Finally Know What You're Actually Committed to Spend
You budget $2.8M in vendor spend based on projections and assumptions. Reality? Contracts commit you to $3.2M in auto-renewals, price increases, and minimum commitments nobody's tracking. Expectica IQ closes the gap—showing what you're legally obligated to pay before invoices hit.
The Finance Expectation Gap
You budget based on assumptions. Contracts lock in different numbers.
Reality check:
- • Budget assumption: "$280K Salesforce spend" (based on current usage)
- • Contract reality: "$340K committed" (100 licenses at $3,400 each)
- • You're using 68 licenses, but paying for 100
- • Contract auto-renews in 45 days at 100 licenses
The gap: Budget assumed right-sizing. Contract commits you to full amount regardless of usage.
You expect flat pricing. Contracts contain auto-escalation clauses.
Reality check:
- • Budget assumption: "Vendor costs flat year-over-year"
- • Contract reality: 12 vendors have 5-10% annual price increases
- • Budget impact: $67K in unplanned cost increases
- • Nobody tracked escalation clauses when contracts were signed
The gap: Budget assumed static pricing. Contracts guarantee vendor price increases.
You expect renewals can be canceled. Termination windows already closed.
Reality check:
- • You want to cancel underutilized SaaS tool ($45K/year)
- • Contract requires 90-day termination notice
- • Renewal date: March 1
- • Termination deadline was: December 1 (90 days ago)
- • You're locked in for another year
The gap: Assumed flexibility to cancel. Contract window already closed.
Budget Based on Reality, Not Assumptions
Know What You're Actually Committed to Spend
Stop budgeting on assumptions. Expectica IQ shows contracted reality:
Budget Assumptions (based on usage/projections):
- SaaS tools: $1.2M
- Professional services: $800K
- Infrastructure: $600K
- Other vendors: $200K
- Total: $2.8M
Contracted Commitments (legal obligations):
- SaaS: $1.4M
- Services: $950K
- Infrastructure: $720K
- Other: $330K
- Total: $3.4M
Expectation Gap: $600K
| Category | Budget | Contracted | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS | $1.2M | $1.4M | +$200K ⚠️ |
| Services | $800K | $950K | +$150K ⚠️ |
| Infra | $600K | $720K | +$120K ⚠️ |
| Other | $200K | $330K | +$130K ⚠️ |
| Total Gap | +$600K |
Result
Budget based on what you're legally committed to pay, not what you hope to pay.
Catch Auto-Renewals Before They Execute
Stop getting surprised by renewals. Get 60-90 day advance notice:
AUTO-RENEWAL ALERT - 60 days to termination window
Vendor: Salesforce
Current spend: $340K/year (100 licenses @ $3,400)
Actual usage: 68 active licenses (32% unused capacity)
Contract terms:
- • Auto-renews: March 1, 2026
- • Termination notice required: 90 days
- • Termination window opens: December 1, 2025 (45 days from now)
Optimization opportunity:
- • Right-size to 75 licenses: Save $85K/year
- • OR maintain 100 but negotiate flat pricing: Save $17K (avoid 5% increase)
Action needed: Contact Salesforce by Dec 1 to modify renewal terms
Result
Act before auto-renewals lock you in, not after.
Track Price Increases Before They Hit Budget
Know which vendors have contractual right to raise prices:
Price Escalation Analysis
Contracts with auto-increase clauses: 23 vendors
Upcoming price increases (next 12 months):
- Q2 2026: 8 vendors+$34K total
- Q3 2026: 7 vendors+$28K total
- Q4 2026: 5 vendors+$19K total
- Q1 2027: 3 vendors+$12K total
Total unbudgeted increases: $93K
Detail View Example
Vendor: AWS
Current: $45K/year
Contract: "Price may increase annually by lesser of 5% or CPI"
Expected increase (Q2 2026): +$2,250 (5%)
Budget impact: $2,250 unplanned
Action: Budget for $47,250 (not $45K) OR renegotiate to remove escalation
Result
Budget includes contractual price increases, not surprise overages.
Use Cases by Finance Role
For CFOs
Know what you're legally committed to spend—before the board asks. Budget based on contracted reality, not department projections.
For VP Finance
Stop chasing down vendor contracts. See all commitments in one dashboard. Identify cost optimization opportunities before renewals lock you in.
For Controllers
Reconcile vendor spend with contracts automatically. Know which invoices match contracted amounts vs. which are billing errors.
For FP&A Teams
Build budgets on contracted commitments, not assumptions. Track price escalations, minimum commits, and auto-renewals that impact forecasts.
Complete Financial Picture: Revenue + Spend
Most finance teams track revenue expectations (forecasts, pipeline, projections). Few track spend expectations (vendor commitments, price increases, renewals).
SpendTracer (Cost Side)
- What you're committed to pay vendors
- When renewals happen
- What price increases are coming
- Where to optimize spend
DealTracer (Revenue Side)
- What customers are committed to pay you
- When renewals happen
- What payment milestones are due
- Where revenue is at risk
Combined Financial Command Center
Revenue Expectations:
- $2.1M contracted ARR (verified)
- $400K requires active renewal (at risk)
- $89K expansion opportunities (upsell potential)
Spend Expectations:
- $3.2M committed spend (over $2.8M budget)
- $340K in renewals (next 90 days)
- $120K savings opportunities (duplicates, right-sizing)
Net Financial Position:
Revenue: $2.1M - $400K at risk = $1.7M safe
Spend: $3.2M committed
Margin: -47% (spend exceeds safe revenue)
Issue: Spending more than contracted revenue supports
Action: Either secure at-risk renewals OR reduce vendor commitments
Result: Finance sees complete picture (revenue + spend expectations) for first time.
From Budget Surprises to Budget Confidence
CFO at Series B SaaS company (180 employees)
Before Expectica IQ
- ✗Budget: $2.8M vendor spend (based on department projections)
- ✗Reality: $3.4M actual spend
- ✗Variance: +$600K (21% over budget)
- ✗Q3 board meeting: "Why are we $600K over on vendor spend?"
- ✗CFO: "I... don't know. Let me investigate."
After Expectica IQ (90-day cleanup)
- Discovered all vendor contracts (including shadow IT)
- $180K: Right-sized SaaS licenses before renewals
- $120K: Consolidated duplicate vendors
- $67K: Renegotiated to remove price increases
- $73K: Canceled unused subscriptions
In optimization opportunities identified
Reduced committed spend (from $3.4M)
Under budget (vs. +$600K over)
"For the first time, I can tell the board what we're committed to spend with confidence. No more surprises, no more 'I'll investigate and get back to you.' We manage spend proactively now, not reactively."
Budget With Confidence
Know what you're actually committed to spend. Catch auto-renewals before they execute. Find savings opportunities before budgets are locked.
Recommended: SpendTracer Agent
($959/month annual - Founder's Circle)
Or get complete financial picture:
DealTracer + SpendTracer Bundle
($1,647/month annual - Founder's Circle)