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Guide for Department Staff
This guide is for town employees who submit capital expenditure requests through the OpenBook staff portal.
Staff accounts are created by your town administrator. You'll receive a unique invite link (via email, text, or in person). Open the link and fill in your name, department, and a password. Each link works once — ask your admin for a new one if needed.
Go to https://budget.yourtown.gov/staff/login and sign in with your email and password.
Forgot your password? Ask your town administrator — they can generate a reset link for you.
After logging in, you'll see your total requests, how many are pending, how many are approved, and your five most recent submissions.
Click Submit New Capital Request and fill in:
| Field | Required | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Department | Yes | Public Works |
| Purpose | Yes | Replacement of Engine 1 (2003 Pierce Pumper) |
| Description | No | What's being purchased, specs, background |
| Amount ($) | Yes |
350000 (no dollar signs or commas) |
| Funding Source | No |
Free Cash, Chapter 90, General Fund
|
| Justification | No | Why it's necessary, what happens if deferred |
| Fiscal Year | Yes |
FY2027 or 2027
|
Click Submit Request. It enters the queue as Submitted.
Click View History to see all your requests and their status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Submitted | Waiting for review |
| Under Review | Being reviewed |
| Approved | Approved |
| Denied | Not approved this cycle |
Click a request to see any admin notes.
Can I edit a submitted request? No. Ask your finance office to delete it so you can resubmit.
What does approval mean? The finance office has accepted it for consideration. Actual appropriation happens through your town's normal budget process.
Where's the staff portal link? Your admin will give you the direct URL, typically https://budget.yourtown.gov/staff/login.