Course Outline
Introduction to Cost Centers and Core Costing Concepts
- The role and architecture of cost centers
- Classifying costs: fixed, variable, direct, and indirect
- Aligning organizational units with cost centers
Establishing and Configuring Cost Centers
- Defining new cost centers and cost center groups
- Setting up responsibilities, hierarchies, and control parameters
- Managing master data and the lifecycle of cost centers
Identifying Cost Drivers and Setting Allocation Routines
- Selecting and defining appropriate cost drivers
- Choosing allocation methods and determining frequency
- Maintaining allocation rules and schedules
Integrating Machine Hours and Labor Hours
- Defining machine usage and operator labor hours
- Recording runtime metrics and operational logs
- Linking hours to cost centers for precise cost absorption
Bills of Materials (BOM) and Component Costing
- BOM structures and the principles of cost rollup
- Managing multi-level BOMs and phantom assemblies
- Component substitution and analyzing cost impact
Standard Costing, Variances, and Reconciliation
- Setting standard costs and managing updates
- Tracking and analyzing material and overhead variances
- Performing period-end reconciliation and taking corrective actions
Activity-Based Costing and Advanced Allocation Techniques
- Creating activity pools and assigning costs
- Computing activity rates and unit costs
- Evaluating ABC against traditional allocation methods
Absorption Costing and Cost Rollups
- Integrating machine hours, labor hours, and overheads into product costs
- End-to-end costing for finished goods and services
- Simulating cost scenarios and conducting what-if analyses
Controls, Auditability, and Compliance
- Implementing access controls and change governance
- Maintaining audit trails for cost adjustments and revaluations
- Addressing regulatory and reporting requirements
Performance, Optimization, and Cost Reduction Strategies
- Pinpointing high-impact cost drivers and bottlenecks
- Improving processes and analyzing cost-to-serve
- Continuous monitoring and designing KPIs for cost centers
Summary and Next Steps
Requirements
- A solid grasp of managerial accounting principles
- Familiarity with bills of materials and production processes
- Operational experience with ERP or financial systems
Target Audience
- Cost accountants and financial analysts
- Product costing and supply chain specialists
- ERP functional consultants and system integrators
Testimonials (4)
How to manage business financials
surprise mtileni - Hatima Holdings (Pty) ltd
Course - Learning Xero
Good communication, open for discussion, kept it interesting and engaging
Ahmet Keyman - Keytrade AG
Course - Management Accounting and Finance for Non-Finance Professionals
Experience of the trainer and his way of conveying the content
Roggli Marc - Bechtle Schweiz AG
Course - FinOps
The trainer did not leave a single minute unexploited! He was up a storm throughout every lesson and provided much material for whatever he dealt with.
