Managing Your Chart of Accounts (Labor & Payroll)

Modified on Wed, 20 Aug at 7:24 AM

Overview

The Chart of Accounts (COA) for Labor & Payroll allows you to organize and track labor-related expenses without needing the full Accounting module. Whether you’re a Labor-only customer or using both Labor + Payroll, this tool gives you the flexibility to categorize expenses, manage payroll reporting, and keep your labor costs aligned with budgets.

Note: This feature is intended for users who subscribe to Labor Management only and may not yet be available in every account.

Accessing the Chart of Accounts Page

From the Home Page, go to Administration.
Select Chart of Accounts.
You’ll see a list of existing COAs with their details.

Creating a New COA

On the Chart of Accounts page, click Add COA
Complete the fields:
- Chart of Account Number: Must be a 5-digit numeric value.
  - Validation: If you enter fewer/more digits or letters, you’ll see the message:
    “This field only accepts numbers and must be 5 digits.”

Chart of Account Name: Add a descriptive label (e.g., Housekeeping Overtime).
Account Type: Defaults to Expense.
Status: Defaults to Active.
Subgroup 2: Defaults to Payroll for Labor-related accounts.
Subgroup 3:
- Labor-Only customers: Leave blank.
- Labor+Payroll customers: Required for mapping payroll categories.

3. Click Save. (Or Save and Add Another if you would like to continue adding COAs) Your COA is now active and ready to use.

Best Practice: Use clear, consistent names to make reporting easier across properties.

Editing and Managing Existing COAs

Locked Fields: After you create a COA, the COA Number and COA Name cannot be changed.
Status: You can inactivate an account if it’s no longer in use. Inactivated accounts stay in the system for reporting but cannot be assigned to new positions.
Other Fields: Subgroups, status, and type can be edited as needed.

Sorting & Viewing COAs

Click any column header (e.g., COA Number or Name) to sort the list.
Hover over truncated text to see the full account name in a tooltip.

Special Behaviors

Subgroups: Accounts are automatically categorized into Subgroups for reporting.
Permissions: Only users with COA management permissions can create or inactivate accounts.

Common Errors & Validation Messages

“This field only accepts numbers and must be 5 digits.” → Re-enter a valid 5-digit numeric Account Number.
Duplicate Account Number: You cannot reuse a number already assigned.
Fixed Chart of Accounts: Some accounts are locked and cannot be edited or deactivated.

FAQs

Q: Why can’t I edit Account Number or Name after creation?

A: These fields are locked to maintain consistency in reporting and payroll exports.

Q: When should I create a new Subgroup?

A: Only if you need to separate reporting categories for Payroll/Labor exports.

Q: What’s the difference between Labor-Only vs. Labor+Payroll?

A: Labor+Payroll customers will see an additional Subgroup 3 for payroll mapping. Labor-Only customers will not.