Why do costs in a project reflect zero when I have allocted costs?

There are instances that an issue like this persists when the system encounters browser-related issues,  robert-ttproject. 

It's possible this might be caused by a corrupted file cache stored in your browser, that's why your costs in a project reflect zero.

We can do some troubleshooting steps to rule this out. Let's open your QuickBooks Online account in an incognito or private browser. This mode will not save your browsing history and will also help isolate any web issues. 

Here are the keyboard shortcuts:

• Google Chrome: Ctrl + Shift + N
• Mozilla Firefox: Ctrl + Shift + P
• Safari: Command + Shift + N 

If this works, it means that you need to clear the browser's cache so the system can start fresh. If you get the same result while using a private browser, you can also use a different supported browser as an alternate solution.  

You might also want to learn more about the Project feature in QBO. This article will provide some information on how to handle project transactions: Projects FAQ.

I'll appreciate if you can get back to me and share how it works. I want to ensure that this gets resolved. Have a great day!

Hi, thanks very much but this unfortunately didn't help. I use Microsoft Edge. I tried it in incognito mode. I even downloaded google chrome and tried it both in normal and incognito modes.

Appreciate the update, @robert-ttproject.

Costs in a project are linked to a certain expense account of an item or service. May I know how did you enter your goods in QuickBooks Online?

Any information you can further provide helps us, here in the Community, determine it is showing zero amount of costs in your project reports. Keep me updated in the comments below. Hope to hear from you soon!

In the project file I created purchase orders. In the purchase order I would create new products as I went along. I selected the items as inventory, then I selected either consumable or non-consumable. I created the part number, entered the description in both spaces. In the first space I never allocated the selling price because I don't sell them as loose items, only as completely assembled goods. I input a purchase price and selected standard VAT. I also input the stock on hand at time of order with the date and preferred supplier. I enter and it takes me back to the purchase order where I adjust the quantity.

I'd like to share some insights about creating purchase orders in QuickBooks Online, @robert-ttproject.

When you create a PO, the allocated cost in a project will display as zero because a PO is a non-posting transaction. Meaning to say, it doesn't directly affect the project cost or even what your company's worth. Allocation cost will only appear once the PO is converted into a Bill.

For future reference, here's how you can add purchase orders to expenses, bills, or cheques in QuickBooks Online.

The Community is available at any time. Just leave your reply below if you have extra concerns about this or QuickBooks in general. Keep safe!

Hi, I am aware of this thanks but as mentioned, I have captured it into a bill, received the products and paid for the goods but still reflects zero value in the costs line. What I don't understand is that I have followed the same process as before and its only the last 3 projects which is refusing to reflect the costs and profits correctly

Appreciate the update, @robert-ttproject.

I'll make sure you're able to show the total costs of your projects in QuickBooks Online.

Since the issue persists even after confirming the account of your inventory products, I recommend contacting our Customer Care Support. You can work with one of our specialists in creating a ticket letting our engineering team investigate the root cause of the problem raised. To do so:

1. Go to Help.
2. Select Search.
3. Click Contact Us.
4. Enter Determine why the total cost in a project in QBO is 0 in the What can we help you with? text area.
5. Choose Chat with us to connect with our team online.

On that same page, I'm also including this article for the list of reports you can use: Create and Manage Reports in QuickBooks Online. In this reference, you're able to customize the sources and targets of a certain report to display a certain portion of your business financial activity.

Let me know how it goes in the comments below. Don't forget to include my name, @JonpriL, in your reply so that I can get back here and answer all your project concerns in QuickBooks. Take care always, @robert-ttproject!

I think I might have found an error I created. Looking at the purchase orders and bills created on older projects I see the following:

Purchase order category is "cost of sale"

Bill category is "stock asset"

Looking at these new purchase orders and bills I see the following:

Purchase order category is "split"

Bill category is "split"

I have tried to change this but it doesn't seem to fix the problem. Is it possible to change this once the purchase order and bill are closed?

Actually, looking at the orders. Cost of sale carries through if its one line item on the order but as soon as I have several line items on the order, it changes to "Split". I have checked all the inventory items and they are listed individually as "Cost of Sale" items so Im not sure why this changes when there are multiple line items.

I appreciate the details you've added, @robert-ttproject. I'll share some details so you can proceed and edit your project to show the correct cost amount in your QuickBooks Online (QBO) account.

Please know that the Project Overview should only show income and expense. You'll want to check all the transactions in the overview tab and then take note of the details inside the items you've entered. You'll also want to check each account and ensure that you were able to enter an amount in the Cost section. By doing this, you'll be able to see the correct figures in your Project Overview tab.

In addition, I've also got you this article to help you manage your projects in QBO: Manage and track your work with client requests, projects, and tasks.

