# Equipment, cost groups and compliance

> Keep your asset register, group assets into cost groups that set their cost rates, and track registrations, insurance and services before they fall due.

*This article is being updated.*

**Equipment** holds your asset register, cost groups and compliance records - the cost base **Quoting** reads. It shows by default for businesses that deliver work as jobs. If your business runs members, it's hidden unless someone turns it on in **Settings → Modules**.

It has three tabs: **Assets**, **Cost groups** and **Compliance**. The tiles above them show **Active Assets**, **Monthly Ownership Cost**, **Cost Rate** and **Compliance** - records expired or due soon.

## Cost groups

A cost group holds assets that cost about the same to own, such as all your excavators. Every asset belongs to one.

1. On the **Cost groups** tab, select **New cost group**.
2. Give it a **Name**, a **Type** and a **Usage unit**.
3. Choose the **Cost recovery**. **Usage rate** bills the equipment per hour on quotes. **Overhead** recovers it through labour rates.
4. Choose the **Ownership cost method**. **Financed** uses the monthly payment. **Replacement reserve** divides replacement cost by useful life.
5. Fill in the default monthly costs and **Typical billable hrs/yr**, then select **Create cost group**.

Open a cost group to see its **Fleet totals** and its assets. A usage-rated group shows its **Cost rate**, and an overhead group its **Monthly overhead**. **Typical values for new assets** only pre-fill assets you add later. You can delete a cost group from its row menu once no live assets are left in it.

## Add an asset

1. On the **Assets** tab, select **New asset**.
2. Pick its cost group. You can create a new one from the same box.
3. Add a **Name**, and fill in the identifier, **Acquired** date, **Purchase price** and **Status** if you have them. If the cost group tracks usage, the dialog also asks for the current reading, such as **Current hours**.
4. Select **Create asset**.

The asset copies its cost group's typical values, then keeps its own costs. Creating an asset needs a role that can manage equipment. Creating a cost group also needs a role that can see costs.

The register shows active and in-maintenance assets. Use the **Status** filter to see retired ones too.

## The asset record

Select an asset to open it. Click a field to edit it.

- **Identity** - the name, status, identifiers, make and model, who it's assigned to, and the current reading.
- **Cost fields** - the cost method, monthly costs and **Billable hrs/yr**. If your role can't see costs, this reads **Cost figures are hidden for your role**.
- **Compliance**, **Custom fields** and **Activity**.

From a row's menu you can **Change cost group**, **Change status**, **Change assignee**, or **Retire** the asset. A retired asset leaves every picker but keeps its history. **Restore** brings it back. Tick several rows to change their status, **Reassign** them or retire them together.

## Compliance records

If your role allows it, add records from an asset's **Compliance** section with **Add record**.

1. Pick the **Record type**, such as **Registration** or **Insurance**, and the **Responsible** person.
2. Add a **Title** and the **Issuer**.
3. Choose how it expires: **Date** or **Does not expire**. If the asset's cost group tracks usage, you can also choose **Usage** (shown with its unit, such as **Usage (hrs)**) or **Both (whichever first)**. Fill in the dates or readings.
4. Select **Add record**. Once it's saved, you can attach files.

The **Compliance** tab lists every record across your assets. Select a tile - **Overdue**, **Due soon**, **Approaching** or **Compliant** - to filter by it, or filter by **Record type**, **Status** or **Responsible**.

Each row offers its type's action. **Renew** creates a new record and marks the old one superseded. **Log service** adds a new service entry. **Update plan** edits the record in place. Older records stay under **History** on the asset.

If a responsible person has left, the record shows **Needs reassignment**. Tick records and select **Reassign** to give them a new owner.

## Settings

If your role allows it, select **Settings** at the right of the tabs:

- **Compliance record types** - **Add type** for your own. **Seeded** types can be edited but not deleted.
- **Approval Engine** - **Require approval for record edits**. See Approvals.
- **Status thresholds** - when records turn **Due soon (red)** and **Approaching (amber)**, by date and by usage.