Asset Category Setup
Category Setup is where an asset category is created or edited. A category carries the tax treatment and the full set of General Ledger accounts that every asset assigned to it will use, so defining one correctly is what makes asset accounting automatic rather than manual.
Where to find it
Go to Fixed Assets > Settings > Category, or use + Add New on the Categories list.
Field reference
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | What the category is called — IT Equipment, Vehicles, Furniture. |
| Tax Type | The default tax rate on purchase and sale of assets in this category. |
| Units | The standard unit of measure. |
| Sales Account | Where the revenue lands when one of these assets is sold. |
| Asset Account | The balance sheet account that holds their value. |
| Depreciation Cost Account | The expense account charged each period. |
| Depreciation/Disposal Account | Accumulated depreciation, and the gain or loss when one is retired. |
| Assembly Account | Used where the asset forms part of an assembly. |
Change a category's accounts and only future transactions follow the new mapping. Everything already posted stays where it went, so correcting a mistake means a journal as well as a settings change.
How many categories to create
Create a category wherever the accounting genuinely differs — a different asset account, a different tax rate, a different depreciation expense line. Splitting further than that gives you more to maintain without telling you anything new; the reporting detail you want by asset type is better served by classes.
Before you can delete one
A category with assets assigned to it cannot be removed. Reassign those assets to another category first, then delete.
Related pages
- Categories — the list and bulk tools
- Classes — depreciation rates
- New Fixed Asset — where a category is applied
- GL Accounts — the accounts being mapped