Cost codes are the foundation of production tracking in Raken. They define how your team categorizes work — by trade, phase, or scope — so you can track hours, quantities, and equipment usage against the right line items. This article covers how to set up and manage your company's cost codes.
Quick Answer
To add a cost code in Raken:
Log into the Raken web app and click Company in the left side navigation.
Click Cost codes.
Enter a Division, Code, and optional Description, then click the green + button to save.
How to Add Cost Codes
Step 1: Navigate to Cost Codes
Log into the Raken web app. Click Company in the left side navigation, then click Cost codes.
Step 2: Add a Cost Code
At the top of the cost codes list, you'll see an empty row with three fields:
Division — the trade or category (e.g., "Concrete", "Electrical Work", "Heavy Civil")
Code — the numeric or alphanumeric code (e.g., 300, 200, 400)
Description — optional label describing the work (e.g., "Finishing", "Conduits", "Earthwork")
Enter your values and click the green + button on the right to save the cost code. It appears immediately in the list.
Step 3: Repeat for All Cost Codes
Add each cost code your company uses. They are saved at the company level and are available across all projects automatically.
How to Import Cost Codes in Bulk
If you have a large number of cost codes, you can import them from a spreadsheet instead of entering them one by one.
Click the upload icon in the top right of the Cost codes page to access the bulk import option. Download the template file, fill in your Division, Code, and Description columns, and upload the completed file. All codes in the file are added to your company library.
Managing Existing Cost Codes
Click the delete icon (trash) to the right of any cost code to remove it. Deleting a cost code does not affect historical entries that have already been logged against it — it only prevents the code from being selected on new entries going forward.
To edit a cost code, delete it and re-enter it with the corrected values.
Troubleshooting & FAQ
Cost codes aren't showing up when my team logs time — why?
Cost codes must be enabled in the Time Policy. Go to Company > Time > Policies > Edit policy > Settings > Production and enable Require cost codes on all time card entries or Allow employees to select cost codes.
Can I have the same code number under different divisions?
Yes. Cost codes are identified by the combination of Division + Code, so the same code number can exist under different divisions — for example, "Concrete / 300" and "Electrical Work / 300" are treated as separate cost codes.
Can project managers create their own cost codes?
No. Cost code management is a company-level function available to Account Administrators only.
Can I export my cost codes?
Yes. Click the download icon in the top right of the Cost codes page to export your full cost code list as a CSV file.
Technical Specifications
Compatibility: Web app only (cost code management)
Offline Capability: No — cost code management requires an active connection
Plan Required: All plans
Role Required: Account Administrator
Considerations
Cost codes are company-wide — they apply to all projects automatically. There is no project-specific cost code filtering at the company level.
Cost codes must be enabled in the Time Policy for employees to see and select them when clocking in or logging time.
Deleting a cost code does not affect historical records that used it.
Related Articles
More Questions?
Feel free to email us or call us at +1 866-438-0646. We're always glad to answer your questions!