What is the main feature of a rolling budget?

The main feature of a rolling budget is that it is updated continuously by adding new accounting periods, typically extending the budget on a regular basis, such as monthly or quarterly. This approach allows organizations to react more flexibly to changing circumstances, as it ensures that the budget always encompasses a set future period (e.g., 12 months ahead) instead of being static.

This continuous adjustment means that as each new period (like a month or quarter) comes to an end, another period is added. Such a rolling approach helps managers maintain relevant financial information that reflects the latest business environment and helps ensure that they can make informed decisions based on up-to-date data.

In contrast, creating a budget for multiple years in advance would generally not be considered a rolling budget, as it focuses on long-term planning rather than continuous adaptation. Revising the budget at the beginning of every month could also be a part of a rolling budget's process, but the essence of a rolling budget lies in its ongoing updates. Requiring justification for each expenditure pertains more to aspects of budget control and oversight, rather than the inherent nature of how a rolling budget operates.