Expense Items

Overview

The Expense Items screen allows you to create and maintain a standard list of expense items for your company. These codes are billable and non-billable expense items charged by your employees (and vendors) against various projects. They can be reimbursable to the employees or not, such as materials, travel, mileage, copies, etc. Additionally, if your business is largely service-based, but you also sell products to your clients, (such as a printing business that sells paper or a hair salon that sells shampoo), you can create expense items in the 'Product' category to track those products. Click to watch this video on expense items in BQE CORE.

Attributes of these expense items, such as default cost rates, are also stored and later inherited by the Expense Entries screen. These codes can be combined into groups for the purpose of budgeting, reporting and more. Expenses are referred to as costs in the legal industry.

Field Descriptions

How To

Create Expense Items

Batch Update Expense Items

Assign Groups to Expense Items

Group Expense Items

Add Custom Fields

Add Documents

Send Expense Items

Merge Expense Items

Show/Hide Columns in Grid

Export Expense Items

Import Expense Items from CSV

View Reports

Apply Filters

Mark Screen as Favorite

Field Descriptions

Create Expense Items

You can create standalone expense items in CORE or bundle similar expenses into a main expense code by creating sub-codes, say travel and then car mileage, hotel, airfare, etc. Some of the expenses can be reimbursable to the employees. For example, travel, mileage, and materials that are charged by the employees against various projects. You can leave the cost blank because this can be entered at the time you record an expense if based on actual charges.

To create an expense item , watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. Click Add and enter the required information in the top row of the grid. Check Field Descriptions above for details.
   • Code and Sub-Code: The resulting expense must be unique.
   • Description
   • Billable
   • Reimbursable
   • Cost: Default per unit cost rate of an expense, excluding any markups and taxes. 
   • Markup %: Check Field Descriptions above for details.
3. Click Done.

Batch Update Expense Items

As long as you have not referenced or used an expense item in CORE, you can delete it. Otherwise, you can make it inactive or use the batch change feature to update it.

To update expense items, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. Select the expense items on the grid and click Actions > Delete to delete them.
3. Otherwise, click Actions > Batch Update to make batch changes to the selected items. Using the  row-action menu, you can select the total number of records without scrolling all the way to the end of the list, total number of records in view or none of the records.
4. On the Update Expense dialog, select the relevant fields and enter new values for them.
5. Check the disclaimer at the bottom and click Update.
6. To edit a single expense item, click Detail on that expense row.
7. In the detail view, enter more details or make your changes. Click Save.

You can also check the detailed video on batch updating records in CORE.

Assign Groups to Expense Items

This option allows you to quickly assign an expense to any expense group or view whether the selected expense is a member of any existing groups.

To assign an expense to a group, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, select an expense item that you want to group and click Detail on that row.
3. In the detail view, go to the General tab and click Assign Groups.
   
   
   
   
4. On the Assign Groups dialog, select the desired group for the expense. By default, the All group is assigned and set as the default group for all expenses.
5. Click Update.

You can also check the detailed video on creating and managing groups in CORE.

Group Expense Items

To group various expense items, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, select an expense item that you want to group and click Detail on that row.
3. In the detail view, go to the General tab and click Assign Groups.
   
   
   
   
4. On the Assign Groups dialog, click Manage Groups.
5. On the Groups screen, click Create New. (You can also go directly to this screen via side menu > Settings > Groups.)
   
   
   
   
6. On the Create Expense Group screen, enter the required information:
   • Name
   • Description
   • Add new expense items automatically: Automatically adds all new expense items to the new group as they are created.
   • Include all expense items in new group: Includes all existing expense items in the new group.
7. Click Save.
8. On the Edit Expense Group screen, you can then click Actions > Assign Expense Item to assign expense items to the newly created group.
9. Click Save.

You can also check the detailed video on creating and managing groups in CORE.

Add Custom Fields

Using custom fields, you can track extra characteristics and attributes of your expenses. You can add unlimited number of custom fields to an expense item and even customize these fields in the Custom Labels screen.

To add a custom field, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, select an expense item and click Detail on that row.
3. In the detail view, go to the Custom Fields tab and click Add Custom Field.
   
   
   
   
4. Select the type of field you want depending on the purpose, say Text Box.
5. On the Add Text Box dialog, enter the required information:
   • Name
   • Type
   • # of Characters
6. Check Show in List View if you want this field to appear under the Show/Hide Columns list and show up on the grid. Click Save.

Note: You can display a maximum of three custom fields on the list view per screen.

You can also check the detailed video on managing custom fields in CORE.

Add Documents

When you attach documents to an expense item, they are inherited by the related expense entries.

To add a document, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, select an expense item and click Detail on that row.
3. In the detail view, go to the Documents tab and click Add.
   
   
   
   

4. On the Add Documents dialog, select the relevant tab, depending on the type of attachments.

   • Computer: To attach files stored on your computer, enter its Description and drag your file or click to browse to that location.

   • Hyperlink: To attach an external link, enter its Description and then insert the hyperlink.

   • Dropbox: To link files stored in your Dropbox account, enter its Description and then browse for it.

   • Google Drive: To link files stored in your Google Drive account, enter its Description and then browse for it.

   • OneDrive: To link files stored in your Microsoft OneDrive account, enter its Description and then browse for it.

   • Box: To link files stored in your Box account, enter its Description and then browse for it.

   • Resource Library: To link company resources, select the resource from the library. This option is available only with CORE CRM.

