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POST
/
v1
/
businesses
/
{businessId}
/
expenses
Create expense
curl --request POST \
  --url https://sandbox.layerfi.com/v1/businesses/{businessId}/expenses \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <token>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '
{
  "external_id": "exp-001",
  "paid_at": "2025-01-01T01:46:59.309329Z",
  "vendor_external_id": "Office Depot",
  "reference_number": "EXP-001",
  "memo": "Office supplies",
  "line_items": [
    {
      "account_identifier": {
        "type": "StableName",
        "stable_name": "OTHER_OFFICE_EXPENSES"
      },
      "description": "Paper",
      "product_name": "Copy paper",
      "unit_price": 1001,
      "quantity": 1.5
    }
  ],
  "payment": {
    "method": "CHECK"
  }
}
'
{
  "data": {
    "type": "Bill",
    "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
    "business_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
    "external_id": "<string>",
    "received_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
    "due_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
    "paid_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
    "voided_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
    "memo": "<string>",
    "line_items": [
      {
        "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "external_id": "<string>",
        "bill_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "account_identifier": {
          "type": "AccountId",
          "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
        },
        "ledger_account": {
          "type": "Single_Chart_Account",
          "id": {
            "type": "AccountId",
            "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
          },
          "name": "Current Assets",
          "account_number": "4000",
          "stable_name": {
            "type": "StableName",
            "stable_name": "CURRENT_ASSETS"
          },
          "account_type": {
            "display_name": "Asset"
          },
          "account_subtype": {
            "display_name": "Current Assets"
          }
        },
        "prepayment_account": {
          "type": "Single_Chart_Account",
          "id": {
            "type": "AccountId",
            "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
          },
          "name": "Current Assets",
          "account_number": "4000",
          "stable_name": {
            "type": "StableName",
            "stable_name": "CURRENT_ASSETS"
          },
          "account_type": {
            "display_name": "Asset"
          },
          "account_subtype": {
            "display_name": "Current Assets"
          }
        },
        "description": "<string>",
        "product_name": "<string>",
        "unit_price": 123,
        "quantity": 123,
        "subtotal": 123,
        "discount_amount": 123,
        "sales_taxes": [
          {
            "tax_account": {
              "name": "CALIFORNIA_VAT",
              "type": "Tax_Name"
            },
            "tax_ledger_account": {
              "id": "c4007474-f604-4d57-9690-b7f40f7a1cee",
              "name": "Sales tax: CALIFORNIA",
              "stable_name": "SALES_TAXES:CALIFORNIA",
              "normality": "CREDIT",
              "account_type": {
                "value": "EXPENSE",
                "display_name": "Expenses"
              },
              "account_subtype": {
                "value": "SALES_TAXES",
                "display_name": "Sales Taxes"
              }
            },
            "amount": 123
          }
        ],
        "sales_taxes_total": 123,
        "total_amount": 123,
        "transaction_tags": [
          {
            "key": "department",
            "value": "sales",
            "dimension_display_name": "Department",
            "value_display_name": "Sales Department"
          }
        ],
        "memo": "<string>",
        "metadata": {
          "custom_field": "value",
          "any valid json": "below 1kb",
          "nested": {
            "meaning of life": 42,
            "array": []
          }
        },
        "reference_number": "<string>"
      }
    ],
    "additional_sales_taxes": [
      {
        "tax_account": {
          "name": "CALIFORNIA_VAT",
          "type": "Tax_Name"
        },
        "tax_ledger_account": {
          "id": "c4007474-f604-4d57-9690-b7f40f7a1cee",
          "name": "Sales tax: CALIFORNIA",
          "stable_name": "SALES_TAXES:CALIFORNIA",
          "normality": "CREDIT",
          "account_type": {
            "value": "EXPENSE",
            "display_name": "Expenses"
          },
          "account_subtype": {
            "value": "SALES_TAXES",
            "display_name": "Sales Taxes"
          }
        },
        "amount": 123
      }
    ],
    "additional_sales_taxes_total": 123,
    "additional_discount": 123,
    "subtotal": 123,
    "total_amount": 123,
    "outstanding_balance": 123,
    "payment_allocations": [
      {
        "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "bill_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "payment_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "amount": 123,
        "payment": {
          "type": "com.layerfi.routers.ApiBillPayment",
          "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
          "external_id": "<string>",
          "vendor": {
            "type": "VendorData",
            "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
            "external_id": "<string>",
            "individual_name": "<string>",
            "company_name": "<string>",
            "email": "<string>",
            "mobile_phone": "<string>",
            "office_phone": "<string>",
            "address_string": "<string>",
            "memo": "<string>",
            "transaction_tags": [
              {
                "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                "key": "ExampleTagKey",
                "value": "ExampleTagValue",
                "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
                "value_display_name": "<string>",
                "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
              }
            ]
          },
          "at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
          "amount": 123,
          "processor": "<string>",
          "payment_clearing_account": {
            "type": "Single_Chart_Account",
            "id": {
              "type": "AccountId",
              "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
            },
            "name": "Current Assets",
            "account_number": "4000",
            "stable_name": {
              "type": "StableName",
              "stable_name": "CURRENT_ASSETS"
            },
            "account_type": {
              "display_name": "Asset"
            },
            "account_subtype": {
              "display_name": "Current Assets"
            }
          },
          "imported_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
          "allocations": [
            {
              "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "bill_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "payment_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "amount": 123,
              "transaction_tags": [
                {
                  "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                  "key": "ExampleTagKey",
                  "value": "ExampleTagValue",
                  "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                  "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                  "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
                  "value_display_name": "<string>",
                  "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
                }
              ],
              "memo": "<string>",
              "metadata": {
                "custom_field": "value",
                "any valid json": "below 1kb",
                "nested": {
                  "meaning of life": 42,
                  "array": []
                }
              },
