How to Configure Automatic Cost Categorization for the Financial Plan in OnePlan

Direct Answer: How to Configure Automatic Cost Categorization for the Financial Plan in OnePlan

To configure automatic cost categorization for the Financial Plan in OnePlan, create a Choice custom field on the General tab of Financial Plan configuration, then designate it as the Category Field under Cost Categorization. Once designated, the Category Field becomes available in the Work Plan, Resource Plan, Resource Center, and Financial Plan, letting categorization values (for example, CapEx or OpEx) be assigned during planning and applied automatically as costs move into actuals and financial imports.

What This Article Covers: Configuring Automatic Cost Categorization

This article explains how to configure Financial Plan Category Fields, which enable automatic cost categorization across OnePlan — including creating the field, designating it as the Category Field, and setting governance controls over where it can be edited.

What you will accomplish By the end of this article, you will be able to create and designate a Category Field and apply governance controls that enable automatic cost categorization across OnePlan.

Before You Begin: Configuring Automatic Cost Categorization

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A OnePlan account with Administrator permissions
• Access to Financial Plan configuration
• The Financial Importer function enabled in your environment — contact your OnePlan representative to activate this feature if it is not already enabled

The Financial Importer function must be enabled for automatic cost categorization to apply during import.

Why This Matters: How Automatic Cost Categorization Works

Context: What a Category Field Does

In OnePlan, automatic cost categorization is driven by a single, designated Category Field. This field stores a classification value (for example, CapEx or OpEx) that is associated with financial values and preserved as those values move across OnePlan modules. Category Fields enable classification consistency and support governed planning and actuals, but they do not define financial structure or rollups.

Context: Category Fields vs. Financial Plan Cost Categories

Category Fields are independent of Financial Plan Cost Categories, which are used only to structure and group values within the Financial Plan. For a detailed explanation of how categorization values are selected and applied during import, see Financial Plan Automatic Cost Categorization - How Cost Categorization Works in OnePlan.

Step-by-Step: Configuring Automatic Cost Categorization for the Financial Plan

Task: Create a Financial Plan Category Field

Starting from within a Project in OnePlan:

Starting from within a Plan in OnePlan:

1. Go to the Financials tab at the top of the screen and select the ellipsis (…).

2. Select Configure.

3. Select the General tab. Under Custom Fields, select New.

4. Enter a clear, descriptive Field Name (for example, CapEx / OpEx or Cost Classification).

5. Set Field Type to Choice.

6. Add the required choice values — these will serve as your cost categorizations.

7. Save the field.

Task: Designate the Category Field

1. Go to the Cost Categorization section.
2. Select the custom field you created from the Category Field dropdown.
3. Confirm the change if prompted.

OnePlan supports one Category Field at a time. Changing the designated Category Field affects cost categorization across all modules.

Task: Configure Read-Only Areas (Optional)

Read-only settings control where categorization values can be edited and help enforce governance.

1. Review the Read-only Areas section after designating the Category Field.
2. Select which areas should allow editing, such as Work Plan, Resource Plan, Resource Center, or Financial Plan.

Read-only controls determine which sources are authoritative and prevent unintended changes to categorization values.

The Category Field is not edited in Timesheets. Categorization for timesheet actuals is applied automatically during import based on existing configuration.

Frequently Asked Questions: Automatic Cost Categorization in the Financial Plan

Q: How many Category Fields can I designate in OnePlan? A: OnePlan supports only one designated Category Field at a time. Changing it affects cost categorization across all modules, including the Work Plan, Resource Plan, Resource Center, and Financial Plan.

Q: Where does the Category Field become available once designated? A: Once designated, the Category Field becomes available in the Work Plan, Resource Plan, Resource Center, and Financial Plan, so categorization values can be assigned during planning and applied automatically during import.

Q: Can I edit the Category Field value in Timesheets? A: No. The Category Field is not edited in Timesheets. Categorization for timesheet actuals is applied automatically during import based on existing configuration.

Q: What is required before automatic cost categorization will apply during import? A: The Financial Importer function must be enabled in your environment. Contact your OnePlan representative to activate this feature if it is not already enabled.

What to Do Next: After Configuring Automatic Cost Categorization

Get started with related tasks: - Assign Cost Categorization to Work Items - Apply Cost Categorization to Resources in the Resource Center - Apply Cost Categorization to Resources in the Resource Plan - How to Configure a Normal Cost Type for the Financial Plan in OnePlan - How to Configure a Combined Cost Type for the Financial Plan in OnePlan

Learn about related topics: - Financial Plan Automatic Cost Categorization - How Cost Categorization Works in OnePlan