Setting Up Projects / Cost Centers

As an administrator, you can set up Projects in Declaree to categorize expenses by department, client, or business areas. Although the feature is called Projects, you can rename it to match your own terminology, like Cost Centers.

⚠️ You can only choose one: either projects or cost centers. Need both? Use custom fields to configure one of them.

1. Configure a Project or Cost Center

1. Go to Configuration → Projects.

2. Click Add in the top-left corner to create your first entry.

You’ll see a form with several fields:

• Project: The name of the project or cost center. This is what users will select when creating an expense.

• Explanation: Optional text that appears during selection to guide the user.

• Code: A reference code used in export files, often matching a ledger account or payroll component.

• Manager: Choose a specific approver for expenses linked to this project. This will override the user’s default approver.

💡 Want to activate the manager approval feature? Contact our support team to enable it in your environment.

Optional: Advanced Settings

Click Advanced at the bottom left of the form to configure extra options:

• Expense Type: Restrict this project to Expenses, Mileage, or Allowances.

• Groups: Make the project visible only to specific user groups.

• Code 2 / Code 3: Add additional codes for export or integration purposes.

• Manager 2: Add a second approver to create a multi-step approval process.|
  When you’re done:

  • Click Back.

  • Click Save to create the project or cost center.

It will now be available as a selection field when users create expenses.

2. Create Sub-Projects (Optional)

Declaree supports multiple project levels, which allow you to set up a parent-child structure, for example, a Customer with related Projects, or a Project with Sub-Projects.

👉 Learn how to configure sub-projects

3. Bulk Add or Update Projects

Managing many projects or cost centers? Use Excel to make changes more efficiently.

1. Go to Configuration → Projects.

2. Click More → Download to export the current list.

3. Open the file, make your changes (add, remove, or edit), and save it.

4. Back in Declaree, click More → Upload.

5. Select the updated file and click Save.

Your changes will apply immediately.

4. Rename the Project Field

By default, the dropdown field in the expense form is labeled “Project.” You can change this label to match your internal naming (e.g. “Cost Center).

To do this:

1. Go to Configuration → Projects.

2. Click More → Edit Levels.

3. Click the pencil icon next to the level name you want to rename.

4. You can also choose whether the field should be required or optional for expenses.

5. Enter the new name and click Save.

The new label will now be shown throughout Declaree.

5. Lock a Project or Cost Center for a Specific User

You can assign a fixed project to a user, so they can only submit expenses linked to that selection.

1. Go to Configuration → Users.

2. Click the user’s name.

3. Open the Defaults tab.

4. Select a project or cost center in the Project field.

5. Tick the Fixed selection box.

6. Click Save.

✅ If you don’t tick the box, the value will be selected by default—but the user can still change it.

6. Restrict Reports to One Project

You can limit reports so that only expenses linked to the same project or cost center can be added.

1. Go to Configuration → Settings.

2. Scroll to the Reports section.

3. Enable Restrict cost centers within the same report.

4. Click Save.

Users will now be required to select a cost center when creating a report, and only expenses linked to that selection can be added.

Need Help?

Not sure which structure fits your organization? Want to use sub-projects or approval routing? Contact our support team and we’ll help you set it up the right way.