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Cost Accounting
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Cost Accounting · Available now

Trace standard and actual cost into the ledger.

Cost Accounting keeps an organization's cost pools, cost objects, standard estimates, actual cost postings and variance records together. A preparer builds an estimate from quantities and standard rates, issues it through the native action, and records incurred cost against a pool.

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  • No per-user fees
  • Manual work is free
  • Configure it in Proto
OverviewCost Postings Pending Approval
Cost Accounting · Accounting documents

Cost Postings Pending Approval

Accounting documents in one list

New accounting document
Accounting documents in view
6
Total gross amount USD
3,070
Pending Approval
6
Record numberDocument dateCost poolGross amount USDStatus
AD-5286530 OctProduction engineering710Pending Approval
AD-2325916 OctQuality inspection250Pending Approval
AD-3940024 OctMaterial handling380Pending Approval
AD-2021316 OctAssembly labor support850Pending Approval
AD-1935723 OctCNC machining overhead170Pending Approval
6 of 6 records
Production engineeringAccounting documents · AD-52865
Pending Approval
Document date30 Oct
Gross amount USD710
Approve actual postingAD-52865 · Production engineering

Cost Controller approves the pending actual posting.

Waiting for Cost Controller
ApproveReturn
Example screen with sample data
Tables, ready to use
17
Saved views
12
Roles with set permissions
6
Reports and dashboards
8
Features

Cost work by record and decision

Every feature works on the same records. Pick one to see the screen your team works in.

Cost foundations

Give each cost pool and cost object a clear organizational owner.

  • Name the owner
  • Classify the pool
  • Identify the object
  • Organizations
  • Cost pools
  • Business partners
  • Team members
Explore cost foundations
OverviewOpen Cost Pools
Cost Accounting · Cost foundations

Open Cost Pools

Cost pools

New
CodeNameCost pool categoryOrganizationStatus
POOL-CNC-01CNC machining overheadFacilitiesNorthmere Manufacturing GroupActive
POOL-ASM-02Assembly labor supportLogisticsNorthmere Manufacturing GroupActive
POOL-UTIL-03Plant utilitiesIT & SoftwareOakridge Industrial WorksActive
POOL-MAINT-04Maintenance and repairProfessional ServicesHarborline Production UnitActive
POOL-QA-05Quality inspectionUtilitiesNorthmere Manufacturing GroupActive
6 of 6 records
POOL-CNC-01Cost pools · CP-42743
Facilities
NameCNC machining overhead
OrganizationNorthmere Manufacturing Group
StatusActive
Example screen with sample data
Process

From baseline to released difference

Cost review and release ships ready to use. 2 steps need a named approval before the work moves on: Approve actual posting (Cost Controller) and Release cost variance (Variance Analyst).

Drag a card to another stage, or focus it and use the arrow keys. It updates to match the stage.

  1. Set cost context

    Choose the organization, pool and cost object.

    Production engineeringAD-52865 · Cost Master Owner
    Set cost contextBy Cost Master Owner

  2. Build standard estimate

    Enter quantities and standard rates for the baseline.

    Production engineeringAD-52865 · Cost Accountant
    Build standard estimateBy Cost Accountant

  3. Issue standard estimate

    Issue the draft and inspect its operation result.

    Production engineeringAD-52865 · Cost Accountant
    Issue standard estimateBy Cost Accountant

  4. Record actual cost

    Capture incurred cost and its account lines.

    Production engineeringAD-52865 · Cost Accountant
    Record actual costBy Cost Accountant

  5. Approve actual posting

    Review the charge and retain the decision.

    Production engineeringAD-52865 · Cost Controller
    Approve actual postingBy Cost Controller
    ApprovalCost Controller approves the pending actual posting.

  6. Release cost variance

    Check both cost sides before releasing the difference.

    Production engineeringAD-52865 · Variance Analyst
    Release cost varianceBy Variance Analyst
    ApprovalVariance Analyst authorizes release of the scheduled variance.

Start with Set up the cost context

Inside a record

Carry source references through

Open any accounting document to see its cost variances, the roles that work on it, its process stages and its approvals on one page.

  1. 1
    Record details

    Document date and Gross amount USD.

  2. 2
    Cost variances

    Each line is linked to this accounting document.

  3. 3
    Who works on it

    Cost Accountant, Cost Controller and Variance Analyst, each with their own permissions.

  4. 4
    Process stages

    Record actual cost and Compare cost position, with the role that acts.

  5. 5
    Approvals

    Approve actual posting and Release cost variance, with who decides.

