Expense categories define how expense and income entries are grouped for reporting and tracking. Categories can be created, renamed, or deleted to match business needs. Some system categories, such as Bank Charges and Postage, are used automatically and cannot be removed.
From the sidebar navigation select
Business Tools, then Expenses. From the toolbar, select the settings button
then choose Expense Category from the drop-down.
Options:
Create a Category
From the toolbar in the Expense Category pop-up, select the add expense button 
then enter the Name, Description, Unit, Deductible %*, and Type. When finished, the category will be automatically saved and stored alphabetically in the list.
- Name: The category label used when reports are created
- Description: A short explanation of the types of entries
- Unit: Unit of measure or way to group (currency, miles, km, etc.)
- Deductible %*: The percentage of GST that is deductible, if marked as claimable, on the expense entry
- Type: Type of category; Expense or Income
* Applicable to Canada only.
Edit a Category
From the Expense Category pop-up, locate and change the information in the Name field. Click outside the field to save.
If the category has been used before, Boulevard will ask you to confirm and update previous entries with the name change by selecting Yes. Or choose No to keep the earlier name for those entries. If No is chosen, reports will retain the original category.
Delete a Category
From the Expense Category pop-up, select the checkbox next to the category to be deleted, then select the delete button
.
Select Yes or No to confirm deletion. If the category has been used before, Boulevard will prompt you to select Yes to assign a new category to existing entries linked to the category being deleted, or No to keep the previous entries assigned to that category. If No is chosen, reports will keep the original category.
Print Existing Categories
From the toolbar in the Expense Category pop-up, select the print button
. In print preview, select the print button
or on a mobile device, tap the export button
to export and download as another file type, such as PDF.
Category Suggestions
Note: Main Street cannot give tax advice, only general suggestions. Please seek advice from your tax professional on handling expenses and income for your specific situation.
Name |
Description |
Unit |
Type |
Business Tracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising | Advertising & Promotion | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Auto Ins. | Auto Insurance | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Auto Lease | Auto Lease Payments | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Auto Maint | Auto Main/Gas/Parking | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Auto Mileage | Trip Log Mileage | miles | Expense | <none> |
| Bad Debt | Accounts Uncollectable | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Bank Charges | Bank or Credit Card Fees | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Charity | Charity Donations | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Clothing | Clothing/Uniforms | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Commissions | Commissions Earned | $ | Income | <none> |
| Contract Labor | Contract Labor | $ | Income | <none> |
| Education | Education & Research | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Entertainment | Entertainment | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Equipment | Business Equipment | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Event Expenses | Event: Food/Clean-up, etc | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Event Income | Event: Money Collected | $ | Income | <none> |
| Expired/Lost | Expired/Lost/Damaged Product | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Fee: Conference | Conference Fees | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Fee: Legal/Prof | Legal & Professional Fees | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Fee: Misc. | Misc Dues & Subscriptions | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Furniture | Small Furniture | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Gifts | Business Gifts Given | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Insure: Health | Health Insurance | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Insure: Product | Prod./Liability Insurance | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Interest: Auto | Auto Loan Interest | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Interest: Bus | Business Loan/CC Interest | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Interest: Mort | Mortgage Interest | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Internet | Internet | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Meals: Local | Local Meals | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Meals: Travel | Meals when Traveling | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Miscellaneous | Ask Accountant/Misc Exp. | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Phone: Home | Landline Phone | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Phone: Mobile | Mobile Phone | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Postage | Postage/Freight/Shipping | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Product | Product Purchased | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Prizes | Prizes Given | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Real Estate Tax | Real Estate Taxes | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Rent | Office Rent | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Repairs: Home | Home Repairs/Cleaning | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Repairs: Office | Office Repairs | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Retirement | Retirement contribution | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Sales Tax | Sales Tax | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Supplies | Office/Business Supplies | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Supplies (COG) | Supplies Cost of Goods | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Trash | Trash Removal | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Travel Expense | Travel & Transportation | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Utilities | Utilities | $ | Expense | <none> |
| Wages Paid | Wages Paid | $ | Expense | <none> |
Additional Information:
If the option is selected, the Postage category is used when creating an expense for shipping on a product order after the Status is set to Placed. This category can also be used for other shipping, freight, or postage expenses.
- Add a New Expense Entry
- Edit, Move, or Delete a Recurring Expense
- Find and Edit or Delete an Expense Entry
- GST Claimable Amount from Qualified Expenses
- Preferences: Payment Processors Tab (to set expense categories for processing card payments)