If something applies to everyone or everything, it's across the board. It's most often used to talk about money.
Here are some examples of how to use this phrase:
- The new tax rates apply across the board.
- Good news! Our profits were so good last quarter, we'll be giving bonuses across the board!
You can also use it as an adjective:
A: How do you propose we pay for the new computer system?
B: We'll have to make across-the-board budget cuts.
Did you know? The expression originally comes from horse racing, meaning to bet on a horse to come in first, second and third, or across the whole betting board where odds and race results are displayed.