Hi Helen,
Thanks for sharing the screenshot, it really helps clarify the mismatch between your purchase invoice lines and the resulting Project Ledger Entries. You're absolutely right to question why the unit cost in the ledger entries appears inflated it looks like the total line amount was posted as the unit cost instead of being divided by quantity.
Here’s what’s likely happening and how to prevent it:
1. Check the Line Type and Cost Allocation Logic
If the purchase invoice line is linked to a G/L Account or Charge Item, and not an actual Item, Business Central may treat the full line amount as a lump-sum cost and apply it directly to the project—without dividing by quantity.
- This can result in the Total Cost being correct, but the Unit Cost appearing inflated because it equals the full line amount
- It’s especially common when using Resources, G/L Accounts, or Fixed Assets on purchase lines
2. Review the Job Cost Posting Setup
Go to Jobs Setup and check the Job Posting Group assigned to the project. If the posting group is configured to post Total Cost without calculating Unit Cost, this behavior is expected.
- You can adjust the posting group to ensure Unit Cost = Total Cost ÷ Quantity
- Also confirm that the Job Task Type is set correctly—some types default to lump-sum posting
3. Validate the Line Details Before Posting
Before posting the invoice, open the Statistics page or use Preview Posting to confirm how costs will be distributed.
- If the Unit Price is zero and only Line Amount is populated, BC may assume a lump-sum cost
- Make sure Direct Unit Cost and Quantity are both filled in accurately
Here’s a helpful link showing how to configure purchase invoice lines and job cost posting behavior:
Record purchases with purchase invoices – Microsoft Learn
Correct Posted Purchase Invoices – CloudFronts
Job Costing and Ledger Entries – Dynamics 365 Lab
If you find this helpful, feel free to mark this as the suggested or verified answer.
Cheers
Jeffrey
