IGNOU : M.COM : MCO 5 : UNIT 9 : Q - 1. What is a Sales Budget ? How is it prepared ?

Ans. SALES BUDGET

The sales budget is usually the keystone in planning and control of operation of a business. Sales forecast serves as a base for the sales budget. The sales budget is prepared in quantitative terms of units expected to be sold and the value expected to be realised. The Sales Manager should be made directly responsible for the preparation and execution of sales budget. This is prepared according to the requirements of the business while preparing sales budget. The useful classification may be-products, territories, customers, salesmen, etc. More than one classification may be employed. However, at the time of preparing sales budget the following factors should be kept in mind:

(a) salesmen’s estimates (b) orders in hand (c) Past behaviour (d) Management policies for future (e) seasonal fluctuations (f) availability of materials (g) plant capacity (h) availability of finance (i) potential market (j) level of competition (k) position of competitors, etc.