# Cost centres

> Define cost centres and assign them to outgoing and incoming invoices for reporting.

Source: /help/en/documents/cost-centres

Cost centres let you attribute documents to departments or projects. Each has a short code and a name, and you pick one on an invoice or an incoming invoice.

## Define cost centres

1. Go to **Settings** → **Documents**.
2. Scroll to the **Lists** card at the bottom. The right-hand box is **Cost centres**.
3. Type a **Code** (it is stored in capitals, for example `SALES`) and a **Name**, then click the plus button.
4. To remove one, click the bin icon next to it.

Owners, admins and accountants can manage the list.

## Assign a cost centre

- On an outgoing invoice: open the invoice and choose the cost centre in the header. The choice is saved immediately and also works on issued (locked) invoices.
- On an incoming invoice: open it and choose **Cost centre** under **Classification** at the end of the **Check the details** card. On accepted invoices the choice is saved immediately; on drafts it is saved with **Save details**.

## Use cost centres in exports

- The invoice list CSV (**Export** → **CSV of this view**) contains a `cost_centre` column with the code.
- The **Compliance** and **Analytics** pages do not break figures down by cost centre yet; filter the invoice list and export instead.

## Good to know

- Categories live in the same **Lists** card. A category is a coloured tag for filtering; a cost centre is a coded allocation. An invoice can have both.
- Categories can also be set for several invoices at once from the invoice list (select rows → set category). Cost centres are set per document.
- Deleting a cost centre clears it from the documents that used it.
- Cost centres are not written into the PINT AE XML; they are internal to Alya Books.

## Related

- [Export documents as zip or CSV](/help/en/documents/exports)