Costings

Overview 

• For every specification, there is a linked Costing that is added to an Estimate.

• Costings are used to collate several costs which consist of Materials, Services, and Outwork.

• Groups can be used to separate, for example, Flexo from Digital Costings.

Navigation: Main Menu > Setup > Costings

Views 

• There are two views (Click Menu (button)):

  • Default View: Lists all the Components.

  • Items View: Lists all the Component Items.

• Click Edit (button) to enable editing.

• Different Batch Update actions are provided in both Views.

• The Costing Status options are Draft, Review, or Ready. Statuses can be changed using Batch Update actions.

• Costings can be deleted from Actions (button) > Delete multi-selected Costings. However, costings linked to Products cannot be deleted.

Costing Types 

Substrate (Sheet) 

• This type is used to list paper or any other substrate at its Work Size (i.e. the Size (DxW) that will be used to print on).

• Typically, it includes a Material and an optional Service to cut the Material down to the Work Size.

• The Depth and Width need to be oriented according to how it's fed into the printing machine. The Sheet Size must be equal to the Worksheet Size.

• Qty = Part (Worksheet Qty).

Substrate (Reel) 

• This type is used to list paper or any other substrate that is supplied and printed on a Reel.

• The Width needs to be a valid width that can be used on Printing Costings linked to the same Product.

• Typically, it includes a Material as well as an optional Service to cut the Material down to the working size width.

• Qty = Part (Length m).

Substrate (sq. m) 

• This type is used to create custom sheets to match the Work Size.

• Pricing is in sq. m.

Materials 

• This type is used to add other Materials or Components to the Estimate.

Services 

• Services include Pre-press, Printing, Finishing, and Despatch Services.

• Tip for Printing Services: Include a Service to recover the machine time and consumables (e.g. ink used) or add a Click Charge (setup as materials) if applicable.

  • Unit = ea: The costs are for printing one sheet.

  • Unit = sq. m: The costs are calculated according to the Area that is printed. The Costing must be for a fixed percentage coverage of the printed area.

Costing Items 

• For this model to work, the Cost Items must be added at their actual cost prices.

• Select Menu (button) > Items to view the Costing Items.

• Click Edit (button) to edit the items in List View. If a field is editable the cursor flashes when you click the field.

• Click Actions (button) > Batch Update to update all the selected records. The fields that can be updated are:

  • Adjust

  • Qty

• When editing a costing (double click a costing from Default view to edit it) there are three sections:

  • Material (MAT):

    • Select a Material and enter the Fixed Qty and Unit Qty. (The list pops up after Material (button) is clicked. The list contains materials that have Cost Prices where Est = True.)

    • If the Cost Price is linked to a Supplier, the Supplier is copied to the Costing.

  • Service (SER):

    • Select a Cost Centre from the dropdown list. (The list pops up after Service (button) is clicked).

    • Enter a Description, the Fixed Hrs and speed in Qty/Hour.

  • Outwork (OWK):

    • Select a Supplier from the dropdown list. (The list pops up after Outwork (button) is clicked.)

    • Enter a Description and enter the Fixed and Unit Costs.

• Additional features:

  • Adjust: Checkbox. If checked, the Item is added to the Subtotal that is used to calculate the overall adjustment (Default = Checked).

  • Click Update (button) to update the Description, Supplier and Unit or Adjust fields for the selected Material items.

  • Product Estimating - Printing: You can add duplicate Costings to a Printing group (e.g. one used for single-sided, and one used for double-sided).

Qty Types 

The quantity (Qty) field determines how the Costing quantity is calculated on an estimate.

• Fixed Qty: The Costing Qty is fixed, regardless of the Job Qty, Est Qty or Part Qty.

• Job Qty: The Costing Qty is multiplied by the Job Qty.

• Part (Qty): The Costing Qty is multiplied by the Part Qty and the Job Qty. This quantity type sums all the Part quantities if it is used on a Service or Material that is not linked to a Part. 

• Part (WS Qty): The Costing Qty is multiplied by the Worksheet Qty (do not use on Reels).

• Part (Area sq.m): The Costing Qty is multiplied by the Job Qty, Part Qty, and Part Area square meter.

• Part (WS Area sq.m): Calculates the total area of Worksheets in sq. m.

• Part (Area sq.dm): The Costing Qty is multiplied by the Job Qty, Part Qty, and Part Area in square decimetres (10x10cm).

• Part (Perimeter m): The Costing Qty is multiplied by the Job Qty, Part Qty, and Part.

• Part (Length m): Calculates the length of the Job (do not use on Sheets).

• Part (WS Length m): Calculates the total length of the Worksheets (do not use on Sheets).

• Part (Width): Calculates the width in m of the linked Part.

• Part (Height): Calculates the height in m of the linked Part.

• Plate (Area sq.dm): Calculates the area that will be printed in sq.dm. (e.g. for calculating the Plate Size in Flexo Printing).

• Print (Area sq.m): The area in square meters is calculated by the Depth and Width entered into the Printing Costing. The Depth and Width can be entered on the Product or on an estimate. The area is multiplied by the Costing Qty, Part Qty (If linked to a Part) and Job Qty.

• Mat (Area sq.m): The area in square meters is calculated by the Depth and Width entered into the Material Costing. The Depth and Width can be entered on the Product or on an estimate. The area is multiplied by the Costing Qty, PartQty (If linked to a Part) and Job Qty.

• Est Qty: The Part Qty is multiplied by the Estimate Qty.  

Waste and Invalid Types

• If a Waste value is added to a Costing, it overrides the Product Waste setting. It is used to reduce or remove waste (e.g. for the mechanisms in Roll-up Banners).

• Invalid Qty Types in Costings are highlighted in the Product setup (e.g. Part... Qty Type is invalid if the Product does not use Parts).

• A Warning appears for invalid Qty Types. View the Costing tab for Qty Types which are highlighted in red.