Purchase Expenses Settings
The Expense Settings Management screen allows administrators to define and organize the various types of expenses used across the system. This configuration ensures that when users record an expense, it is automatically mapped to the correct General Ledger (GL) account, maintaining consistency in financial reporting and audit trails.
Expense Management List
This main interface provides a searchable directory of all configured expense types:
- Search & Filter: Use the search bar to find specific expenses by name or code. Use the "Select Category" or "Select GL Account" dropdowns to filter the list.
- Expense Code: A unique identifier for each expense type (e.g., 032/2024).
- Expense Name: The descriptive title of the cost (e.g., Travel).
- Category: The organizational group the expense belongs to. If unassigned, it displays as "No Category Assigned."
- GL Account: The specific chart of accounts ledger where this expense is recorded (e.g., 5437 - Travel Allowance).
- Type: A secondary classification for the expense (e.g., "Monthly," "Fixed," etc.).
Managing Active and Inactive Expenses
The system allows you to control the visibility of expenses without deleting them:
- Show Also Inactive: By checking this box at the top of the list, the table will refresh to show both active and currently disabled expenses.
- Inactive Toggle: In the list view, each expense has a toggle switch. Users can quickly Activate or Deactivate an expense here. Inactive expenses will not appear as options in the standard Expense Form.
Expense Entry Form (Add/Edit)
When adding a new expense or editing an existing one, the following fields are available:
- Expense Code: Enter a unique alphanumeric code to identify the expense type.
- Expense Name: Provide a clear name that users will recognize when recording costs.
- Category (Mandatory): Select the appropriate category from the dropdown. Note: This field is required to save the record as it determines how the expense is grouped in financial summaries.
- GL Account: Choose the General Ledger account that this expense should "hit" in your accounting records.
- Type: Select or define the specific type of expense based on your organization's needs.
- Status: Set the initial status to Active or Inactive.
Actions
- Add New: Click the Add New button at the top right to open a blank entry form.
- Edit: Click the Pencil Icon next to an expense to modify its name, GL mapping, or category.
- Delete: Click the Red Cross Icon to remove an expense. Warning: Deleting an expense can impact historical reports if the expense was previously used in transactions.
- Save: After filling out the form, click Save to commit the changes to the database.
Notes
Before creating new expenses, ensure the relevant GL Accounts have been created in the Chart of Accounts, as you must link every expense to a ledger for proper accounting.