---
key: record-an-expense
title: Record an expense
audience: staff
section: bookkeeping
routes: ["/bookkeeping/expenses", "/bookkeeping/expenses/new"]
permissions: ["bookkeeping.expenses.read"]
features: ["bookkeeping"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: "Enter a bill or purchase from a vendor with its total, tax and category so it shows in your books, and void one that was entered by mistake."
keywords: [bill, purchase, vendor bill, cost, supplier invoice, void expense, accounts payable, unpaid bill]
related: [add-a-supplier, upload-a-receipt, categorize-bank-transactions, run-a-financial-report]
---

In the sidebar, open **Bookkeeping**, then **Expenses**. The page address is `/bookkeeping/expenses`. A new expense opens at `/bookkeeping/expenses/new`.

## Before you start

- If you have the receipt as a photo or PDF, upload it instead and Nova reads the numbers for you; see [[upload-a-receipt]].
- Your role needs permission to manage expenses to add one, and permission to void expenses to void one. Everyone with read permission can open the list.

## Steps

1. Press **Add expense**. The **Add expense** window opens.
2. Under **Vendor**, pick who you paid. This is optional. If they are not in the list yet and your role can manage vendors, press **+ New vendor**, type a name (and an email if you like) and press **Create vendor**; they are picked for you.
3. Set the **Date** on the bill. Left blank, Nova uses today.
4. Type the **Total** including tax. The currency shows under the box.
5. Type the **Tax** portion of that total, or leave it blank when no tax was charged. Where tax can be claimed back (Canada), Nova records it as claimable; otherwise it stays part of the cost.
6. Add a **Description** and, if the bill has a number, a **Reference**. Nova refuses a reference already used on another bill from the same vendor.
7. Under **Category**, pick the expense account this belongs to. Leaving it blank files it as uncategorized.
8. Tick **Paid** if you have already paid it; Nova records the payment from your main bank account. Leave it unticked for a bill you still owe.
9. Press **Add expense**. Nova shows **Expense added.** and it appears in the list with its **Status**: paid, or still owed.

## What you see

- Each row shows the **Date**, a **Ref** you can copy, the **Vendor**, the **Status**, the **Tax** and the **Total**. The **Ref** is a code Nova made, not the reference you typed.
- Click a row or choose **View** from its actions menu to see the detail, including **Paid** so far and the **Balance due**. The description and your own reference are not shown there.
- **Filters** narrows the list by **Status**; the search box matches the vendor's name.
- If the same purchase also comes in on your bank statement, do not categorize that bank line too, or the cost counts twice. Copy the expense's **Ref** and use **Match to a document** on the bank line instead (see [[categorize-bank-transactions]]).

## If something looks different

- **Add expense** is greyed out: the organization's currency settings are incomplete. Ask an admin.
- **Add expense** in the window stays greyed out: you have not typed a total.
- **Vendor** reads Unknown in the list, or **Category** reads Unknown in the detail: the page cannot show the name. The expense still has its vendor and category.
- Nova refuses the expense because the accounting period is closed: the date is in a closed period (see [[close-the-books-for-a-period]]).
- An expense was entered by mistake: open its actions menu and choose **Void**, or open it and press **Void expense**. In **Void expense**, pick a **Reason category** (and add a **Business explanation** if you pick **Other**), then press **Void expense**. Nova shows **Expense voided.** The expense stays in the list as voided and its effect on your books is reversed.
- **Void** is missing on a row: the expense is marked paid or has a payment against it, it is already void, or your role cannot void expenses. A paid expense cannot be voided from this page.
- Closing the window after filling anything in asks whether to leave without saving.

[[route:/bookkeeping/expenses/new|Add an expense]]