Setup step on the Main account categories page · General ledger
Set up Main account categories
Used to create categories and link main accounts to them, so their balances are aggregated in default financial reports and Power BI.
- Used by
- Accountant, Accounting manager, Accounting supervisor and 8 more roles
- Business process
- Prepare financial statements
- Menu item
MainAccountCategory- Main table
MainAccountCategory- Data entity
MainAccountCategoryEntity- Setup steps
- 1 on this page
Show what matters for
Everyone
1What it is and why
| What it is | Groupings of main accounts that are more detailed than the main account type. |
|---|---|
| What you do here | Used to create categories and link main accounts to them, so their balances are aggregated in default financial reports and Power BI. |
| Example | Create granular categories such as Cash, Fixed Assets, Short-term Investments, Accounts Receivable, and Accounts Payable. |
Functional consultant · Solution architect
2Where it fits
| Business process | Close financial periods › Prepare financial statements |
|---|---|
| Menu path | General ledger › Chart of accounts › Accounts › Main account categories |
| Set up first | Main accounts Microsoft Learn ↗ |
| Used next by | Financial reports Microsoft Learn ↗ |
| Related pages | — |
| In this process | Set up Financial reporting setup → |
End user · Functional consultant
3How to do it
Step by step, with screenshots
Set up Main account categories1 screen
Used to create categories and link main accounts to them, so their balances are aggregated in default financial reports and Power BI.
Screen 1
Review the main account categories
Go to General ledger > Chart of accounts > Accounts > Main account categories
- Find the AP category in the list
- Select New only if you need a category that is not there
1Main account category AP Description Accounts payable 
Show the full screen
page title tab to open what to set or check
Microsoft's steps
- Go to General ledger > Chart of accounts > Accounts > Main account categories.
- Select New.
- In the Main account category field, enter a unique name.
- In the Description field, enter a description.
- In the Main account type field, select the main account type to link to the category.
- Select Link main accounts.
- Select the Linked checkbox for each main account to add to the category.
- Select OK, and then select Yes.
Source: Microsoft Learn ↗
Field guide
| Field | What it means | Worked example | Table column |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main account type | The general classification, such as balance sheet or profit and loss, that the category belongs to.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | — |
| Linked | Adds a main account to the category so its balance is added up with the others in reports.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | — |
| Closed | Makes the category inactive so it can no longer be linked to main accounts.Microsoft Learn ↗ | — | Closed |
| Main account category | — | AP | AccountCategory |
| Description | — | Accounts payable | Description |
Functional consultant
4Setup decisions
| Setup step | Recommended value and why | Decision · common mistake · test |
|---|---|---|
| Set up Main account categories | — | — |
Solution architect
5Design impact
| Shared or per company | Shared: the same records are used by every legal entity. Microsoft data model ↗ |
|---|---|
| Can it be undone | — |
| Feature or country | — |
| If you change it later | The name, description and main account type can be changed at any time. Default categories can be renamed but not deleted, and a closed category can no longer be linked to main accounts. Microsoft Learn ↗ |
Technical architect
6Technical
| Menu item | MainAccountCategory Checked in Dynamics 365 |
|---|---|
| Form | MainAccountCategory Checked in Dynamics 365 |
| Table | MainAccountCategoryShown as “Main account categories” in Record infoChecked in Dynamics 365 |
| Data entities | MainAccountCategoryEntityMain account categories Microsoft data model ↗ |
| Who can open it | PrivilegesMaintain main account categories MainAccountCategoryMaintainView main account categories MainAccountCategoryViewDutiesInquire into chart of account master LedgerChartOfAccountsInquireMaintain chart of accounts master LedgerChartOfAccountsMaintain11 security rolesBudget clerkBudgetBudgetClerkBudget contributor BudgetBudgetContributorBudget manager BudgetBudgetManagerChief executive officer CompanyChiefExecutiveOfficerChief financial officer CompanyChiefFinancialOfficerAccounts receivable manager CustInvoiceAccountsReceivableManagerAccountant LedgerAccountantAccounting manager LedgerAccountingManagerAccounting supervisor LedgerAccountingSupervisorFinancial controller LedgerFinancialControllerAccounts payable manager VendInvoiceAccountsPayableManager |
| Actions on the page | Buttons: Link main accountsChecked in Dynamics 365 |
Developer
7Developer
| Open it directly | https://<your-environment>/?mi=MainAccountCategory |
|---|---|
| Integrate with | MainAccountCategoryEntity data entity Microsoft data model ↗ |
| Table definition | MainAccountCategory columns and relations Microsoft data model ↗ |
Everyone
8Sources and checks
- learn.microsoft.com/dynamics365/finance/general-ledger/tasks/set-up-main-account-categories
- learn.microsoft.com/dynamics365/finance/general-ledger/tasks/set-up-main-account-categories
- learn.microsoft.com/common-data-model/schema/core/operationscommon/tables/finance/ledger/main/mainaccountcategory
- learn.microsoft.com/training/modules/set-up-chart-accounts-finance/main-account-categories
- Checked in a working Dynamics 365 system, version 10.0.49: the menu item, form, table and security, the page, the demo records and the values in the screenshots.
GL-COA-030 — Set up Main account categories. Beyond ERP Atlas Hub, snapshot 2026-10-16, partly verified. https://www.beyonderp.cloud/atlas/step/GL-COA-030