Articles on: Finance & Accounting

Animal cost basis and starting values

An animal's cost basis is what it cost you: the price you paid, or the starting value your records begin with. Creatures uses it to work out your profit when you sell. It is not the same as a management value, an estimate of what the animal is worth today.


Add the details for one animal


  1. Open the animal's profile, select the Finance tab, then select Add setup details. Once details are saved, it reads Edit setup details.
  2. Just above Finance details, find How did (name) come to you? and choose Purchased or Bred or born here. This answer is private to you, and Finance counts the animal the same way.


Where Magnus of Glen Lyon came from, with Purchased chosen for How did Magnus of Glen Lyon come to you?


  1. Under Finance details, turn on Track this animal in my finance book. If you keep more than one set of records, pick one under Record set.
  2. Choose an Intended use, such as Breeding, Dairy or Market / resale. Pick Not sure yet if you want to ask your accountant first.
  3. Enter the Acquisition date. For a breeding or working animal, you can also add Placed in service, the date it started breeding or earning.
  4. For a purchased animal, enter the Purchase price. Once a price is recorded, the form says "Purchase price is already recorded" instead, so the same cost never counts twice. You can attach a Bill of sale or paperwork too.
  5. Select Save changes.


Finance details with Track this animal in my finance book turned on, Breeding, both dates and a purchase price already recorded


If that question isn't there, or you leave it as Not recorded, choose Purchased or Bred or born in my program under For Finance, count this animal as: instead. If you pick another answer, such as Adopted from a rescue or shelter, the Finance details close.


These details stay private. Homebred animals have no purchase price box. If your accountant wants a starting value for a homebred or adopted animal, use the review steps below.


No Finance records yet? Skip step 1: select Edit profile on the animal's profile, then follow steps 2 to 7. After you turn on Track this animal in my finance book, confirm your records' currency.


Afterwards, the Animal setup panel on the Finance tab shows your answers: how the animal came to you, its main use and its dates.


Animal setup panel for Magnus showing Purchased for how he came to you, Breeding as the main use and both dates


Bought through a Creatures transfer


If a price was recorded when the animal was transferred to you, the Finance tab may show Add what you paid to your finances. Select the button with the amount, such as Add USD 3,200.00 to my finances. It goes into your default records. If you don't have Finance records yet, confirm their currency first. See Transferring an animal to its new owner.


Import starting values for many animals


  1. In Finance, select Accountant tools. Open Setup and other tools, select Animal starting values, then select Import animal starting values.
  2. Upload a CSV or Excel file, or paste rows. In the animal column, use each animal's handle (the last part of its profile link), not its name. The import never creates profiles, so add missing animals first.
  3. Select Preview and map columns.
  4. Check the matches under Match your columns and the totals under What will be added. Nothing is saved yet.
  5. Select Import mapped values.


Match your columns with the animal, how you got it, main use, acquisition date and purchase price matched, and What will be added showing two animals worth USD 11,100.00


Importing a file twice won't double the values. If an animal already has a different starting value, the import stops at that row and saves nothing, so check that animal's Finance tab first. Only the records' owner can import.


Turn an estimate into a starting value


  1. In Finance, select Accountant tools. Open Setup and other tools, then select Inventory valuation.
  2. Check the box next to an animal that has a value but no book value (the starting value in your records). Then select Review 1 book value.
  3. Check the value source, Acquisition date, Finance (Purchased or Raised) and Intended use. The date starts as a batch default, so fix it if needed.
  4. Select Add 1 book value.


Review for Bonnie with her owner estimate, date, Finance set to Raised, intended use and Add 1 book value


The review also lists accounting lines for your bookkeeper. You don't need to change them.


On the same page, owners can fix a recorded amount with the pencil next to it under Book value. The pencil keeps the animal's Intended use, such as Breeding, as it was. This works until part of that value is used, for example in a sale. After that, ask your bookkeeper.


Not sure which amount belongs in your books? Ask your accountant. You can track income and expenses without a starting value.



Updated on: 05/11/2026

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