Categorising Expenses Correctly: BAS Account Basics
By CodexierPublished 5 min read
Almost every Swedish company books its transactions against the BAS chart of accounts, whether in Fortnox, Visma or another system. You do not need to learn all of it — a few dozen accounts cover nearly all everyday expenses. This guide explains how the chart is organised, which accounts matter for a small business, and the categorisation mistakes that cost time and money at year end.
How the BAS chart is organised
BAS is a four-digit system maintained by the BAS organisation and used by virtually all Swedish accounting software. The first digit is the account class, the second the group, and the last two narrow it down. Your system ships with a standard chart; small companies can often simplify to fewer accounts, as long as the categories still separate what the tax return and annual accounts need to see separately.
| Class | Contents | Everyday example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Assets | Equipment, bank account, customer receivables |
| 2 | Equity and liabilities | Owner withdrawals, supplier debts, VAT, tax |
| 3 | Revenue | Sales of services and goods |
| 4 | Goods, materials, some purchased services | Stock for resale, materials for a job, services bought from abroad |
| 5–6 | Other external costs | Rent, software, phone, travel, advertising, accounting fees |
| 7 | Staff and depreciation | Salaries, employer contributions, depreciation of equipment |
| 8 | Financial items and results | Interest, tax on profit |
Common expense accounts
These accounts cover the bulk of a typical small service business. Check the names against your own chart — some systems use slightly different wording — but the numbers are standard BAS.
| Account | Name | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 5010 | Premises rent | Office or workshop rent |
| 5410 | Consumable equipment | Low-value equipment such as a monitor or a drill |
| 5420 | Software | Software licences and subscriptions |
| 5460 | Consumables | Materials used up in the business |
| 5800 / 5810 | Travel / tickets | Train, flight and bus tickets for business trips |
| 5910 | Advertising | Google Ads, Meta ads, printed material |
| 6110 | Office supplies | Paper, pens, small office items |
| 6212 | Mobile phone | Company mobile subscription |
| 6230 | Data communication | Internet connection, hosting |
| 6530 / 6550 | Accounting / consulting fees | Accountant, lawyer, other consultants |
| 6570 | Bank charges | Account fees, card and payment fees |
Many companies book SaaS on 5420 and IT services such as hosting or support on 6540. Pick one rule and keep it.
Representation, travel and equipment
These three areas cause most of the questions because the tax rules and the accounting do not match one to one.
Representation
Split it: 6071 for the deductible part, 6072 for the non-deductible part. Food and drink at client entertainment is not deductible for income tax, while part of the VAT can be. Always note who attended and the business purpose on the receipt.
Travel
Tickets on 5810, hotel and meals in Sweden on 5831, abroad on 5832. If a sole trader uses a private car, book the standard mileage allowance instead of fuel receipts.
Equipment
Items with a life over three years and a value over half a price base amount go to 1220 and are depreciated. Cheaper items, or items with a short life, can be expensed on 5410.
VAT on different expenses
Input VAT goes to 2640 and is only deductible if the receipt shows it and the cost belongs to VAT-liable business. Different expenses carry different rates, and some carry none.
- Most goods and services: 25 percent, as shown on the receipt.
- Hotel stays, food and domestic passenger transport: lower rates. Book exactly what the receipt shows rather than assuming.
- Bank charges, insurance and postage stamps: usually no VAT at all.
- Software and advertising bought from EU suppliers such as Google or Meta: usually no Swedish VAT on the invoice. You apply reverse charge, booking both output VAT (2614) and input VAT (2645), which net to zero but must appear on the VAT return.
- Representation and passenger cars: VAT deduction is limited by specific rules — check Skatteverket's current guidance.
Mistakes accountants fix most
- Deducting VAT on foreign SaaS invoices that never contained Swedish VAT.
- Booking all entertainment on one account, so nobody can tell the deductible part from the rest.
- Private purchases on the company card left on a cost account instead of being booked as an owner withdrawal or a receivable to repay.
- A laptop expensed in one go when it should be equipment, or the reverse.
- Receipts missing or unreadable — see what Skatteverket accepts as a digital receipt.
- The same supplier booked on different accounts from month to month.
When do you not need help? If you have a handful of transactions a month and your accounting software suggests accounts that you check, doing it yourself is fine. Help pays off when volume grows or when month-end keeps slipping. Our bookkeeping and finance admin support handles the categorising and preparation, billed by the hour as listed on the pricing page; your accountant still signs off the annual accounts. Book a call if you want to see whether it fits.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use the BAS chart of accounts?
The law does not name BAS, but almost all Swedish accounting software, accountants and Skatteverket's forms are built around it. Using it saves everyone time.
Which account should software subscriptions go on?
Most companies use 5420 for software licences and subscriptions. Some use 6540 for IT services. Either works as long as you are consistent and handle VAT correctly for foreign suppliers.
Can I deduct the VAT on a business lunch with a client?
Partly. The meal is not deductible for income tax, but VAT can be deducted on a limited amount per person. Book the split between 6071 and 6072 and note guests and purpose on the receipt.
What if I booked something on the wrong account?
Correct it with a new correction entry that refers to the original, rather than deleting the original entry. The audit trail must show both.
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