At a glance
Categories enable faster review and a simpler audit process.
Categories can only be created and edited by admins.
Categories cannot be deleted, but they can be deactivated and reactivated if needed.
Admins can deactivate default categories if they are not relevant for their organization.
For custom categories, admins can define whether the āAttendeesā field is hidden, optional, or required.
š What are categories?
When creating an expense, users are asked to select a category. Categories enable faster review and a simpler audit process.
New categories can be created by users with the admin role in the āCategoriesā tab under āSettingsā in the web app. Each category can be assigned a unique booking code, helping to provide an improved and clear breakdown of costs.
Circula provides 14 default categories. Default categories have predefined settings. The names of default categories cannot be changed. However, they can be deactivated and reactivated if needed.
Standard categories
How can I add a category?
Navigate to āSettingsā and then to the āCategoriesā tab. Click on the plus sign in the lower right corner.
Categories in the web app
Add the category name and a booking code, which is optional, and select the default VAT. If needed, define how the āAttendeesā field should behave for this category. Then click āCreateā.
Creating a new category
Configuring the āAttendeesā field for custom categories
For custom categories, admins can define whether the āAttendeesā field is shown and whether it must be filled in when an expense is submitted.
The following options are available:
Option | Behavior |
āHiddenā | The āAttendeesā field is not shown to employees. Expenses can be submitted without attendee information. |
āOptionalā | The āAttendeesā field is displayed. Employees can also submit the expense without entering attendee information. |
āRequiredā | The āAttendeesā field is displayed and must be filled in. The expense can only be submitted once attendees have been added. |
š Note
This setting is only available for custom categories. For default categories, the behavior of the āAttendeesā field is predefined.
How can I edit categories?
Navigate to āSettingsā and then to the āCategoriesā tab. Click on the line of the category you want to edit.
Editing categories in the web app
After editing the category, click āSaveā.
Saving an edited category
š Note
The names of default categories cannot be changed. A helper message is displayed explaining why the category name cannot be edited.
How can I deactivate a category?
Navigate to āSettingsā and then to the āCategoriesā tab. Click on the three dots in the row of the category you want to deactivate.
Deactivating a category
Click on "Deactivate".
Deactivating a category
You can find the deactivated categories in the āInactiveā tab under āCategoriesā.
Inactive categories
š Note
Default categories can now also be deactivated by admins.
Deactivated categories are no longer shown to employees in the category selection when they create new expenses.
Once a category has been deactivated, it can no longer be edited. However, it can be reactivated.
āļøImportant
At least one category must always remain active. If an admin attempts to deactivate the last active category, the action is blocked and an error message is displayed.
How do I reactivate an inactive category?
Navigate to āSettingsā and then to the āCategoriesā tab. Click on the āInactiveā tab.
Inactive categories
Click on the three dots in the row of the category you want to reactivate and then click on āActivate.ā
Reactivating categories
The reactivated categories can be found in the āActiveā tab under āCategories.ā
Active categories
š Default categories
Default categories have predefined settings and cannot be fully customized.
Category name
The names of default categories cannot be edited.
āAttendeesā field
The behavior of the āAttendeesā field is fixed for default categories:
Default category | Behavior of the āAttendeesā field |
āMealā (Bewirtung) | Optional |
All other default categories | Hidden |
š Note
If you need different behavior for a default category, you can deactivate the default category and create a custom category with the desired configuration.
š The āMealā (Bewirtung) category
When the āMealā category is selected, submitting users are asked to enter the participating guests. They are also asked whether the meal involved internal or external guests.
To distinguish between internal and external attendees, two different booking codes can be stored for the āMealā category in the web app.
Information on internal or external meals can be edited afterwards in the accountant view of the web app.
For the default category āMealā, the āAttendeesā field is optional. This setting cannot be changed for default categories.
ā FAQs
Can I rename default categories?
No. The names of default categories are fixed and cannot be changed.
Can I deactivate default categories?
Yes. Admins can deactivate default categories and reactivate them if needed.
What happens if I deactivate a category?
The category is no longer shown to employees when they create new expenses.
Existing expenses using this category remain unchanged.
Can I configure the āAttendeesā field for default categories?
No. The behavior of the āAttendeesā field is predefined for default categories and cannot be changed.
What happens if I set āAttendeesā as required for a custom category?
Employees can only submit expenses in this category once they have added attendee information.
Do existing categories change automatically?
No. Existing categories keep their current configuration.
Do you still have questions?
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