Account associations link cost codes to general ledger accounts for automated financial entries. These associations determine how costs are categorized when transactions are posted to the accounting system.

Cost code organization should align with your business structure and reporting needs. Consider these approaches:

• By Construction Phase: Site Preparation (100), Foundation (200), Framing (300), Electrical (400), Plumbing (500), Finishing (600)
• By Work Type: Labor (1000-1999), Materials (2000-2999), Subcontractors (3000-3999), Equipment (4000-4999)
• By Department: Production (PROD), Sales (SALES), Administration (ADMIN), Field Operations (FIELD)
• By CSI Division: Division 03 - Concrete (0300), Division 06 - Wood (0600), Division 09 - Finishes (0900)

Choose a numbering system that allows for expansion and is consistent across all projects. Document your cost code structure and train staff on proper usage to ensure consistent reporting.

Effective cost code naming improves usability and reporting clarity:

1. Use descriptive names: "Carpentry - Rough Framing" is clearer than "CARP1"
2. Keep names concise: Limit names to 3-5 words for readability in reports and mobile apps
3. Be consistent: Use the same terminology across similar cost codes (e.g., all labor codes include "Labor" in the name)
4. Avoid abbreviations: Unless they're universally understood in your industry (HVAC, ADA, etc.)
5. Include hierarchy indicators: For grouped cost codes, use prefixes like "03.100 - Concrete Forms" or "06.200 - Wood Framing"

Cost codes are central to job costing and budgeting workflows in TRUE ERP:

Budget Creation

1. In the Jobs or Contracts module, navigate to the Budget mode
2. Add budget line items and assign each to a specific cost code
3. Enter budgeted amounts for labor, materials, and other costs by cost code
4. The system tracks actual costs against budgeted amounts by cost code

Job Costing Allocation

1. Labor: Workers select cost codes during time entry or punch-out in TRUE Time
2. Materials: Purchase orders and inventory allocations are tagged with cost codes
3. Expenses: Field purchases and bills are assigned to cost codes during entry
4. Subcontractors: Subcontractor costs are allocated to cost codes in contract management

Reporting

View actual vs. budgeted costs by cost code in WIP reports, job costing reports, and profitability analysis. Cost codes enable variance analysis to identify areas of overrun or savings.

Associating cost codes with general ledger accounts enables automated financial entries:

1. Select the cost code from the list
2. In the right-hand Account Fields section, click the dropdown for Inventory Account
3. Select the appropriate general ledger account for inventory tracking (typically an asset account)
4. Click the COGS Account dropdown and select the expense account for cost of goods sold
5. Click the Revenue Account dropdown and select the income account for revenue recognition
6. Click Save to apply the account associations

When transactions are posted, the system uses these account associations to automatically create journal entries. For example, when materials are consumed against a cost code, the cost is posted to the associated COGS account.

Cost codes for Change Orders are assigned at the line item level when creating or editing change order line items in a contract.

1. Navigate to Contracts and select the contract
2. Click Logs tab and select CO Requests or Change Orders submode
3. Open the Change Order or CO Request
4. In the line items section, each line has a Cost Code field
5. Select the appropriate cost code from the dropdown
6. Cost codes will flow through to Job Costing when the change order is approved

Yes, cost codes can be modified after use, but changes affect reporting and should be made carefully:

What You Can Safely Modify

• Name: You can update the cost code name for clarity. Historical transactions will reflect the new name in current reports
• Description: Descriptions can be updated at any time without affecting historical data
• Account Associations: Changing accounts affects how future transactions are posted but does not retroactively change existing journal entries

What to Avoid Changing

• ID: Changing the cost code ID can break reporting continuity and cause confusion. If you must change an ID, archive the old code and create a new one instead

Yes, you can export cost codes for external analysis, backup, or sharing with other systems:

1. In the Cost Codes module, click the ⚙️ icon at the top of the list
2. Select Export Records from the menu
3. The system generates a CSV file containing all cost codes with their IDs, names, descriptions, and account associations
4. Open the file in Excel or another spreadsheet program for analysis

Exported data includes active and archived cost codes. You can filter or manipulate the export file to create custom reports or documentation of your cost code structure.

Access to the Cost Codes module is controlled by user permissions. If you cannot see or access this module:

1. Contact your system administrator
2. Request the Module Access (Cost Codes) permission (ID #183)
3. Once granted, you'll find the module by clicking the Gear Icon and selecting Cost Codes

The ability to delete cost codes requires a specific security permission. If you cannot perform this action:

1. Contact your system administrator
2. Request the Delete Cost Codes permission (ID #641)
3. This permission is found in the Cost Codes section of user access settings