> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.docusnap.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Capturing Costs

> Create a cost entry with positions, understand assignability to devices or users, and estimate the number of journal entries.

A *cost entry* bundles a contract, a subscription, or a purchase. It carries
only header data itself; its *positions* carry amounts, quantities, and
terms — and only positions can later be assigned to devices or users.

The *Capture Costs* wizard creates an entry with at least one position. A
shorter version — *Create Position* — instead adds another position to an
existing entry.

## Cost Type and Category

| Cost Type | Means | Incidence |
| - | - | - |
| *Purchase* | one-off acquisition | one-off, depreciation possible |
| *License* | permanent right of use, bought once | one-off, depreciation possible |
| *Subscription* | ongoing access for a fee | recurring |
| *Contract* | maintenance, support, SLA, services | recurring |
| *Leasing* | hardware leasing, rental | recurring, depreciation possible |

Cost type and category together determine whether and to whom the position
can later be assigned:

| Cost Type × Category | Assignable to |
| - | - |
| *Hardware* or *Infrastructure*, any cost type | Device |
| *Software* with *License* or *Subscription* | Device or user, your choice |
| *Maintenance* with *Contract* | Device |
| everything else | Overhead, not assignable |

<Note>
  Not every combination is allowed — the selection cards block combinations
  that don't fit, or show a hint (for example *Purchase* + *Software* → "Better
  as License").
</Note>

## Details, Term, and Depreciation

Quantity, unit price, and period determine the amount. With overhead costs,
quantity is dropped in favor of a single net amount.

<Warning>
  For recurring costs, *End Date* and *Billing Cycle* are mandatory — there is
  no open-ended term. Even an unlimited contract needs an end date.
</Warning>

The *Notice Period* stays hidden until you enable *Notice Period Agreed*;
without a set notice period, the position ends on the entered end date.

<Tip>
  If *Spread Costs over Useful Life* is active, the preview shows the monthly
  and yearly depreciation, and when depreciation ends, before you create the
  entry.
</Tip>

<Warning>
  Decide cost type, category, quantity, unit price, and billing cycle while
  capturing: on an existing position, these fields can no longer be changed —
  only *Description*, *Supplier*, and, with restrictions, the end date. See
  [Editing Costs](/docs/en/itam/edit-costs).
</Warning>

## How Many Journal Entries Are Created

| Case | Calculation |
| - | - |
| One-off, no depreciation | Quantity |
| One-off, with depreciation | Quantity × useful life in years × 12 |
| Recurring, monthly | Quantity × full months between start and end |
| Recurring, yearly | Quantity × rounded-up years |

<Warning>
  10 devices depreciated over 3 years produce 360 journal entries. A one-year
  contract over 24 months with quantity 5 produces 120 entries billed monthly,
  but only 10 billed yearly. Check the number on the *Summary* step before
  creating the entry.
</Warning>

## Several Positions in One Pass

*Position* on the *Summary* step adds another position without re-entering
the header data. Every position is checked again before submission — if at
least one is incomplete, the wizard sends nothing and names the affected
positions.

<Warning>
  The trash icon on a position block removes the position immediately, without
  confirmation — including one already completed. On the last remaining
  position, it is blocked.
</Warning>

## Related

[Editing Costs](/docs/en/itam/edit-costs) describes positions already created.
[Assigning Costs to Assets](/docs/en/itam/cost-allocation) describes how the
assigned units are then distributed across assets.


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