The US Commercial Standard. Ready to go.

The AICP budget is the blueprint for professional commercial production. Built for clarity and trusted by every major agency and brand, this template provides the rigorous structure required for high-stakes bidding.

Built for Compliance

Eliminate the risk of missing line items. This template adheres to the universal AICP format, ensuring your bids are instantly recognizable and professional to any agency or brand auditor.

Fluid Automation

Goodbye, broken cell references. Splinde’s smart subtotals and automated add-ons do the heavy lifting. You focus on the craft of production. We handle the math.

From Bid to Beautiful

Move beyond the grid. Your live-synced budget feeds directly into Splinde’s Document Editor. Generate a client-ready offer document that looks as premium as the work you produce.

Comprehensive Guide how to use the AICP budget template

Bidding a commercial shouldn't be a battle against formatting errors. The AICP template in Splinde provides a clean, rigorous framework designed for speed and precision.

Key takeaways

• Standardized Structure: Universally accepted format by US advertising agencies.

• Cloud-Native Speed: Calculate costs in real-time without manual formula adjustments.

• Flawless Presentation: Export directly into professional offer documents.

For whom is this budget template? Who will benefit from this?

This is the required workspace for Executive Producers, Line Producers, and Bidding Producers working in the US commercial market. If you are bidding multi-day, high-end agency jobs, this is your blueprint.

Understanding the structure of the budget

The AICP template categorizes every phase of production into clear, lettered sections. It spans from A. Prep Crew and B. Shoot Crew all the way through specialized post-production stages like T. Finishing and W. Editorial Labor & Creative Fees. It is a comprehensive cost map detailing everything from equipment rentals to specific talent expenses.

How to customize the spreadsheet for your production

Splinde makes adaptation fluid. Easily add or collapse line items within sections depending on the scope of your shoot. If a project doesn't require V. Miscellaneous Editorial, simply hide it. The master totals will adjust instantly.

Tips and Best Practices for Effective Budgeting

• Be exhaustive: Utilize the pre-built line items to ensure you aren't forgetting hidden costs, like data transmission charges or compliance assistants.

• Build contingencies: The commercial landscape shifts rapidly. Always account for weather days or extended overtime.

How the splinde key features will help you to manage this budget

Splinde is designed to make the rigorous AICP format feel effortless.

Drag and Drop financial logics like social fees, taxes, fringes, overtime etc.

Math you can touch. Apply complex union fringes, specific city taxes, or overtime rules directly to your crew line items with a simple drag-and-drop. Splinde calculates the exact percentages instantly.

Real time collaboration for the entire workspace

Two sides. One brain. Invite your Line Producer and Production Manager to the same budget. Watch numbers update live as your team scopes the job across different departments.

Real time generation of an offer document in a notion like editor

Never manually copy budget totals into a Word document again. Splinde automatically syncs your AICP top-sheet totals into a beautifully formatted, customizable proposal.

Calculate different currencies with real time conversion

Shooting in multiple countries? Apply real-time exchange rates to specific sections or line items. Your local costs are automatically converted to your master bidding currency.

What's Inside (The Blueprint)

This template is pre-loaded with the comprehensive, industry-standard categories required for a professional bid:

• Pre-loaded A-W Sections: From Prep Crew to Editorial Labor.

• Granular Crew Tracking: Detailed line items for all departments, including specialized roles like Crane Techs, DITs, and Steadi Cam Operators.

• Comprehensive Logistics: Pre-built sections for Prep & Wrap Expenses, Location Fees, Permits, and Production Trucking.

• Extensive Post-Production: Rigorous tracking for Offline Editing, Finishing (including 3D Animation and Compositing/VFX), and Audio mixing.

• Modern Deliverables: Includes a dedicated "Social Versions" section to track 9x16 reframing, social music edits, and digital delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What is an AICP budget format?

It is the standard commercial bidding format created by the Association of Independent Commercial Producers. It organizes production costs into rigorous, standardized categories so agencies can easily review and compare bids.

How do I calculate union fringes in this template?

Splinde handles fringe calculations automatically. Simply assign the relevant union rules (like DGA, IATSE, or SAG) to your crew and talent line items using our drag-and-drop logic, and the system calculates the exact percentages.

Does this template include post-production costs?

Yes. The template features extensive, pre-built sections for Post-Production, including Editorial, Audio, Finishing, and Social Versions. You can accurately bid everything from a simple color grade to complex 3D modeling and visual effects.