---
title: "Creating Cost Codes in Ontraccr (Required Fields)"
url: "https://help.ontraccr.com/en/article/creating-cost-codes-in-ontraccr-required-fields"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-08-22T18:01:27.259Z"
---

# Creating Cost Codes in Ontraccr (Required Fields)

## 🧾 **Creating Cost Codes in Ontraccr (Required Fields)**

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### 📘 **Overview**

Every cost code in Ontraccr must include a few **mandatory fields** to be valid. These fields ensure that cost codes are unique, usable across the system, and classified correctly.

Whether you're uploading via spreadsheet or creating one manually, these fields are required for successful creation.

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### **🧰 Where You Create Cost Codes**

You can create cost codes from two places:

-   **Global Cost Codes Page** → click **Add (+)** → choose **Create**
-   **Within a Project** → in **Step 3 (Cost Codes)** → click **Add New Code**

In both cases, the **Cost Code Slider** will appear with the following required inputs.

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### **📝 Required Fields**

| Field | Description | Rules |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Cost Code Number** | A unique ID used to identify the code | \- Required- Must be unique |
| **Cost Code Name** | The label/name of the task (e.g. “Fire Alarm”) | \- Required- Must be unique |
| **Description** | Explanation of the task | \- Required- *Can reuse same description across codes* |
| **Division** | Used to group cost codes by department/company | \- Required **only if** multiple divisions exist- Auto-selected if only one division exists |
| **Category** | Classifies the code as Labor, Material, Overhead, or Equipment | \- Required- Must be selected manually |

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### **🧠 Important Notes**

-   ✅ If you’re using **multiple divisions**, you must **recreate the same cost code separately for each division.** You can’t have a cost code that maps across both divisions.
-   📝 For uploads:
    -   These same fields are **mandatory in the import template**
    -   Duplicate names or numbers will cause the upload to fail
-   🔁 If you don’t have a description, you can **copy/paste the name** into the description field as a placeholder

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### 🧪 **Example**

| Number | Name | Description | Division | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 201 | Rough-In | Rough-in wiring | Construction | Labor |
| 202 | Fire Alarm | Fire alarm install | Construction | Labor |
| 301 | Conduit | Electrical conduit | Service | Material |