Custom Operating Expense

Add custom operating expenses in Bloom by connecting a Google Sheet, so each expense entry syncs into your dashboard by date.

What is a Custom Operating Expense?

Custom Operating Expense is a Bloom feature that lets you add your operating expenses through a Google Sheet connected to Bloom. Once connected, Bloom syncs every expense entry you add, based on date, directly into your dashboard. You don’t have to upload or select your own sheet because Bloom generates a dedicated Google Sheet that you rename and start filling in.

How it Works

Bloom creates one dedicated Google Sheet in your Google Drive using a default template. Each row you fill in represents one expense entry. When you sync, Bloom reads every row and updates your dashboard with the latest entries, placing each entry by the date you enter. The status column is system-generated: Bloom updates it automatically to show whether a row has synced, so you do not edit it yourself.

Data Available

The sheet Bloom generates comes with a default template containing the required fields for adding operating expenses. Each row is one expense entry.

Field	Description
line_item_name (Column A)	Required. Enter the name of the operating expense.
amount (Column B)	Required. Enter the expense amount. Only numeric values are allowed.
start_date (Column C)	Required. Enter the start date for the expense in yyyy-mm-dd format.
end_date (Column D)	Required. Enter the end date for the expense in yyyy-mm-dd format.
category (Column E)	Required. Choose the expense category from the dropdown list.
expense_type (Column F)	Required. Specify whether the expense is a Fixed amount or a percentage.
reoccurence (Column G)	Required. Specify how often the expense recurs (for example: weekly, monthly, yearly).
status (Column H)	System-generated. Automatically updates to show whether the row has synced to Bloom. You do not need to edit this column.

How to Use it

1. Go to Settings > Cost Settings > Operating Expense > Add via Google Sheets.

1. In "Add via Google Sheet", click "Link Google Sheet" to connect your Google Drive. This authorizes Bloom to create one Google Sheet in your Drive.

1. When prompted, enter a file name for your sheet, then click "Save and edit" to open it. Bloom generates the sheet with the default template.

1. Add your expense entries to the sheet, one row per expense, using the template fields above. Make sure every row has a date and an expense value, since incomplete rows may not sync. Do not change the column headers, because Bloom uses them to read and sync your data correctly.

2. Return to the Operating Expense page in Bloom and click "Open Sheet". A pop-up appears showing your connected sheet.

1. Click "Sync data" to start the sync. Bloom reads all rows and updates your dashboard with the latest entries. The sync usually completes within a few minutes.

1. Confirm each row's sync status in the status column of the Google Sheet. Bloom updates it automatically once the data has synced successfully.