              "reference_number": "<string>"
            }
          ],
          "transaction_tags": [
            {
              "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "key": "ExampleTagKey",
              "value": "ExampleTagValue",
              "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
              "value_display_name": "<string>",
              "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
            }
          ],
          "memo": "<string>",
          "metadata": {
            "custom_field": "value",
            "any valid json": "below 1kb",
            "nested": {
              "meaning of life": 42,
              "array": []
            }
          },
          "reference_number": "<string>"
        },
        "transaction_tags": [
          {
            "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
            "key": "ExampleTagKey",
            "value": "ExampleTagValue",
            "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
            "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
            "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
            "value_display_name": "<string>",
            "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
          }
        ],
        "memo": "<string>",
        "metadata": {
          "custom_field": "value",
          "any valid json": "below 1kb",
          "nested": {
            "meaning of life": 42,
            "array": []
          }
        },
        "reference_number": "<string>"
      }
    ],
    "vendor_credits": [
      {
        "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "vendor_credit_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "amount": 123,
        "vendor_credit": {
          "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
          "vendor": {
            "type": "VendorData",
            "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
            "external_id": "<string>",
            "individual_name": "<string>",
            "company_name": "<string>",
            "email": "<string>",
            "mobile_phone": "<string>",
            "office_phone": "<string>",
            "address_string": "<string>",
            "memo": "<string>",
            "transaction_tags": [
              {
                "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                "key": "ExampleTagKey",
                "value": "ExampleTagValue",
                "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
                "value_display_name": "<string>",
                "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
              }
            ]
          },
          "received_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
          "line_items": [
            {
              "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "amount": 123,
              "ledger_account": {
                "type": "Single_Chart_Account",
                "id": {
                  "type": "AccountId",
                  "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
                },
                "name": "Current Assets",
                "account_number": "4000",
                "stable_name": {
                  "type": "StableName",
                  "stable_name": "CURRENT_ASSETS"
                },
                "account_type": {
                  "display_name": "Asset"
                },
                "account_subtype": {
                  "display_name": "Current Assets"
                }
              },
              "memo": "<string>",
              "metadata": {
                "custom_field": "value",
                "any valid json": "below 1kb",
                "nested": {
                  "meaning of life": 42,
                  "array": []
                }
              },
              "reference_number": "<string>",
              "transaction_tags": [
                {
                  "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                  "key": "ExampleTagKey",
                  "value": "ExampleTagValue",
                  "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                  "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
                  "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
                  "value_display_name": "<string>",
                  "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "created_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
          "updated_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
          "transaction_tags": [
            {
              "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "key": "ExampleTagKey",
              "value": "ExampleTagValue",
              "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
              "value_display_name": "<string>",
              "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
            }
          ],
          "type": "Vendor_Credit",
          "external_id": "<string>",
          "allocations": [
            {
              "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "vendor_credit_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
              "amount": 123,
              "bill_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
            }
          ],
          "deleted_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
          "memo": "<string>",
          "metadata": {
            "custom_field": "value",
            "any valid json": "below 1kb",
            "nested": {
              "meaning of life": 42,
              "array": []
            }
          },
          "reference_number": "<string>"
        },
        "bill_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a"
      }
    ],
    "imported_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
    "updated_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z",
    "vendor": {
      "type": "VendorData",
      "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
      "external_id": "<string>",
      "individual_name": "<string>",
      "company_name": "<string>",
      "email": "<string>",
      "mobile_phone": "<string>",
      "office_phone": "<string>",
      "address_string": "<string>",
      "memo": "<string>",
      "transaction_tags": [
        {
          "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
          "key": "ExampleTagKey",
          "value": "ExampleTagValue",
          "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
          "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
          "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
          "value_display_name": "<string>",
          "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
        }
      ]
    },
    "transaction_tags": [
      {
        "id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "key": "ExampleTagKey",
        "value": "ExampleTagValue",
        "dimension_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "definition_id": "3c90c3cc-0d44-4b50-8888-8dd25736052a",
        "dimension_display_name": "<string>",
        "value_display_name": "<string>",
        "archived_at": "2023-11-07T05:31:56Z"
      }
    ],
    "is_expense": true,
    "metadata": {
      "custom_field": "value",
      "any valid json": "below 1kb",
      "nested": {
        "meaning of life": 42,
        "array": []
      }
    },
    "reference_number": "<string>"
  }
}
Create an expense when a purchase and payment happen at the same time. An expense is a type of bill with is_expense: true and status: PAID. Use this endpoint to submit the vendor, line items, purchase date, and payment details in one request. The request is idempotent via external_id; if an expense with the same external_id already exists, Layer returns the existing expense with a 200 response. Required fields to plan for:
  • paid_at: when the purchase was paid
  • line_items: what was purchased
  • payment: how it was paid
  • vendor_id or vendor_external_id: who was paid
Line items use the same shape as Create bill. See the Expense object for when to use expenses instead of standard bills.

