Plan before booking, then track actuals
Use planned and actual amounts side by side so the same workspace remains useful before, during, and after the trip. Category totals make overspending visible before one large expense hides the pattern.
- Enter transportation, lodging, food, activities and flexible categories.
- Track who paid when several travelers share costs.
- Use notes for booking references rather than storing passwords or card details.
Separate fixed commitments from flexible spend
Flights and prepaid lodging behave differently from meals and discretionary activities. Keeping the category and status fields explicit makes the remaining budget more useful than a single total.
Use editable exports for real travel workflows
The planner can export reusable spreadsheet data rather than locking the trip into a static report. Keep the XLSX for ongoing planning and CSV for import into your own finance or BI workflow.
Budget estimates are not live prices
OpenFileTools does not fetch fares, exchange rates, hotel inventory, or card transactions. Enter the prices and currency assumptions you actually intend to use.