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Expense Master Field Reference
This page lists every field on the Expense Master form in PayInvoice Next with its purpose and usage.
Identity Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Code | Yes | A unique short alphanumeric code (e.g., "CAPEX-IT", "TRAVEL-001"). Used as the record identifier. Must be globally unique — no two expense heads can share the same code. |
| Expense Name | Yes | A descriptive label (e.g., "IT Equipment", "Professional Services"). Displayed in tree views, dropdowns, and reports. Must be unique among siblings under the same parent. |
| Description | No | Free-text explanation of when this expense head should be used. Helpful for guiding users who are selecting expense categories on transactions. |
Tree Structure Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Is Group | No | When checked, this entry acts as a folder that can contain sub-expenses. Group entries cannot be selected on transactions — only leaf entries appear in dropdowns. Defaults to unchecked. |
| Parent Expense Master | Conditional | The parent group in the hierarchy. Required for all leaf entries (non-group). Root-level groups may have no parent. Managed automatically by the tree view when you add a child. |
Default Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Center | Yes | The default cost center associated with this expense head. Links to the Cost Center master. Applied as a default when this expense head is selected on a transaction. |
| Department | Yes | The default department associated with this expense head. Links to the Department master. |
Status Fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Disabled | No | When checked, this expense head is hidden from transaction dropdowns but remains in the tree for historical reporting. Defaults to unchecked (active). |
System Fields (Not Visible to Users)
These fields are managed internally by the tree engine: Left, Right, Old Parent.
Dropdown Filtering
When the Expense Master field appears on a transaction form (Purchase Order, Purchase Invoice, etc.), the dropdown is automatically filtered to show only:
- Entries where Is Group is unchecked (leaf items only)
- Entries where Disabled is unchecked (active items only)
This ensures users can only select valid, active sub-expense items — never groups or disabled entries.
Related Pages
- Create an Expense Head — How to fill these fields
- Expense Master Overview — How the hierarchy works
- Budget Management Overview — Complete budget guide