What Are Cost Codes?
Cost codes are unique identifiers assigned to different types of project costs. They allow you to break down your budget into clear categories and track where your money is being spent.
Cost codes are typically used to track:
Labor costs
Material expenses
Equipment usage
Subcontractor services
Overheads and indirect costs
Other project-related expenses
Each cost code represents a specific type of cost, making it easier to analyze spending and maintain consistency across projects.
ℹ️ Note - Cost Codes and Cost Catalog are different. Cost Codes are used for tracking and classifying costs (e.g., labor, materials), while the Cost Catalog is a centralized list of reusable items with pricing that you use to build estimates.
Why Use Cost Codes in Buildern?
Using cost codes in Buildern helps you:
Organize your financial data – Structure your costs into clear categories
Improve budget tracking – Monitor planned vs actual expenses
Ensure consistency – Use the same structure across all projects and estimates
Simplify reporting – Generate accurate financial insights
Reduce errors – Standardize how costs are recorded
Cost codes act as the foundation for estimates, cost catalogs, and financial reporting within Buildern.
Where Are Cost Codes Used?
In Buildern, cost codes are used across multiple modules:
Estimates - When creating estimate items, you assign a cost code to each line item. This ensures all projected costs are categorized correctly.
Cost Catalog - Cost codes are linked to cost catalog items, allowing you to reuse predefined costs while maintaining proper categorization.
Budgets & Financial Tracking - Cost codes help track actual project costs and compare them with estimates, giving you better financial visibility.
Timesheets - Labor hours logged in timesheets can be associated with cost codes, helping you track labor expenses accurately.
How to Use Cost Codes in Buildern
To manage cost codes in Buildern:
Go to 9-dot (Grind) icon
Select Cost Codes
From here, you can view, edit, and organize your entire cost code list.
ℹ️ Note - Buildern provides built-in guidance to help you better understand and structure your cost codes.
By default, Buildern includes a predefined cost code: FLRT – Flat rate
This cost code is automatically available in the system and can be used for general or non-categorized costs.
ℹ️ Note - The Flat rate cost code is marked as available in timesheets by default.
While FLRT can be useful during initial setup or for temporary use, it is recommended to create and import your own structured cost codes as early as possible. Using only the Flat rate cost code in estimates can limit reporting accuracy, budgeting insights, and overall financial tracking across your projects.
Add or Import Cost Codes
Buildern gives you multiple ways to create and manage cost codes: create cost codes directly within the platform and import cost codes in bulk.
👉 Learn more about How to Import Cost Codes From Excel / CSV Files in Buildern
Create Cost Codes Manually
Buildern allows you to create cost codes directly within the platform.
To create cost codes:
Click Add New
Choose one of the following options:
Cost Category - Create a new category to organize cost codes
Cost Code - Create a new individual cost code
Enter the required details
Title* – Enter a clear and descriptive name for the cost code
Code* – Assign a unique identifier for the cost code
Parent category – Select the category this cost code belongs to
Sync with Xero/QBO – If any Accounting integration is enabled, choose to link this cost code to an existing item or create a new one.
Available in timesheets – Enable this option to allow team members to select this cost code when logging time.
ℹ️ Note - Buildern strongly recommends syncing Cost Codes as Products and Services in your accounting system. Using Accounts for Cost Codes can negatively affect financial reporting, since Accounts are intended for General Ledger categories such as Expenses, Liabilities, and other accounting-level records rather than project cost tracking.
2. Click Save
This method is ideal when building or customizing your cost code structure manually.
Reorganize Cost Codes with Drag and Drop
Buildern allows you to organize your cost codes by adjusting their order and hierarchy using drag and drop.
To move cost codes:
Locate the cost code you want to move
Click and hold it
Drag it to a new position or under another cost code
Drop it to apply the changes
💡 Tip - Use drag and drop to maintain a clear and logical cost code structure that aligns with your project or company standards.
Keep building smarter with us in the next Buildern walkthrough.
Happy building!