You may also check this article in case you'd like to add existing invoices to your projects in QBO: Add existing invoices to QuickBooks Online Projects.

Feel free to get back to this thread if you need further assistance managing projects in QuickBooks Online, @robert-ttproject. Our door is open 24/7 and our dedicated team of experts are always around to help you. Take care!

This link is exactly how I have been using Projects:

You can visit this article for more information about this: Track income, costs, and profitability by project.

There is nothing new that can assist me in this link. I urgently need to speak to someone that can assist please

I appreciate the steps you've taken regarding the project issue, robert-ttproject.

I'll ensure you'll get the support you need to further assist you on this concern so you can get back on track. Here's how:

1. Go to this link: https://help.quickbooks.intuit.com/en_ZA/contact
2. Select your product.
3. Click on Search for something else.
4. Enter your issue in the Tell us more about your question: box.
5. Click on Search.
6. Then, Start a Message.

If you need help with other tasks in QuickBooks Online in the future, you can visit our QuickBooks Help page. We have available articles that you might want to check out. It gives detailed steps and an overview of the help that you need. 

Please know that the Community is always here to assist if you need help while doing a task on your account.

I was in an online chat with someone the whole of yesterday afternoon without any success. They want me to just delete Bills and purchase orders and re-create them just to try see if it works. This will mess with all delivery notes, bank payment references, supplier invoices. They cannot log into my account to check anything. We working in the dark here just like Eskom. Is there anyone that can physically assist if I take my laptop to them?

Robert, I am seeing the same issue. I have two companies on QBO - one of the companies includes a Project where the Overview tab is properly showing my expenses, income, and profit; one company has a Project that has the same problem you are/were experiencing. Did you figure out what the error was? I can see the transactions in the Transactions tab, but those transactions don't appear in the Overview tab as if they are not properly journaled to the Project.

I hope you found a solution to your issue! Its boggling my mind, because like you, I think I have followed the correct method.

Hi there, GSDgrad.

I appreciate you joining this conversation. Allow me to chime in and help ensure this is taken care of for you.

If you already performed the steps shared by my colleagues in this thread and the issue persists, I highly suggest contacting our Support team. They have tools such as screen-sharing (remote access) that can pull up your account in a secure environment and check the cause of this odd behavior. They can also perform other troubleshooting steps if necessary.

Here's how to reach them:

1. In QuickBooks Online (QBO), click the Help (question mark) icon at the top right.
2. Select a suggested option, or type a question or topic you need help with.
3. Tick Contact Us, type a question and Continue.
4. Choose a way to connect with us.

In case you need it, I'll add this article that tackles managing projects in QBO for further guidance: Set up and create projects in QuickBooks Online.

For more tips and other resources you can use in the future, I recommend visiting our website: Self-help articles.

Please post again or leave a comment in this thread if you have follow-up questions about projects or anything else QuickBooks. I'm always here to assist. Stay safe.

Thanks for the recommendation, Fritz. I spent some time with a Chat Specialist yesterday and he determined that the issue would be addressed by the support team. So I am hopeful that an update will be issued in the near future.

I've recently had the same issue happen - All of a sudden some of my most recent projects will show 100% profitability even though there are costs associated with the project. I think it might have something to do with the invoices going the "markup" account?  

Hi NTO,

Thank you for joining the thread. I tried to replicate the scenario provided by other users in this thread as well but mine is still showing the cost on the profitability report. 

It would be best if you can contact our QBO Support team so they can also check your account and isolate this case. They'll further investigate and apply solutions to your affected projects.

1. Click on Help and click the Search tab.
2. Click Contact Us at the bottom.
3. Enter a sentence to describe the issue and click Continue.
4. Choose Start a chat or Get a callback.

If you have other questions in mind, feel free to go back to this thread.

hahaha... quickbooks is a joke.

Costs are not accounted for if it's an item, if its a category then it will show as a cost. Quickbooks support, after many phone calls just gave up on their own product and one of the develoopers on slack said 'thats just the way it is'

But, it gets worse. I told them that the income column keeps changing, and that income should be a total of all the invoices on the project. But it's not, income will reduce as costs increase, so the income bar chart is not income (invoices) it is some sort or profit derivative, other times the bar charts will not go up and down with their figures. 

My Costs are so bad now that the project report shows they are derived from invoices (not even expences).

Also its buggy as hell in safari on mac - have to keep refreshing, having to use chrome which is free software loaded with third party trackers just to use my accounts system.

Please quickbooks, try to use your own software, it is a mess. The terminology does not even line up with reality, why are things called categories and items, they should all just be line items. Why cant an expense or bill have products on it and increase stock properly, why is the projects section totally broken, why do you call things bills and recipts - this terminology is not correct in the UK.