Create an expense line
A project expense line is cost associated with a specific source, such as a user, fixed asset, or a CI. Expense lines are part of project cost plans.
Before you begin
Role required: it_project_manager
Application required: Project Portfolio Management with Financials
About this task
Only processed expense lines are considered for projects, project tasks, and demands. You can create multiple expense lines for a project or demand.
Procedure
-
Open the project form.
-
In the related lists, select Cost Plans.
-
Right-click on a cost plan.
-
Select Create Expense Line.
-
On the form, fill in the details.
For more information, see Expense line form.
-
Select Submit.
Note:
- Imported processed expense lines aren't rolled up to the Total actual cost field in Cost Plans.
- If you change the Amount of a Pending expense line and change the state to Processed, the latest value is captured in the expense line. This value is rolled up to Total actual costs in Cost Plans.
Result
Once the expense line is processed, the actual amount incurred becomes part of the cost plan.
The actual amount spent is recorded against the project cost plan under the appropriate expense type: Capex or Opex. Not providing a cost plan reference when creating an expense line, the actual cost is recorded at the project level in the cost plan related list.
If you create an expense line without populating the Cost Plan field, a system-generated cost plans is created.
Parent Topic:Starting a project
Related topics
Create a project task from a project
Create a parent-child relationship on the Project Task form
Create a monetary benefit plan for a project
Create a non-monetary benefit plan for a project
Associate monetary and non-monetary benefit plans
Recalculating costs of all resource plans in a project
Create and manage waterfall projects
Schedule a project from a start date
Apply or change a task constraint
Activate project task email notifications
Change the planned start date of a project
Costing add-on in Project Management
Create a project status report
---
title: Create an expense line
description: A project expense line is cost associated with a specific source, such as a user, fixed asset, or a CI. Expense lines are part of project cost plans.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-business-management/project-management/t\_CreateAExpenseLine.html
release: brazil
product: Project Management
classification: project-management
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 5
breadcrumb: [Starting a project, Using Project Management, Project Management, Project Portfolio Management, Strategic Portfolio Management]
---
# Create an expense line
A project expense line is cost associated with a specific source, such as a user, fixed asset, or a CI. Expense lines are part of project cost plans.
## Before you begin
Role required: it\_project\_manager
Application required: Project Portfolio Management with Financials
## About this task
Only processed expense lines are considered for projects, project tasks, and demands. You can create multiple expense lines for a project or demand.
## Procedure
1. Open the project form.
2. In the related lists, select **Cost Plans**.
3. Right-click on a cost plan.
4. Select **Create Expense Line**.
5. On the form, fill in the details.
For more information, see [Expense line form](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/it-business-management/project-management/expense-line-form.md).
6. Select **Submit**.
**Note:**
- Imported processed expense lines aren't rolled up to the Total actual cost field in Cost Plans.
- If you change the **Amount** of a Pending expense line and change the state to Processed, the latest value is captured in the expense line. This value is rolled up to Total actual costs in Cost Plans.
## Result
Once the expense line is processed, the actual amount incurred becomes part of the cost plan.
The actual amount spent is recorded against the project cost plan under the appropriate expense type: **Capex** or **Opex**. Not providing a cost plan reference when creating an expense line, the actual cost is recorded at the project level in the cost plan related list.
If you create an expense line without populating the **Cost Plan** field, a [system-generated cost plans](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/it-business-management/project-management/cost-plan-breakdown.md) is created.
**Parent Topic:**[Starting a project](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/it-business-management/project-management/t_CreateAProject.md)
**Related topics**
[Create a project task from a project]()
[Create a parent-child relationship on the Project Task form]()
[Create a monetary benefit plan for a project]()
[Create a non-monetary benefit plan for a project]()
[Associate monetary and non-monetary benefit plans]()
[Create a project cost plan]()
[Recalculating costs of all resource plans in a project]()
[Create and manage waterfall projects]()
[Schedule a project from a start date]()
[Apply or change a task constraint]()
[Update a project]()
[Copy a project]()
[Assign a project schedule]()
[Create baseline of a project]()
[Create a milestone]()
[Activate project task email notifications]()
[Change the planned start date of a project]()
[Create a cost type definition]()
[Costing add-on in Project Management]()
[Generate labor costs]()
[Create a project status report]()
[Allocate budget to a project]()
[Migrate budget of active projects to Next Experience]()
[Migrate financial baselines of projects to Next Experience]()
| title | Create an expense line |
| description | A project expense line is cost associated with a specific source, such as a user, fixed asset, or a CI. Expense lines are part of project cost plans. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/it-business-management/project-management/t\_CreateAExpenseLine.html |
| release | brazil |
| product | Project Management |
| classification | project-management |
| topic_type | task |
| last_updated | 2026-09-10 |
| reading_time_minutes | 5 |
| breadcrumb | Starting a projectUsing Project ManagementProject ManagementProject Portfolio ManagementStrategic Portfolio Management |