> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.pleo.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Classifying Expenses: Tags, Categories, and Tax Codes
Tags, Categories, and Tax Codes are the three pieces of accounting metadata a spender interacts with when they submit an expense in Pleo. Each piece is kept up to date by a different import sync, but they all come together on the same expense:
* **Tags Sync** brings in Accounting Dimensions and Values as Tag Groups and Tags, which spenders can assign to an expense
* **Chart of Accounts Sync** brings in accounts, which bookkeepers map to Categories that spenders select on an expense
* **Tax Sync** brings in Tax Codes, which bookkeepers set as the default on a Category so the correct tax code is auto-selected when a spender picks that Category
Each sync adds one puzzle piece. None of them alone is the full picture, but together they determine how an expense is classified before it is exported back to the Accounting System.
## How the Pieces Fit Together
```mermaid theme={null}
%%{init: {"themeVariables": {"fontSize": "12px"}}}%%
flowchart TD
AS_tags["Accounting System Dimensions & Values"]
AS_coa["Accounting System Chart of Accounts"]
AS_tax["Accounting System Tax Codes"]
Spender["Spender"]
subgraph integration["Integration"]
tags_sync["Tags Sync"]
coa_sync["Chart of Accounts Sync"]
tax_sync["Tax Sync"]
export["Export API"]
end
subgraph pleo["Pleo"]
tags["Tag Groups & Tags"]
coa["Chart of Accounts"]
categories["Categories"]
tax["Tax Codes"]
expense["Expense"]
expense_export["Expense Export"]
end
AS_out["Accounting System"]
AS_tags --> tags_sync
tags_sync -->|"Tag Groups & Tags synced in"| tags
AS_coa --> coa_sync
coa_sync -->|"accounts synced in"| coa
coa -->|"bookkeeper maps accounts to categories"| categories
AS_tax --> tax_sync
tax_sync -->|"tax codes synced in"| tax
tax -->|"bookkeeper sets default tax code on category (Pleo Web App)"| categories
Spender -->|"submits expense, selects category, assigns Tags"| expense
categories -->|"default tax code auto-selected"| expense
tags -->|"Tags available for selection"| expense
expense -->|"bookkeeper confirms or overrides"| expense_export
expense_export --> export
export -->|"exported with category, tax code, and Tags"| AS_out
style AS_tags fill:none,stroke:#000000
style AS_coa fill:none,stroke:#000000
style AS_tax fill:none,stroke:#000000
style AS_out fill:none,stroke:#000000
style Spender fill:none,stroke:#000000
style integration fill:none,stroke:#000000
style pleo fill:none,stroke:#000000
```
1. **Tags Sync** and **Chart of Accounts Sync** and **Tax Sync** each run independently, bringing their respective data into Pleo from the Accounting System
2. A bookkeeper maps synced accounts to Categories, and sets a default Tax Code on each Category, in the Pleo Web App
3. When a spender submits an expense, they select a Category and can assign Tags; the Category's default Tax Code is auto-selected
4. The bookkeeper confirms or overrides these before the expense is exported back to the Accounting System with its Category, Tax Code, and Tags attached
## The Three Import Syncs
Syncs Accounting Dimensions and Values into Pleo as Tag Groups and Tags, which spenders assign to expenses.
Syncs the Chart of Accounts into Pleo, which bookkeepers map to Categories that spenders select.
Syncs Tax Codes into Pleo, which bookkeepers set as the default on a Category.
## Configuring Tags, Categories and Tax Codes
### Syncing These with Your Custom Integration
If you're building a custom integration, the how-to articles cover the implementation-level detail: curl requests, pseudo code, and screenshots showing how the resulting changes appear in the Pleo Web App.
Step-by-step how-to articles for syncing Tags, Chart of Accounts, and Tax Codes.
### Configuring These Without a Custom Integration
Tags, Categories, and Tax Codes can all be set up manually in the Pleo Web App if you don't need a custom sync:
* [How to Set Up Your Tax Codes](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000254846-how-to-set-up-your-tax-codes)
* [How to Set Up Your Categories](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000254857-how-to-set-up-your-categories) (includes a walkthrough video)
* [How to Set Up Your Tags](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000254859-how-to-set-up-your-tags) (includes a walkthrough video)
## Exporting the Expense to Your AS
Once an expense carries a Category, Tax Code, and Tags, it is ready to be exported to the Accounting System.
Understand the end-to-end lifecycle of exporting an expense: job creation, detection, validation, per-item processing, and status updates.
### Exporting Without a Custom Integration
If you don't need a custom export integration, expenses can be exported manually from the Pleo Web App:
* [How to Export Expenses](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000303993-how-to-export-expenses)
***
## Related Reading
* [Tags Sync Overview](/docs/current/platform/accounting-integrations/imports/tags/tags-sync-overview)
* [Chart of Accounts Sync Overview](/docs/current/platform/accounting-integrations/imports/accounts/accounts-sync-overview)
* [Tax Sync Overview](/docs/current/platform/accounting-integrations/imports/tax-codes/tax-sync-overview)
* [Export Integration Workflow Guide](/docs/current/guides/export-integration-workflow-guide)
* [Accounts Payable & Invoices](/docs/current/integration-design/exports/integration-design-exports-bookkeeping-method-accounts-payable)
* [Vendors API Overview](/reference/vendor/vendors-api-overview)
* [Paying a Supplier Invoice Using Pleo Web App](https://help.pleo.io/en/support/solutions/articles/103000285539-paying-a-supplier-invoice)
***