Expense Codes

Expense Codes are used to classify and group costs. They describe what the cost relates to, such as parts, labour, or services, and work alongside Cost Centres to provide clear and consistent financial reporting.

Expense Codes help answer the question: What type of cost was incurred?

What Expense Codes are

An Expense Code represents a cost category, such as:

  • External Labour
  • Electrical Parts
  • Equipment Hire
  • Consumables

Expense Codes are applied at the line item level and can be used for Parts, Labour, and Services.

How Expense Codes work

Expense Codes can have an optional default Cost Centre assigned.

When an Expense Code is selected:

  • The Expense Code classifies the line item
  • The mapped Cost Centre overrides inherited Cost Centres
  • The override applies only to that line item
  • Other line items on the same Work Order are not affected

This ensures consistent financial classification while allowing flexibility.

Common uses for Expense Codes

Expense Codes are commonly used to:

  • Separate parts, labour, and service costs
  • Support finance and accounting reporting
  • Enable accurate cost allocation
  • Drive consistent Cost Centre assignment
  • Filter and analyse maintenance spend

Expense Code fields

The following fields are used when creating or editing Expense Codes.

Field name Required Description
Code Yes Unique identifier for the Expense Code, often used a short identifier of the Description or aligned with finance systems.
Description Yes Clear description of what the Expense Code represents.
Account Code Yes A code that enables customised mapping to external finance systems.
Default Cost Centre No Cost Centre automatically applied when this Expense Code is selected.
Active Yes Controls whether the Expense Code can be selected. New Expense Codes are active by default.

Creating and editing Expense Codes

To create or edit an Expense Code:

  1. Navigate to Reference Tables → Financial Tables → Expense Codes.
  2. Select + Add Expense Code or edit an existing one.
  3. Enter the Code, Name, and Account Code.
  4. Optionally select a Default Cost Centre.
  5. The Active toggle will be set to Yes by default. Toggle this to No if you don't want this Expense Code to be selectable yet.
  6. Click Save

Where Expense Codes apply

Expense Codes can be applied to:

  • Part line items on Work Orders
  • Labour line items on Work Orders
  • Service line items on Work Orders
  • Tasks, where they can be applied at the group level

Expense Codes do not apply to Resources.

Adding Expense Codes to Work Orders

Expense Codes are selected when adding Parts, Labour, or Services.

To add an Expense Code:

  1. Go to a Work Management → Work Orders
  2. Click + Add Work Order or edit an existing one.
  3. Go to either the Parts, Labour, or Services tab.
  4. Add a new line item or edit an existing one
  5. Select an Expense Code from the dropdown.
  6. Review the Cost Centre applied automatically (if applicable).
  7. Save the Work Order.

The Expense Code is stored at the line item level.

Pre-requisites

Before using Expense Codes:

  • Expense Codes must be configured in Reference Tables
  • Cost Centres should be set up and mapped where required
  • Users must have permission to edit cost fields
  • Naming conventions should be agreed

Example of Expense Codes in use

A labour line item is added to a Work Order.

The user selects:

  • Expense Code: Internal Labour
  • Default Cost Centre: Workshop Maintenance

The Cost Centre is automatically applied, ensuring consistent reporting.

Important considerations and best practices

  • Define Expense Codes in line with finance requirements
  • Map Default Cost Centres wherever possible
  • Use Expense Codes consistently across all Work Orders
  • Avoid manual Cost Centre overrides unless necessary
  • Deactivating an Expense Code prevents future use but does not affect historical data
  • Expense Codes do not affect scheduling or permissions

Expense Codes provide a structured and reliable way to classify maintenance costs and support accurate financial reporting.