5. Click Add.

CORE pre-fills some of the information about the attached documents in the grid. You can send the documents to your clients, employees or other contacts for getting their digital or electronic signatures (eSignature via DocuSign) using the eSign option from the  row-action menu. CORE automatically adds the signed documents to the Documents folder of the entity (record) as separate attachments. It displays the status of the document, whether it has been delivered via DocuSign, viewed by the recipients, declined or completed by the recipients, etc. This column does not show up if you are not connected via the DocuSign integration. You can also check the detailed video on managing documents in CORE.

Send Expense Items

In CORE, you can send expense items to your accounting program, such as QuickBooks Online, Xero and MYOB AccountRight.

To send an expense item to your accounting program, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, select an expense item and click Detail on that row.
3. In the detail view, click Actions > Send To on the top-right.
   
   
   
   
4. Select the relevant option from the drop-down, say QuickBooks. Your data is sent.

CORE allows you to send expense items to QuickBooks using the Send to QuickBooks option from the row-action menu in the list view. You can send a maximum of 25 records from the expense items list to QuickBooks without having to drill down into the detail view. CORE displays a progress bar when sending these records to QuickBooks.

Note: You can click More > Show/Hide Columns to display QB Linked column to check the sync status of the records before sending them to QuickBooks.

Merge Expense Items

In certain situations, you might want to combine multiple expense items into a single expense. CORE allows you to do that by moving all the time, budget and expense line items, and any other transactions linked with the expense items to the selected destination expense. Attachments or any other objects linked with the source expenses are moved to the destination expense.

To merge expense items, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. Select an expense record on the grid that you want to combine with another and click  to select Merge.
3. On the Merge Expense Items dialog, choose the expense item from the drop-down into which you want to merge the selected items.
4. Click Merge.

You can also check the detailed video on merging data in CORE.

Show/Hide Columns in Grid

You can configure the fields or columns that appear on the grid in the list view. You can hide or show columns, and sort the order of columns according to your requirements.

To do so, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > Show/Hide Columns on the action bar.
3. Select or un-select the column names in the drop-down list, say Income Account.
4. Next, click the column name you want to sort the data by, say Billable.
5. Click once for ascending order (A-Z) and twice for descending order (Z-A).

Note: You can resize the column widths on the grid and then reset them, if needed (More > Reset Column Widths).

You can also check the detailed video on navigation and customizing grids in CORE.

Export Expense Items

In CORE, you can export expense items to the Comma Separated Values file format. CORE exports data from all available columns and not just the columns visible in the grid.

To export an expense item to a .CSV file, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > Export as CSV.
3. A .csv export file is created and saved on your system at the default download location, say your desktop. Click to open the spreadsheet.

You can also check the detailed video on exporting data in CORE.

Import Expense Items from CSV

In CORE, you can import up to 5000 expense items directly from a Comma Separated Values (.csv) file format. CORE does not create new items or resources if there are no matches. You can map the relevant fields between CORE and the CSV file and save those mappings for the future.

Note: You can download a sample import file to see how your import file should be and what kind of data it should include.

To import expense items from a .CSV file, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > Import from CSV.
3. On the Import Expense from CSV dialog, choose the CSV file to be imported. Check Field Descriptions above for details.
4. You can drag and drop the file or click to browse to its location. Click Upload.
5. On the Map Your Expense Fields dialog, you can match the relevant CORE Fields with CSV Headers for each expense item. Each record requires a code and a description to be mapped.
6. You can select Saved Mappings from the drop-down if you have one from a previous import.
   
   
   
   
7. Click Continue. The imported records pre-fill the grid.
8. On the Review Mapping dialog, review the selected records and their mappings. Un-check the records that you do not want to import. CORE performs validation of records, including formatting and data validation before you can proceed.
9. Click the relevant Import option:
   • Import
   • Import & Save As New Mapping: Imports the items and also saves the mapping for the future.
   • Import and Update Mapping: Updates the saved mapping. This option is only visible if you have saved mapping from the previous import.

The expense items are imported. You can check the imported data and make changes, as needed. You can also check the detailed video on importing data into CORE.

View Reports

To view a report, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click More > View Reports.
3. Select a report from the Report List dialog. It opens in the viewer.
4. Preview the report and then choose to export or print it.

You can also check the detailed video on running and managing reports in CORE.

Apply Filters

Besides filtering data using the standard fields on a screen, you can also use the custom fields for that, if you have set them up.

To view selective data on the grid, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. In the list view, click  on the right.
3. On the Filters panel, select a filter from the drop-down and specify individual records or range.
4. Click Add Filters to specify more filters.
5. When you have finished, click Apply Filter. You can see selective data now.
6. In the list view, you can remove the individual filters by clicking  on each. To disable applied filters temporarily or remove all filters, click  next to the Filters icon and select Disable Filters or Clear All, respectively.

You can also check the detailed video on applying filters in CORE.

Mark Screen as Favorite

You can mark or flag the most-often used and important screens in CORE as your favorites up to a maximum of ten. These favorite screens then display separately on the side menu under the Favorites list. You can manage all your favorite screens in CORE from User Settings.

To mark this screen as your favorite, watch this video or follow these steps:

1. Open the Expense Items screen from the side menu > Settings > Time & Expenses.
   
   
   
   
2. Click on the top-right.
3. You can access this screen from the side menu under Favorites.

You can also check the detailed video on marking screens as favorite in CORE.