Authorizations

ā€‹
Authorization
string
header
required

Bearer authentication header of the form Bearer <token>, where <token> is your auth token.

Path Parameters

ā€‹
businessId
string<uuid>
required

The UUID of the business to create the expense for.

Body

application/json
ā€‹
paid_at
string<date-time>
required

When the purchase was paid.

ā€‹
line_items
object[]
required

Line items for the purchase. Uses the same line item shape as Create bill.

ā€‹
payment
object
required

Payment details for the expense. Expenses are created in PAID status with a payment for the full amount.

ā€‹
external_id
string | null

Unique ID of the expense in your system. Used for linking and idempotency. If an expense with the same external_id already exists, Layer returns the existing expense.

ā€‹
vendor_id
string<uuid>

Layer vendor ID. Either vendor_id or vendor_external_id must be provided.

ā€‹
vendor_external_id
string

Vendor external ID in your system. Either vendor_id or vendor_external_id must be provided.

ā€‹
reference_number
string | null

Any (typically user-visible) identifier for the expense.

ā€‹
memo
string | null

Memo for the expense.

ā€‹
additional_sales_taxes
object[]

Additional sales tax line items applied to the expense total.

ā€‹
additional_discount
integer<int64> | null
default:0

Additional discount applied to the expense total, in cents.

ā€‹
tags
object[] | null

Tags to associate with the expense.

ā€‹
metadata
object

Arbitrary custom metadata in JSON format with a size limit of 1KB.

Example:
{
  "custom_field": "value",
  "any valid json": "below 1kb",
  "nested": { "meaning of life": 42, "array": [] }
}

Response

Existing expense returned (idempotent request with matching external_id).

ā€‹
data
object