---
title: How Do I Add a New Account to the Chart of Accounts
description: add a new account to
---
[Skip to content](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-add-a-new-account-to-the-chart-of-accounts#main-content)
Open main navigation
Close main navigation
How can we help you?
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
1. [HOA Start - Empower](https://help.hoastart.app/?hsLang=en)
2. [Budgets & Expenses](https://help.hoastart.app/budgets-expenses?hsLang=en)
# How Do I Add a New Account to the Chart of Accounts
##### **When would you need to add a new account?**
- The board approves a new recurring expense category the existing list doesn't cover yet, e.g. a dedicated "Landscaping Contract" expense account separate from general Grounds Maintenance.
- The organization opens a new bank account (e.g. a second reserve account for a specific capital project) and needs a matching Assets Cash entry so transfers and GL entries can reference it.
- A new fee type is introduced, e.g. a Rental/Move-In Fee that should be tracked separately from Amenity Fees for reporting purposes.
##### **Steps**
1. Go to Financials \> Chart of Accounts.
2. Find the category section the new account belongs in (Assets, Assets Cash, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, or Expenses) and click that section's "+ Add Account" button.
1. Enter Account # — a number in the category's range (the field shows the expected range, e.g. "1000-1999", as placeholder text). This is the account's identifying number used throughout GL entries and reports. A number outside the category's range is rejected with a validation error naming the correct range, and a number already used by another active account is rejected with a conflict error — both are enforced, not just suggested.
2. Enter Name — the account's label, e.g. "Landscaping Contract." This is what you'll see and search for everywhere the account is used.
3. Optionally enter a Description — a short plain-language note on what the account is for, shown in the account list to help anyone choosing it later understand its purpose at a glance. The Name and the Description each accept up to 255 characters; a longer entry shows "Name is too long." or "Description is too long." below the field.
4. Click Save.
To change an account later, see [How Do I Edit or Retire an Account in the Chart of Accounts](https://help.hoastart.app/how-do-i-edit-or-retire-an-account-in-the-chart-of-accounts?hsLang=en).
##### **Best Practices**
- Pick the account number within the category's stated range (e.g. 5000-5999 for Expenses) — the platform enforces this and will reject a number outside the range, so there's no way to end up with a mismatched number by accident.
- Keep account names specific and consistent with how the organization already categorizes things, e.g. distinguish "Administrative - General" from "Administrative - Professional Fees" rather than lumping all admin costs into one account.
- Set up a dedicated Assets Cash account for every real bank account the organization holds before recording any Manual GL Entries that move money between them — that workflow depends on those Assets Cash accounts already existing in the account picker. A newly-created Assets Cash account is immediately selectable everywhere a cash account is picked elsewhere on the platform, such as a charge schedule's deposit account or an expense's payment account, with no separate setup step.
- Use the Description field for anything a new admin or auditor wouldn't guess from the Name alone, especially for less obvious accounts like "Undeposited Funds" (payments receivable not yet deposited).
- [Dashboard & Reporting](https://help.hoastart.app/dashboard-reporting?hsLang=en)
- [Members](https://help.hoastart.app/members?hsLang=en)
- [Properties](https://help.hoastart.app/properties?hsLang=en)
- [Documents](https://help.hoastart.app/documents?hsLang=en)
- [Email & Communication](https://help.hoastart.app/email-communication?hsLang=en)
- [Budgets & Expenses](https://help.hoastart.app/budgets-expenses?hsLang=en)
- [Invoicing & Billing](https://help.hoastart.app/invoicing-billing?hsLang=en)
- [Payments](https://help.hoastart.app/payments?hsLang=en)
- [Bank Reconciliation](https://help.hoastart.app/bank-reconciliation?hsLang=en)
- [Organization Settings](https://help.hoastart.app/organization-settings?hsLang=en)
- [Support](https://help.hoastart.app/support?hsLang=en)
[](https://hoastart.com/)
Copyright © 2026, HOA Start