How do Line Items work?

Short Description Line Items split a Tactic's cost across time periods or categories. This article explains the allocation mechanisms and how Line Items connect to your Finance Budget.

What this article answers

What a Line Item is and why you'd use one.
The four allocation methods (Custom, First, Last, Evenly).
How Line Items link to Finance Budget lines.

What a Line Item is

A Line Item is a cost component of a Tactic. While a Tactic has a single Planned Cost at the top level, Line Items let you break that cost down by:

Time period — month, quarter, custom range.
Finance Budget line — tying spend to a specific budget bucket.
Custom category — vendor, channel, asset type, etc.

You'd use Line Items when a Tactic spans multiple months or needs to be tied to specific budget allocations for finance reporting.

[SCREENSHOT NEEDED — Tactic Inspection Window with Line Items section open]

Adding a Line Item

Open the Tactic's Inspection Window.
Go to the Line Items section (often under Budget / Costs).
Click Add Line Item.
Configure:
- Time period or category.
- Allocation method (see below).
- Amount.
- Finance Budget link, if your instance requires it.
Save.

Allocation methods

When a Line Item spans multiple time periods, you choose how the amount is distributed:

Custom allocation

You enter the amount for each period manually. The total must equal the Line Item's amount. If your instance allows unallocated amounts in Line Items, you can leave some periods at zero and a remainder unassigned.

Evenly

Hive9 splits the amount equally across the periods in the Line Item's range. Five months at $10K = $2K per month.

First

The full amount lands in the first period in the range. The other periods get zero.

Last

The full amount lands in the last period. Used for payments that hit at end-of-campaign.

Sys_Gen Balance

Your Tactic's Sys_Gen_Balance field shows the difference between the Tactic's Planned Cost and the sum of its Line Items:

Balance = 0 — Line Items add up exactly to the Tactic's Planned Cost.
Balance > 0 — Line Items sum to less than Planned Cost (under-allocated).
Balance < 0 — Line Items exceed Planned Cost.

If your instance has Prevent negative Sys_Gen_Balance turned on, Hive9 blocks you from saving Line Items that would exceed the Tactic's Planned Cost. Reduce the Line Item or increase the Planned Cost.

Finance Budget linking

If your instance has Finance Budget Link Required on Line Item creation enabled, every Line Item must link to a specific Finance Budget line. This:

Pulls spend on this Line Item into the Finance Budget for tracking.
Subjects the Line Item to the Finance Budget's hard limits (if configured).
Surfaces the Line Item in Finance Budget audit logs.

Pick the Finance Budget line from the dropdown when creating the Line Item. If you don't see appropriate budgets, ask your finance team or admin to set them up.

Common questions

Can I have multiple Line Items on one Tactic? Yes — that's the point. A Tactic often has several Line Items, each for a different period, vendor, or budget line.

Do Line Items roll up to the Tactic's Actual Cost? Yes — Line Item actuals roll up to the Tactic, which rolls up to its parent Program/Campaign/Plan.

Can I edit a Line Item after the Tactic is approved? Yes, typically. Whether the edit triggers re-approval depends on your workflow's cost-change rules.

What's the difference between a Line Item and a Purchase Request line? Line Items are planning-side cost components. Purchase Request lines are spending-side commitments that draw from Line Items and Finance Budget lines. See Purchase Requests — creating one (forthcoming).