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carynv
February 14, 2021
Solved

Self Employed - Creating own expense category

  • February 14, 2021
  • 1 reply
  • 18 views

Hello - I would like to create my own expense category in SELF EMPLOYED app.  How do I do this?  I have read the function is possible in other subscriptions but cannot find for SELF EMPLOYED.  Thank you

    Best answer by AlcaeusF

    Hi @carynv,

     

    Welcome to the Community. I can provide some clarification about adding expenses in QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE).

     

    The categories in the system are patterned after the categories provided by the HMRC  As of now, the option to add new categories in the program is unavailable.

     

    Please note that the Self-Employed version doesn't have an Accounting menu or Chart of Accounts, like QBO. This is the reason why you can't create another category. 

     

    While we assess this, I want you to be the first to hear about the latest QuickBooks innovations, so I’m including an article to view the details: Firm of the Future.

     

    You can also check the following article for more information about custom categories: Custom categories in QuickBooks Self-Employed.

     

    Drop me a comment below if you have any other questions concerning the categories. I'll be more than happy to help. Wishing you a good one.

    1 reply

    AlcaeusF
    AlcaeusFAnswer
    Level 14
    February 14, 2021

    Hi @carynv,

     

    Welcome to the Community. I can provide some clarification about adding expenses in QuickBooks Self-Employed (QBSE).

     

    The categories in the system are patterned after the categories provided by the HMRC  As of now, the option to add new categories in the program is unavailable.

     

    Please note that the Self-Employed version doesn't have an Accounting menu or Chart of Accounts, like QBO. This is the reason why you can't create another category. 

     

    While we assess this, I want you to be the first to hear about the latest QuickBooks innovations, so I’m including an article to view the details: Firm of the Future.

     

    You can also check the following article for more information about custom categories: Custom categories in QuickBooks Self-Employed.

     

    Drop me a comment below if you have any other questions concerning the categories. I'll be more than happy to help. Wishing you a good one.

    C
    carynvAuthor
    February 14, 2021

    Thank you for taking the time to respond.  Well noted!

     

    A
    Anonymous
    December 2, 2025

    I am also using the self-employed version of quickbooks and doing my own book keeping.  My previous accountant put things like Dropbox, Audible, Focusmate, Blinkest and Which under the catagory of subscriptions.  But I don't know which category I can use on QuickBooks?  

     

    Similarly, under the expense catagory of Software my accountant put: Apple (icloud storage), Google Play (Storage), Zoom, Microsoft 360, Adobe creative Cloud, Otter.ai, Passion IO. I didn't which category to put these under with your limited list.  Could you please advise which of the limited categories in your current QuickBooks Intuit Online sole trader platform I can use for these types of expenses?  I can see that there is a 'new' tab, but I am not sure that I can add an expense category using it.  I look forward to hearing back from you.


    Hello there, Carolyn.

    Your accountant did a great job organizing your purchases by creating custom categories like Subscriptions and Software to classify your expenses effectively.
     

    In QuickBooks Sole trader the range of categories will help you stay compliant with HMRC’s rules for allowable business expenses. While customizations of categories is not available, these predefined options are designed to align with tax regulation and minimize complexity.

     

    For Expenses like subscriptions and software tools, you can record these under the predefined categories available in Sole trader. To ensure compliance, I recommend referring to HMRC's official guidance on allowable business expenses.


    Regarding the New tab, it allows you to manually add transactions or income entries but does not offer the ability to create custom categories. It is predefined categories have been intentionally designed to align closely with the HMRC rules, minimizing the need for customization.

    For more tips in managing your expenses in QuickBooks, I encourage reading this article: Self-employed business expenses.
     

    In addition, to ensure these expenses are classified correctly for your specific tax reporting needs, it would be best to ask your accountant or tax advisor for guidance on selecting the appropriate categories.
     

    If you have additional questions or need further assistance in QuickBooks, don’t hesitate to let me know. We're here to help.

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