Expense Tracking

Overview

The Expense Tracking module lets you record every cost your restaurant incurs — ingredients, utilities, salaries, repairs, and more — and organise them into custom categories. Use it alongside the Reports module to understand your true profitability beyond just revenue.

Go to Restaurant → Expenses to view and manage all expenses.

Setting Up Categories

Before logging expenses, create the categories that make sense for your business. Go to Restaurant → Expenses → Categories.

Add a Category

1. Enter a category name (e.g. "Raw Materials", "Electricity", "Staff Salaries", "Maintenance", "Marketing").
2. Click Add Category. The category appears in the list immediately.

Edit or Delete a Category

Use the Edit and Delete buttons next to each category. The categories page shows how many expense entries are linked to each category. Deleting a category that has expenses linked to it will remove the category; the expense records themselves are retained.

Recording an Expense

1. Go to Restaurant → Expenses → + Add Expense.
2. Fill in the fields:
   • Category (required) — select from your configured categories.
   • Amount (required) — the cost in rupees.
   • Date (required) — the date the expense was incurred (can be a past date).
   • Title (optional) — a short label for the expense (e.g. "Weekly vegetable purchase", "June electricity bill").
   • Note (optional) — any additional details, vendor name, invoice number, etc.
   • Attachment (optional) — upload a JPEG, PNG, or PDF up to 2 MB. Use this to attach a bill photo or invoice scan.
3. Click Save. The expense is added to your list.

Viewing and Filtering Expenses

The main Expenses page shows a paginated list of all recorded expenses, newest first. At the top you see two summary cards:

• Total Expenses — all-time sum across every entry.
• This Month — sum for the current calendar month.

Filters

Use the filter bar to narrow the list:

• Category — show only expenses in one category.
• Start Date / End Date — show expenses within a date range.

Combine both filters to answer questions like "How much did I spend on Raw Materials in April?"

Editing and Deleting an Expense

Click the Edit icon on any expense row to update any field, including swapping the category, changing the amount, correcting the date, or replacing the attachment. Click Delete to permanently remove the entry.

Attachments

Attachments are stored in your restaurant's file storage (under storage/expenses/). Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG, PDF. Maximum size: 2 MB. Uploading a new attachment when editing an expense replaces the previous one.

Use attachments to keep digital copies of supplier invoices, utility bills, or petty-cash receipts alongside each expense entry.

Expenses in Reports

Expense totals are included in the Profit & Loss section of the Reports module. Revenue minus recorded expenses gives you the net profit figure for any date range. For this to be accurate, log expenses regularly — ideally the same day they are incurred.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I log an expense for a past date?

Yes. The date field accepts any past date, so you can backfill missed entries.

What happens if I delete a category that has expenses?

The category is removed but the expense records remain in the system. Those entries will appear without a category name until you reassign them by editing each one individually.

Is there a way to export expenses?

Expense data is included in the Reports export. Go to Restaurant → Reports and use the export option for the relevant report period.

Can staff members record expenses?

Yes, provided their staff role includes the Expenses permission. Assign this permission under Staff → Roles or on the individual staff member's permission override panel.

There is no attachment stored for an old expense. Can I add one now?

Yes. Edit the expense and upload the attachment — it will be saved and linked to that entry going forward.