# Expenses report: expense items and groups for a period

URL: https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/reports/expenses-report/
Updated: 2026-11-06

> The Expenses report shows all company expenses for a period broken down by expense groups and items, counterparties, projects, and lines of business. It is built from salary accrual documents, expense reports, depreciation, receipts, write-offs, and other expenses. The Expenses report shows only the first-level group of an item, while P&L shows the full hierarchy.

## What the report is for

The Expenses report shows where the company's money goes and gives a transparent picture of the expense side by items and amounts. With it, you find items that take too much, cut unnecessary expenses in time, and plan a budget from historical data.

Example: after grouping by months, you see that logistics expenses (the "Selling expenses" group) grew by 40% in May because of a new carrier tariff. Another example: a project filter shows that project No. 2 is unprofitable because contractor expenses exceeded the plan.

## Which documents form the report

Posted documents are included in the report:

- "[Salary accrual](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/payroll/salary-accrual/)" and "Piecework pay";
- "[Expense report](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/finance/expense-report/)";
- "Depreciation";
- "[Goods receipt](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/purchasing/goods-receipt/)";
- "[Write-off](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/inventory/write-off/)";
- "Other expenses";
- "Prepaid expenses".

For how to record expenses, see [Period expenses, taxes, and other expenses](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/finance/period-expenses/).

## How to generate the report

1. Open **Reports → Expenses**.
2. In the left panel, click the calendar in the "Period" field and select a time range.
3. If needed, set the filters.
4. In "Group by" and "Detail by", select the structure of the table.
5. On the right, select the column step: **by days**, **by months**, or **by quarters**.
6. Click **Generate report**.

![Expenses report for 01.01.2026 - 13.07.2026 with the "Group by" list open: Expense group, Payment form, Expense item, Projects, Lines of business, Documents; detail by expense item; the switches "by days", "by months", "by quarters"](https://bimpsoft.com/help/_img/0bae07bb-8140-44a0-9cd6-a264198a5152.webp)

## Report figures

| Column | What it means |
|---|---|
| "Expense group / Expense item / Expense sub-item / Document" | The row structure depending on grouping |
| "Counterparty" | Who was paid or from whom the service was received |
| "Comment" | The comment from the document |
| "Expenses" | The total amount of expenses in the accounting currency |
| Period columns | Expenses for each day, month, or quarter |

The "Show third level: Documents" switch adds the documents that make up the amount.

## Filters and grouping

| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Filters | "Project", "[Lines of business](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/getting-started/projects-and-business-directions/)", "[Expense item](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/getting-started/income-and-expense-items/)", "Counterparty" |
| "Group by" | Expense group, Payment form, Expense item, Projects, Lines of business, Documents |
| "Detail by" | Expense item, Payment form, Project, Line of business, Document |

Setting up templates and downloads is covered in the article [Reports in Bimp: filters, grouping, templates, export](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/reports/reports-overview/).

## Usage example

In the report for 01.01.2026 – 13.07.2026 grouped by expense groups, the "Total" row shows 2,154.62 USD. The "Administrative expenses" group gives 2,096.10 USD, "Selling expenses" 22.99 USD, "Depreciation of non-current assets" 12.77 USD, and "Other expenses" 22.76 USD (of which 18.16 USD is exchange rate difference from a customer). Expand a group to see the items, and the third level to see the documents.

## Why the Expenses report shows a different structure than P&L

The Expenses report is meant for quick analysis and does not build a deep hierarchy. It takes the item from the document and pulls in only its first-level group. You see the item and the main category without intermediate subfolders.

The [Income and expenses (P&L)](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/reports/profit-and-loss-report/) report builds the full financial picture: it shows the whole path from the top group to the item. If the expense document has a group selected instead of a final item (for example, "Services"), the amount goes into the total of that group.

So use P&L for detailed nesting and "Expenses" for a quick assessment of categories.

## Why the figures do not match

**The expense total in "Expenses" differs from P&L.** P&L adds cost price and depreciation as separate rows, while "Expenses" shows expense documents. Compare the same groups and period.

**An expense did not appear.** The document is not posted, or its item or project does not match the filters.

**The payment was made, but it is not in "Expenses".** The report counts expenses by the accrual document, not by payment. See payments in the [Cash flow](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/reports/cash-flow-report/) report.

**Non-operating expenses.** A separate picture is given by [Non-operating income and expenses](https://bimpsoft.com/en/help/reports/non-operating-report/).

## FAQ

**Why are expense items grouped differently in the Expenses and Income and expenses reports?**

"Expenses" pulls in only the 1st-level group for an item, while "Income and expenses" (P&L) builds the full branch from the top group to the item. For a quick assessment of categories use "Expenses", for a detailed analysis of nesting use P&L.

**What happens if a group, not an item, is selected in an expense document?**

In P&L, the amount goes into the total of that group as the parent category.

**Which documents form the Expenses report?**

Salary accrual, piecework pay, expense report, depreciation, goods and services receipt, stock write-off, other expenses, and prepaid expenses.

**How do I see the expenses of a specific project?**

In the "Filters" panel, select the "Project" you need or group the report by projects.