--- title: How to set up and maintain a construction budget master chart of accounts in a construction loan? description: This article discusses how to set up and maintain a construction budget master chart of accounts in a construction loan. --- [Skip to content](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/how-to-setup-and-maintain-a-construction-budget-master-chart-of-accounts-in-a-construction-loan-1#main-content) [![TMO-LO~1](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TMO-LO~1.png?width=200&height=65&name=TMO-LO~1.png)](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/) - [Platform](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/) Show submenu for Platform - [Loan Servicing](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/loan-servicing-software/) - [Loan Origination](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/loan-origination-software/) - [Fund Management](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/fund-management-software/) - [Knowledge Hub](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge-hub/) Show submenu for Knowledge Hub - [Blog](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/blog/) - [Resources](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/resources/) - [Webinars](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/resources/?_resource_types=on-demand-webinars) - [Seminars](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/seminars/) - [FAQs](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/frequently-asked-questions/) - [Release Notes](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/release-notes) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Platform](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/) Show submenu for Platform - [Loan Servicing](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/loan-servicing-software/) - [Loan Origination](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/loan-origination-software/) - [Fund Management](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/products/fund-management-software/) - [Knowledge Hub](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge-hub/) Show submenu for Knowledge Hub - [Blog](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/blog/) - [Resources](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/resources/) - [Webinars](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/resources/?_resource_types=on-demand-webinars) - [Seminars](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/seminars/) - [FAQs](https://www.themortgageoffice.com/frequently-asked-questions/) - [Release Notes](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/release-notes) - [Contact Support](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new) [Contact Support](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Knowledge Base](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge?hsLang=en) 2. [Loan Servicing](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/loan-servicing?hsLang=en) 3. [Construction Loans](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/knowledge/loan-servicing?hsLang=en#construction-loans) October 9, 2026 # How to set up and maintain a construction budget master chart of accounts in a construction loan? ## This article discusses how to set up and maintain a construction budget master chart of accounts in a construction loan. The part of the documentation explains how to set up and maintain a Construction Budget Master **Chart of Accounts.** The chart of accounts is fully user-defined, and project budgets can be as detailed as needed with many budget groups and accounts. A construction budget master chart of accounts **must be set up** before you can effectively start servicing construction loans. The system initially creates a default chart of accounts for you. You can **use** it as-is or **add** and **delete** groups and accounts as necessary to fit your individual needs. The chart of accounts consists of one or more groups, with each group containing one or more sub-accounts. **For example:** you may have a group named Offsite Improvements with Engineering, Clearing and Grading and Sewer and Storm Drains as sub-accounts. The construction budget master chart of accounts is **shared** by all construction loans. Each construction loan may use one or more of the accounts found in the master chart of accounts to set up its construction budget. ### **To open the construction budget master chart of accounts window:** - Click on ![image-png-Jul-14-2023-12-46-04-6535-AM](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-14-2023-12-46-04-6535-AM.png?width=15&height=15&name=image-png-Jul-14-2023-12-46-04-6535-AM.png) **Loan Servicing** in the left panel of The Mortgage Office®. - Click the **Tasks & Reports** from the menu located on the left of the window. - Under the **Construction Loans** section, click the **Budget Master Chart of Accounts** hyperlink. - The following functions are available in the **Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts** assistance window: | **Button:** | **Description:** | | --- | --- | | ![](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hubfs/image-png-Jul-19-2023-02-53-38-0134-PM.png) | **To add a new group to the Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts:** - Click **New Group** and add the following information: - **Group ID**. Enter a unique number between 000 and 999. - **Group Description**. Enter a description for the group. (Maximum of 255 characters) - Click ![OK](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TMO%20APP%20Icons/OK.png?width=52&height=21&name=OK.png) **OK** to add the new group or **Cancel** to abort. | | ![](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hubfs/image-png-Jul-19-2023-02-53-53-7871-PM.png) | **To add a new account to the Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts:** - Click **New Account** and add the following information: - Using the drop-down list to select the **group** this account belongs to. - **Account ID.** Enter a unique three-digit account number between 000 and 999. - **Description.** Enter a description for the account. (Maximum of 255 characters) - Select **Soft Cost** or **Hard Cost**. **INFO:** Also called non-brick costs, Soft Costs is a term commonly used to denote construction costs that you **cannot visibly see** such as architect's fees, engineering reports and fees, appraisal fees, building permits and plan check fees. - Click **OK** to add the new account or **cancel** to abort. | | ![Table pencil Edit icon with border\_r-PNG](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Table%20pencil%20Edit%20icon%20with%20border_r-PNG.png?width=42&height=21&name=Table%20pencil%20Edit%20icon%20with%20border_r-PNG.png) | **To edit a group in the Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts:** - **Select** an account from the grid and click **![Table pencil Edit icon with border\_r-PNG](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Table%20pencil%20Edit%20icon%20with%20border_r-PNG.png?width=46&height=24&name=Table%20pencil%20Edit%20icon%20with%20border_r-PNG.png) Edit**. - Edit the information as needed. - Click ![OK](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TMO%20APP%20Icons/OK.png?width=52&height=21&name=OK.png) **OK** to save or **Cancel** to abort. **To edit an account in the Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts:** - **Select** an account from the grid and click **![Table pencil Edit icon with border\_r-PNG](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Table%20pencil%20Edit%20icon%20with%20border_r-PNG.png?width=46&height=24&name=Table%20pencil%20Edit%20icon%20with%20border_r-PNG.png) Edit**. - Edit the information as needed. - Click ![OK](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TMO%20APP%20Icons/OK.png?width=52&height=21&name=OK.png) **OK** to save or **cancel** to abort. | | ![image-png-Jun-17-2023-04-47-53-1486-PM](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jun-17-2023-04-47-53-1486-PM.png?width=43&height=24&name=image-png-Jun-17-2023-04-47-53-1486-PM.png) | **CAUTION:** Deleting a group also deletes all sub-accounts within the group. **To delete a group from the Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts:** - **Select** a group from the grid and click ![delete](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Icons/delete.png?width=15&height=15&name=delete.png) **Delete**. - Click ![YES button](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YES%20button.png?width=52&height=18&name=YES%20button.png) **Yes** to confirm. - In the **Confirm Delete** dialog window, type the word **Delete** and click ![OK](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TMO%20APP%20Icons/OK.png?width=54&height=22&name=OK.png) **OK**. **To delete an account from the Construction Budget Master Chart of Accounts:** - **Select** an account from the grid and click ![delete](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Icons/delete.png?width=15&height=15&name=delete.png) **Delete**. - Click ![YES button](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YES%20button.png?width=52&height=18&name=YES%20button.png) **Yes** to confirm. - In the Confirm Delete dialog window, type the word **Delete** and click ![OK](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/TMO%20APP%20Icons/OK.png?width=54&height=22&name=OK.png) **OK**. | | ![](https://help.themortgageoffice.com/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-Jul-19-2023-02-59-21-2353-PM.png?width=42&height=24&name=image-png-Jul-19-2023-02-59-21-2353-PM.png) | Click to **preview** and **print** a chart of accounts. 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