Frequently Asked Questions

Martus is a cloud-based budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting platform designed for nonprofits and small to mid-sized organizations. It replaces spreadsheet-based budgeting with a centralized system that allows teams to create budgets, analyze performance, and forecast future outcomes with greater accuracy and collaboration.

Martus helps finance teams reduce the work of collecting department spreadsheets, consolidating budgets, and tracking different versions. Teams can manage budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting in one shared platform, giving finance and department leaders a clearer view of the budget and financial performance.

No. While budgeting is a core function, Martus also supports forecasting, real-time reporting, variance analysis, and scenario planning. These features allow organizations to move beyond static budgets and make informed decisions throughout the year.

Martus gives your organization a shared system for managing the budgeting process. Instead of collecting and combining separate workbooks, finance teams and department leaders can work in one platform with controlled access, budget version management, and financial reporting. This reduces spreadsheet administration and makes it easier to review budgets across departments.

Martus vs Excel

Martus is commonly used by mission-based organizations and small to mid-sized businesses that need structured financial planning without enterprise-level complexity.

Martus is used by finance teams, budget managers, department leaders, and executives. The platform is designed so both financial and non-financial users can participate in the budgeting process without needing advanced accounting expertise.

Yes. Martus was built with nonprofit organizations in mind and supports common nonprofit budgeting needs such as multi-year forecasting, donor-driven planning, and financial transparency across programs and departments.

Yes. Martus is designed to be intuitive for users without formal finance backgrounds. Department leaders can input, review, and monitor budgets without relying on spreadsheets or complex formulas.

Martus is a fit for nonprofits and small to mid-sized organizations whose budgeting process has become difficult to manage in spreadsheets. Common signs include collecting budgets from multiple departments, reconciling workbook versions, and spending too much time preparing budget-to-actual reports. Fit depends on your planning needs and accounting system as well as organization size.

Martus centralizes budgeting into a single cloud-based platform, allowing organizations to create, manage, and analyze budgets in real time. Automated calculations, variance analysis, and scenario modeling reduce manual work and improve accuracy.

Yes. Martus supports both short-term and multi-year forecasting, allowing organizations to project future financial outcomes based on current data and assumptions.

Yes. Martus allows organizations to model different scenarios and “what-if” analyses to understand how changes in revenue, expenses, or staffing may impact financial outcomes.

Yes. Forecasts in Martus can be updated as new information becomes available, helping organizations stay agile and responsive to change.

Yes. Martus offers an optional Personnel Budgeting module that allows detailed payroll planning. Payroll totals can also be uploaded via Excel without purchasing the module.

Yes, Martus includes a Cash Flow Forecasting module that predicts how a budget will impact cash flow and the balance sheet, providing both a Projected Balance Sheet and a Cash Flow Forecast.

For supported API integrations, Martus imports accounting data automatically each night and supports an on-demand refresh. File-based integrations use uploaded accounting data. Your accounting system and version determine which connection method is available.

Martus offers API integrations with Sage Intacct, Sage 100, Sage 300, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, NetSuite, Acumatica, Xero, and Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT. For other accounting systems, such as Sage 50, Sage 200, Aplos, and MIP, Martus offers file-based integration. The connection method depends on your system and version.

Learn more about Martus Integrations.

For API-connected accounting systems, Martus updates accounting data nightly, with an on-demand refresh available when needed. For file-based integrations, data is as current as the latest upload. Budget-to-actual reports reflect the accounting data most recently imported into Martus.

Martus stores financial data in a secure, cloud-based environment with access controls at both the functional and dimensional level. User permissions can be customized to restrict access to sensitive data. Learn more about our security processes.

Yes, Martus is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant.

Yes. Administrators can control access by user role, function, department, and account level, ensuring users only see the data relevant to their responsibilities.

Yes. Martus supports most SAML-based Single Sign-On applications for secure and streamlined user access.

Yes, Martus supports optional MFA using an authenticator app.

No. Financial and budget data Martus Intelligence uses to answer questions is not used to train OpenAI's models. Martus is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant. 

Security and Trust

After kickoff, Martus configures your environment, loads your data, adds users, and schedules training. The goal is to get your team ready to manage its budgeting process in Martus. Your implementation team will confirm the steps and timing for your organization.

Most organizations complete Martus onboarding and training within three weeks. Some implementations take as little as one week, depending on complexity. Your implementation team will confirm a timeline for your organization.

Yes. Martus uses a train-the-trainer approach that includes four to five one-on-one sessions. Additional customized end-user training is available if needed.

Yes. User licenses can be increased at any time by contacting Martus Support. Licenses are sold in five-user packs and prorated to align with your renewal cycle.

Yes. Every Martus package includes importing historical budgets from Excel, so you can bring prior budget data into your new planning process. Files must follow the supported import format. Moving budget data does not automatically transfer formulas or custom workbook logic.

Martus is offered through an annual subscription. Published pricing starts at $6,650 USD for Essentials, with discounts available for nonprofits and churches. Your quote depends on organization size, selected package, modules, and users. See our packages page or contact our team for pricing specific to your organization.

Martus subscriptions include email and phone support, regular software updates, and access to the Martus Knowledge Base. Support is available Monday through Friday, 8AM–8PM Eastern. Users can also get quick answers within the platform through Martus Intelligence, Martus’ in-app AI assistant.

Yes. Martus includes in-platform help links, a comprehensive Knowledge Base with documentation, tutorials, webinars, and videos, and Martus Intelligence, an in-app AI assistant that helps users quickly find answers while working in the platform.

Martus is compatible with Chrome, Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Yes. Organizations can request a demo to see how Martus works and discuss their specific budgeting and forecasting needs.