Plan and Actual on the Same Calculation Logic
Two plans, one budget: what a shared calculation basis changes
Both sides plan. Just not the same calculation.
Companies plan their marketing, and so do agencies, usually each with its own model, its own assumptions and its own formulas. When plan and actual are compared later, the discussion often turns to who calculated correctly instead of which strategy to pursue. A shared calculation logic changes that.
Company
Its own plan
Budget, goals and expectations, often in a spreadsheet with its own logic.
Asks: what do we get for our budget?
Shared calculation basis
One logic for both
The same formulas, the same parameters, the same results. For the plan and later for the comparison with actual figures.
Asks: which strategy holds under our shared assumptions?
Agency
Its own plan
Media plan, channel assumptions and forecasts, with its own model.
Asks: how do we justify our recommendation?
In shortYourValidator is a neutral calculation layer between both sides. It calculates deterministically what follows from shared assumptions. It does not prove what worked and does not explain why results differ, but both sides see the same figures.
01
Strategy exists on both sides
The problem is rarely a lack of planning, but two plans running side by side.
| Side | Finding (Germany) | What follows |
|---|---|---|
| SMBs | 80% of German SMBs plan strategically. 46% of them cover four business areas or fewer. | Planning happens, but often only in parts and with its own logic. |
| Agencies | 84% of the surveyed GWA agencies have at least one strategist; around 80% offer strategy consulting as a separate service. | Strategic expertise exists, but inside the agency's own model. |
SourcesKfW Research, Fokus Volkswirtschaft No. 535 (February 2026), KfW SME Panel, 2,749 companies, surveyed September 2025. GWA survey on the strategy discipline (2023), survey of strategists at member agencies of the German association of communication agencies. Both sources are in German; marketing is not reported separately in the KfW study.
02
Why the usual tools do not solve this
| Tool | What it does | What is missing for a shared plan |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting and BI | Shows what happened | No shared calculation for the next plan |
| Attribution | Assigns conversions to touchpoints | Fragmented, especially for offline channels |
| Marketing mix modeling | Estimates the contribution of individual channels | Demanding and data-intensive; out of reach for many SMBs |
| Spreadsheet models | Freely designed planning | Each side has its own formulas; plan and actual do not share a basis |
More context: What is an MDVS? and Planning or measurement?
03
With AI agents, a shared basis matters more, not less
An assessment, not a study result.
AI agents accelerate on both sides what already happens today: data is gathered faster, channels are run faster, reports are produced faster. But if the company uses different tools and models than the agency, diverging figures also appear faster.
The more is automated, the more important a level both sides agree on becomes: which formulas apply, which assumptions are agreed and against what plan and actual are measured. This holds with or without AI. Without AI it is a question of clarity; with AI it is also a question of control.
- The agent supplies data. Your own AI agent can bring together figures from ad accounts, CRM and licensed market data and write them to a JSON file.
- The tool calculates. The file is loaded via the import function (Pro). The calculation is the same for both sides.
- People decide. Company and agency see the same results and decide together.
ArchitectureThe only point of contact is the JSON file. There is no API, no live connection and no access to the tool or a server. Data collection and agents stay in your own environment.
04
One calculation logic for plan and actual
What company and agency can agree on together.
| Level | Content | Who sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Formulas | Saturation, ramp-up (S-curve), carryover, cross-channel effects, customer lifetime value (CLV), break-even | The same for both, defined in the tool |
| Assumptions | Conversion rates, order value, margin, budget per channel, seasonality | Agreed together |
| Actual figures | Actual reach, inquiries, closed deals, costs | From CRM and dashboards, which remain the sources |
How company and agency work together on this basis step by step, from the shared plan to the comparison with actual figures, is shown on the SME & Agency page.
Free and ProCalculating together live is free and may also be used commercially. Saving and exchanging plans, plan vs. actual and importing CRM or agent data are Pro features.
05
What changes for both sides
For companies
Understand before approving
You see which assumptions a recommendation is based on and can change them before budget is spent. In the comparison you see where the plan deviates.
Together
Talk strategy instead of figures
When both sides see the same calculation, the conversation shifts from who calculates correctly to what to change.
For agencies
Make recommendations traceable
Strategic work becomes visible because clients can calculate the reasoning themselves. Deviations can be discussed on the basis of shared assumptions.
More: YourValidator for agencies.
06
What a shared calculation logic does and does not do
- It ensures both sides calculate with the same formulas and agreed assumptions.
- Plan vs. actual shows deviations but does not explain their causes; that requires analysis of the campaigns.
- Assumptions remain assumptions. The tool does not predict what will happen and does not prove what worked.
- It replaces neither CRM nor dashboards; both remain the sources of actual figures.
Frequently asked questions
Summary
Companies and agencies both plan, but rarely on the same basis. YourValidator gives both sides the same formulas, agreed assumptions and a comparison of plan and actual on the same basis, with or without AI agents.
Try it with your next plan: Open the calculator, free and without sign-up.
