LineItems

Line items are individual entries within a larger financial document such as an invoice, purchase order, or budget. Each line item corresponds to a single product or service and carries its own data, allowing precise itemization of costs separate from the document header, which describes the overall document.

Common fields associated with line items include description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, discounts, taxes, line total, and an account, product, or cost center code. Some systems also record delivery dates, tax category, currency, and status. The line total is typically calculated as quantity multiplied by unit price, with adjustments for any discounts or taxes.

Line items support cost tracking, inventory management, contract compliance, and financial reporting. In procurement and invoicing, they enable reconciliation between orders, receipts, and invoices and facilitate budgeting and audit trails. In project accounting, line items can map to specific cost centers or GL accounts, enabling profitability analysis and detailed cost reporting.

In ERP and accounting workflows, line items are stored as separate records linked to the document header, supporting functionalities such as partial shipment, backorders, amendments, and staged invoicing. Maintaining data quality is important, as inconsistencies in line items can lead to billing errors, misallocation of funds, or misreporting. Interoperability concerns include exchanging line item data via EDI, APIs, or other integration formats, where standardization enhances accuracy and automation.

Line items are also used in government procurement and budgeting contexts, where line-item detail provides a granular view of goods or services, quantities, and unit costs within larger procurement or budgetary frameworks.