---
title: "How do I create a chart of accounts?"
slug: "how-do-i-create-a-chart-of-accounts"
updated: 2026-01-16T11:29:32Z
published: 2026-01-16T11:29:32Z
canonical: "support.lusid.com/how-do-i-create-a-chart-of-accounts"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.lusid.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How do I create a chart of accounts?

You can create a chart of accounts (CoA) that constitutes a repository for the following components:

- Any number of [general ledger accounts](/v1/docs/how-do-i-add-general-ledger-accounts-to-a-chart-of-accounts).
- One or more [posting modules](/v1/docs/how-do-i-add-a-posting-module-with-posting-rules-to-a-chart-of-accounts), each containing rules to post journal entry lines to particular accounts.
- Optionally, one or more [cleardown modules](/v1/docs/how-do-i-add-a-cleardown-module-with-cleardown-rules-to-a-chart-of-accounts), each containing rules to transfer P&L balances to particular accounts at year end.
- Optionally, one or more [general ledger profiles](/v1/docs/how-do-i-add-a-general-ledger-profile-with-mappings-to-a-chart-of-accounts), each enabling breakdown of account activity in financial reports in a particular way.

## Methods

LUSID web appLUSID APILuminesce

Call the [CreateChartOfAccounts](https://www.lusid.com/docs/api/lusid/endpoints/chart-of-accounts/CreateChartOfAccounts) API, for example:

```json
curl -X POST 'https://<your-domain>.lusid.com/api/api/chartofaccounts/CoAs'
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json-patch+json' 
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer <your-API-access-token>'
  -d '{
  "code": "DailyCoA",
  "displayName": "Daily CoA",
  "description": "This is a CoA for a daily NAV",
  "properties": {
    "ChartOfAccounts/CoAs/FundManagerName": {
      "key": "ChartOfAccounts/CoAs/FundManagerName",
      "value": {
        "labelValue": "John Smith"
      },
      "effectiveFrom": "2023-03-05T00:00:00.0000000+00:00"
    }
  }
}'
```

Navigate to **Fund Accounting > Chart of Accounts**, open the **Chart of Accounts** tab and click the **Create chart of accounts** button:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/image(63).png)

Write a Luminesce SQL query using the [Lusid.ChartOfAccounts.Writer](/v1/docs/lusidchartofaccountswriter) provider and execute it using a tool such as the LUSID web app, for example:

![](https://cdn.document360.io/d575ad81-c0ed-4980-bbd1-d59ac5c3de82/Images/Documentation/image(969).png)

## Data fields and properties

This section supplements the [API documentation](https://www.lusid.com/docs/api/lusid/endpoints/chart-of-accounts/CreateChartOfAccounts) and on-screen help text in the LUSID web app.

### Fields

A chart of accounts is identified by a `scope` and a `code` that must be unique within that scope.

The `displayName` and `description` fields are information fields only.

### Properties

You can optionally extend the data model of a CoA by adding [custom properties](/v1/docs/properties) from the `ChartOfAccounts` domain, either when you create it or subsequently using the [UpsertChartOfAccountsProperties](https://www.lusid.com/docs/api#operation/UpsertChartOfAccountsProperties) API.

## Subsequent updates

You can call the [PatchChartOfAccounts](https://www.lusid.com/docs/api/lusid/endpoints/chart-of-accounts/PatchChartOfAccounts) API to change just the `displayName` and `description` fields. To delete a CoA, call the [DeleteChartOfAccounts](https://www.lusid.com/docs/api/lusid/endpoints/chart-of-accounts/DeleteChartOfAccounts) API.