Project Expenses
The expenses section within each project captures all project-related costs that are not materials or subcontractor payments. This includes items like equipment rental, transportation, permits, utilities, labor charges, and any other overhead tied to the project.
Recording Project Expenses
To record an expense against a project:
- Open the project from the Projects list.
- Navigate to the Expenses tab.
- Click the add button to open the expense form.
- Fill in the expense details and save.
Each expense entry represents a single cost event associated with the project.
Expense Fields
When adding or editing an expense, the following fields are available:
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Category | The type of expense (e.g., "Transportation", "Equipment Rental", "Permits") | Yes |
| Amount | The cost amount for this expense | Yes |
| Date | The date the expense was incurred | Yes |
| Description | A free-text description providing additional detail about the expense | No |
Use descriptive, consistent category names across projects. This allows you to filter and compare expense types later --- for example, seeing how much you spend on transportation across all your projects.
Expense Categorization
Expenses are organized by category, which helps you understand where project money is going beyond raw materials and subcontractor fees. Common categories include:
- Equipment rental
- Transportation and logistics
- Government permits and fees
- Site utilities (electricity, water)
- Tools and consumables
- Insurance
- Inspection and testing fees
- Miscellaneous
You define your own categories when entering expenses. There is no fixed list --- use whatever categories make sense for your business.
Amount, Date, and Description Tracking
Every expense captures three core data points:
- Amount --- The monetary value of the expense. All amounts contribute to the project's total expense cost.
- Date --- When the expense occurred. This allows you to track spending over time and understand cost patterns during the project's lifecycle.
- Description --- Optional but recommended. A brief note explaining what the expense covers. For example: "Crane rental for concrete pouring, Block C" or "Municipality inspection fee for electrical work."
Editing and Removing Expenses
Editing
To edit an expense:
- Open the project and navigate to the Expenses tab.
- Click on the expense entry you want to modify.
- Update the category, amount, date, or description as needed.
- Save the changes.
Removing
To remove an expense:
- Locate the expense entry in the Expenses tab.
- Click the delete action and confirm.
Removing an expense permanently deletes it from the project. The project's total expense cost will decrease accordingly. If the project is completed, verify that removing the expense will not compromise the accuracy of finalized reports.
Expense Summaries and Reports
The Expenses tab provides a summary view of all recorded expenses for the project:
- Individual entries --- Each expense with its category, amount, date, and description.
- Total expenses --- The sum of all expense amounts for the project.
- Category breakdown --- A view of expenses grouped by category, showing how costs are distributed.
These figures feed directly into the project's Budget & Profit Analysis, where expenses are combined with material costs and subcontract payments to calculate the total project cost and profit margin.
Expenses are independent from materials and subcontract costs. Make sure you are recording each cost in the correct section --- materials go in the Materials tab, subcontractor payments go in the Subcontracts tab, and everything else goes here in Expenses.