Back to documentation
AccountsExpenses2 min read

Creating an Expense

How to add a new expense and decide which fields should be linked to customers, jobs, services, and categories.

Work Planner TeamApril 12, 2026

From Accounts > Expenses, click New Expense. The popup uses the same ledger form as transactions, but here the aim is to record business cost cleanly so it can be reported and traced later.

Fields Worth Getting Right

  • Transaction Type: On the Expenses screen this should stay as Expense. If you meant to record a different kind of ledger line, use the Transactions screen instead.
  • Entry Date: Set this to the date the cost belongs to in your records.
  • Expense Category: This is the main reporting label for the cost. Use the category that best matches what the money was spent on.
  • Description: Write what the expense actually was, not just where it came from. This makes later searching much easier.
  • Amount: Enter the gross amount of the cost.
  • VAT Rate (%), VAT, and Net Amount: If VAT applies, set the rate and let Work Planner calculate the split for you.
  • Payment Reference: Use this for supplier invoice numbers, card references, or bank references you may need again later.

Optional Links

  • Customer: Link this only when the cost clearly belongs to one customer account.
  • Job: Use this when the expense belongs to one job and you want that trail visible later.
  • Service: Useful when the cost is tied to a specific kind of work.
  • Payment Method: Add this when the method matters for audit or traceability.

Fields Most People Leave Alone

  • Invoice: Leave this empty unless the expense genuinely needs to sit against one invoice record.
  • Missed: This is usually not used for expenses. It is there for special ledger cases rather than normal supplier costs.

After Save

The new expense appears on the Expenses list and also exists in the wider Transactions ledger, because every expense is still a transaction underneath.

Related articles

Related articles

April 12, 2026 • 2 min read

Print, Email, and SMS Actions

How to distribute documents for selected debt rows, including template choice, service date handling, printing, email, and text.

Read article
April 12, 2026 • 2 min read

GoCardless Upgrade Popup

What the GoCardless upgrade prompt means, which buttons it gives you, and why a plan upgrade still does not replace integration setup.

Read article
April 12, 2026 • 2 min read

GoCardless Confirmation and Cancel-Recreate Flow

How Work Planner handles pending GoCardless setup links, blocked setup attempts, and the cancel-and-create-new route.

Read article