Direct Costs | Definition, Illustrations | Estimate Direct Cost

by Shamsul
Direct Cost and Indirect Cost
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Post updated on 29th July 2023

Direct Costs | Definition, Illustrations | Estimate Direct Cost

Direct costs could be defined as the costs that are exclusively budgeted for specific services or goods. This kind of cost is not split between various activities which are going on in the organization, such as costs that are indirect.  Direct costs are the bulk of the larger part of a budget mapped out for a project.

Such costs are considered the most crucial outlay in the production process. In this write-up, I will tell you the meaning of the term Direct Cost, give different illustrations, and give you a formula for working out direct cost.

A direct cost is an expenditure directly connected to a particular cost item, for instance, a commercial project, a production department or process and so on. A direct cost, by and large, is a set cost; all the same, it adjusts to the modification in the quantity of output produced.

 

Definition of the term Direct Costs

Majorly, there are two foremost broad classifications of costs that have to do with any business. These are indirect costs and direct costs.   An indirect cost is a cost that is not directly linked to a certain project.

In a cost sheet, direct costs are placed at the uppermost position. In addition, they account for eighty percent of the entire budget designated for a task. For instance, the costs needed to purchase natural resources are good examples of direct costs.

Natural resources could be used only to carry out production activities. They cannot be channeled to be utilized in some other way. As a result, the cost of natural resources cannot be split among various activities that are going on in the organization, such as indirect costs.

Illustration

Natural   ResourcesTools, in addition to machinery are important in any given industry, as well as all industries. If there is no machinery, there will be no work done in virtually every industry. For this reason, the expenses of the two are directly linked up to the process of production. While this stands true in situations of industries that manufacture goods, the cost of machinery could as well be linked to the service industry. In the setting of a service industry, even though the key costs are salaries and wages of employees, some chunk of that cost is further expended on machinery. For instance, coffee machines and microwaves are made use of in restaurants.
Cost of laborThe wages paid to those who provide labor which speed along the process of production serve as an example of a direct cost that is linked to the manufacture of a specific good. It is the most prevalent cost acquired by the majority of industries.
Cost for machineryThe cost taken to deliver materials to the factory, as well as to send out finished goods is a direct cost connected to the process of production.
Commission for salesA commission is paid to a sales representative so as to build up the sales. The expense of that commission paid to the salesperson over the trade of a given good is directly linked to the good and as a result, it is a good example of a direct cost.
Consignment in or outThe cost taken to deliver materials to the factory, as well as to send out finished goods, is a direct cost connected to the process of production.

Read More: History of Amazon.com for Online Shopping

 

Dissimilarities Between Indirect Cost and Direct Cost

Just like we have said earlier, a direct cost is directly related to the process. These include the expense of raw materials, consumable supplies, and labor. Such items are used simply for manufacturing a specific product but are neither here nor there for other activities in that organization.

On the other hand, an indirect cost is associated with supplies that are utilized for two or more processes, such as office supplies, rent of the building, salaries of office assistants and accountants, internet expenses, electricity and a host of others.

Expenses like this could also be alluded to as overhead costs. Such expenses are not linked to only one process.

 

The Steps to Estimate Direct Costs

Direct costs take up the major part of a budget. As a result, it is essential to know and evaluate direct costs to diminish these costs and maximize your profits.

The process of evaluating indirect expenses is easy and far less complicated than the process of evaluating direct costs.

Since a direct cost is straight away linked to a singular activity and cannot get used for some other activity. A direct cost earmarked for a project could be evaluated simply by adding up every direct cost associated with the activity.

Right below, I will show you the process of how to evaluate some direct costs, well illustrated with the aid of an instance.

1- Write out every one of the direct expenses that have to do with the process:

In the production process, various direct expenses are involved. It is recommended that you write out an inventory of every likely direct cost prior to your drawing up a budget. Let us use as an example a company called ABC that is about to commence the process of producing a product called DEF.

There has to be a budget earmarked for the process of production. This budget could be organized by working out every possible kind of direct expense, for instance, the cost of labor, raw materials, consumable provisions, machinery, packaging, and a sales commission.

 

2- List out the direct expense for every item:

In this following stage, you have to apportion the prices of the direct cost towards each item. You should not just make up the prices randomly. Each price should be worked out, following the necessity of output from production. Let us give value to expenditure associated with the manufacture of this product DEF, as made up by us.

Natural resources are the most essential aspects of the process of production. It is impossible for the process of production even to commence when natural resources are unavailable. Let us take it that the natural materials needed to produce the good called DEF have a value of $20,000. Let us give each production cost a value.

In this illustration, we are making up the figures. In other respects, these prices would be got after looking at past projects and comparing provisions from various retailers. The total amount earmarked for labor comes to $10,000. The expenditure for the necessary machinery is $50,000. The price of consumable supplies is $8000. The packaging is put at $3000, and a sales commission comes to $10,000.

 

3- Put together all these direct costs related to the production process.

The total sum of these direct expenses for the production process would reach by summing up every one of the direct expenses of the production process.

Prices of natural materials – $20,000

Price of labour -$10,000

Cost for machinery – $50,000

Cost for consumable supplies -$8000

Expense for packaging – $3000

Expenses for sales commission – $10,000

GROSS DIRECT COST = $101,000

The gross direct expenses for producing product DEF come to $101,000, plus the entire cost of making product DEF would as well have the indirect expenses. The addition of the indirect costs to the direct costs will help you arrive at the complete amount for production.

This project can yield profit only if the profits generated are more than the entire expense for production.

 
 

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