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Creating Out Cost Groups

Using out cost allows dealers to create a burden cost on items by adding a certain percentage to their actual cost, thus enabling them to protect their margin. You want to make sure that all costs for selling the item are completely covered. Using out cost ensures that you are not using your percent of the profit to cover unforeseen costs. For example, suppose the actual cost for an item is $100 and the burden cost or out cost for that item is $110. If the sales person sells the item for $200, the commission is calculated based on the margin between sell price and the out cost rather than the margin between the sell price and the actual cost.

Out cost groups allow you to have different groups of items with one percentage assigned to each different group. For example, you can configure all parts to have an out cost percentage of 10% and all equipment to have an out cost percentage of 5%. However, it is not necessary to create out cost groups; you may use the default out cost group that ships with e-automate.

Out cost groups can be overridden by out cost codes. An out cost code is an out cost that is assigned to individual employees for a particular period of time. For example, if the actual cost of an item is $100, you can set two out cost codes, one for $110 and one for $115. Then, you could assign the $110 out cost code to Bob for a specified period of time and the $115 out cost code to Mary for a specified period of time. Once the specified period of time is up, the out cost rate will return back to the rate specified by the out cost group.

You can use the bulk update functionality to batch assign out cost groups to your inventory items.

Getting to the TransactionGetting to the Transaction

From the Tools menu, select Lists and Codes to open the Lists and Codes window.

In the Select a List or Code type field, use the drop-down menu to select Out Cost Groups.

Click [New] to open the New Out Cost Group window.

Basic InfoBasic Info

Complete the following fields as appropriate:

Out Cost Group: Name of the out cost group.

Description: Brief description of the out cost group.

Default rate: The percentage you would like to add to the actual cost of items you will assign to this out cost group.

Completing the TransactionCompleting the Transaction

Click [OK] to save the out cost group.