacturing, construction, project-based businesses, and any organization requiring detailed cost control and budget management. Features multi-branch support, analytic accounting integration, and seamless workflow from draft to posted entries!

• Actual vs Estimated Cost Comparison: Track and compare actual expenses against estimated budgets. Automatic balance calculation from posted journal entries. Period-based data collection with date range filtering. Real-time variance identification and analysis.
• Automated Variance Calculation: System automatically calculates variance amounts (|Actual - Estimated|). Identifies favorable variances (under budget) vs unfavorable variances (over budget). Variance posted to dedicated variance account. Configurable variance account per company.
• Multi-Branch Support: Analyze costs separately for each branch/location. Branch-wise data filtering and reporting. Prevent duplicate variance entries per branch and period. Branch-specific journal entries and audit trails.
• Automatic Journal Entry Generation: One-click creation of variance journal entries. Proper debit/credit structure with balanced entries. Estimated accounts debited, actual accounts credited. Variance account posts the difference (debit or credit based on variance type).
• Analytic Accounting Integration: Link variance analysis to analytic accounts (cost centers, departments). Apply analytic tags to variance entries. Track variances by project, department, or custom dimensions. Analytic distribution on actual costs and variance amounts.
• Period-Based Analysis: Choose from monthly, quarterly, or yearly frequency. Flexible date range selection (start date to stop date). Historical analysis support for any past period. Date validation ensures stop date is in the past.
• Account Configuration: Mark chart of accounts as Actual, Estimated, or Variance accounts. Single variance account per company (validation enforced). Clear identification of cost tracking accounts. Flexible account structure support.
• State Workflow Management: Draft → Run → Confirm → Posted workflow. Draft: Initial configuration and setup. Run: Data collection and variance calculation. Confirm: Journal entry created but not posted. Posted: Entries posted to accounting. Cancel: Process cancellation with draft reset option.
• Validations & Controls: Prevent duplicate variance entries for same period and branch. Variance account uniqueness validation. Date validation (stop date must be past). Delete protection for posted records. Missing configuration checks before entry generation.
• Smart Buttons & Reporting: View all related journal entries via smart button. Entry count display on variance record. Quick navigation to generated accounting entries. Comprehensive audit trail and history tracking.
• Communication & Activity Tracking: Built-in chatter for team communication. Activity scheduling and task management. Message logging and collaboration features. Portal access for external stakeholders (optional).
• Security & Access Control: User groups: Cost Variance and Cancel Cost Variance. Role-based permissions (read, write, create, delete). Granular access control for sensitive financial data. Separate cancel permission for enhanced control.