Cost Postings Pending ApprovalProduction engineering
Cost Accounting · Accounting documents

Production engineering

Pending Approval

Log activity
1
Record details
Document date30 Oct
Gross amount USD710
2
Cost variances

Production engineering

Record numberVariance dateAmount USD
CV-9830017 Oct110
CV-7683725 Oct420
CV-3536522 Oct80
Cost variances
6
Total amount USD
2,490
3

Who works on it

  • Cost AccountantManage standard cost estimates, standard cost lines, accounting…
  • Cost ControllerManage review decisions, accounting documents
  • Variance AnalystManage cost variances
4

Process stages

  • Record actual costCost Accountant
  • Compare cost positionVariance Analyst
5

Approvals

  • Approve actual postingCost Controller
    Approved
  • Release cost varianceVariance Analyst
    Waiting
Example screen with sample data
Approvals

Keep the posting decision visible

Cost Controller approves actual postings; Variance Analyst reviews scheduled variances before release.

OverviewApprovals
Cost Accounting · Overview

Approvals

Signed in as Cost Controller

Waiting for you

4 To review1 Overdue2 Decided todayOnly mine
0 selectedApproveReturn
  • SCE-85587Series B conveyor frame
    Requested by Admin
    Draft0dActions
  • SCE-98567North dock retrofit project
    Requested by Admin
    Draft1dActions
  • SCE-74933Precision spindle, 24 mm
    Requested by Admin
    Draft3dActions
  • SCE-93009Eastbank pump assembly job
    Requested by Admin
    Draft3dActions

Who approves what

DecisionApprover
Approve actual postingReview the charge and retain the decision.Cost Controller
Release cost varianceCheck both cost sides before releasing the difference.Variance Analyst
Approve accounting documentsCost Controller
Approve cost variancesVariance Analyst
4 approval rules · set per role in Proto
Example screen with sample data
Who can approve what
Roles

A workspace for each role

Everyone opens Cost Accounting to the work that is theirs. Pick a role to see what it starts with.

Admin

Maintains organizations, accounting periods, ledger accounts and team access.

  • Manage Organizations, accounting periods, ledger accounts, team members
  • View operation receipts, review decisions

Roles and permissions

Reports

Inspect cost and period questions

Answer cost, variance, approval and period questions from linked records.

Overview
Cost Accounting · Overview

Cost Accounting dashboard

This quarter

Standard cost estimates in view
6
Total amount
3,600
Draft
6

Accounting documents by status

How far records got this quarter

StageReachedStep
Draft34
Pending Approval1750%
Approved847%
Scheduled563%

Gross amount USD by status

Sample totals per stage

10.0k0
9.0kDraft
10.0kPending Approval
10.0kApproved
10.0kScheduled
10.0kPaid
Example screen with sample data
  1. 01Standard estimate by cost object

    Show estimate totals and effective dates by business partner and Organization.

  2. 02Actual cost by pool

    Group accounting documents amounts by Organization and cost pool, with document drill-down.

  3. 03Estimate line composition

    Compare Quantity, unit price USD and net USD across standard cost lines for each estimate.

  4. 04Variance release register

    Show amount USD, variance direction, linked estimate and posting, and release status.

  5. 05Journal balance by period

    Group journal entries debit and credit totals by accounting period and inspect their journal lines.

  6. 06Approval decision trail

    List review decisions by subject, reviewer, decision and decision date.

  7. 07Operation outcome register

    Show operation receipts by action, result state, actor and occurrence date.

  8. 08Open posting balances

    List accounting documents due dates, gross amounts, paid amounts and balance due.

All reports and dashboards

Who it's for

Fit the cost case you run

See how Cost Accounting fits your kind of team.

Manufacturing cost teams

Trace product estimates and incurred cost by pool.

Contract cost teams

Keep contract baselines and actual charges traceable.

Shared service cost teams

Review indirect charges collected in service pools.

Controls

Check action results and ledger context

Each stage of cost review and release names the role that acts and the status it records, so a change is never anonymous.

OverviewCost review and release
Cost Accounting · Process

Cost review and release

Each stage, the role that acts and the status it records

Process stages
10
Approval steps
2
Roles involved
5
Tables touched
13
Issue standard estimate
Cost Accountant
StatusDraft → Sent
RecordsOperation receipts
Record actual costApproval
Cost Accountant
StatusDraft → Pending Approval
RecordsAccounting documents, Accounting periods, Document lines
Approve actual postingApproval
Cost Controller
StatusPending Approval → Approved
RecordsOperation receipts, Review decisions
Cost review and release
  1. Start
    Issue standard estimateDraft → Sent
    Operation receipts
  2. Approval
    Record actual costDraft → Pending Approval
    Accounting documents
  3. Approval
    Approve actual postingPending Approval → Approved
    Operation receipts
  4. Approval
    Release cost varianceScheduled → Released
    Operation receipts
  5. Step
    Review cost journalDraft → Posted
    Accounting periods
Example screen with sample data

See each stage in detail

AI agent

Prepare the next review with Proto

Use an assistant to prepare cost records and find the evidence behind a decision.

It can

  • Cost Accountant: Prepare a draft estimate from the quantities and rates supplied by Cost Accountant, and flag lines for review.
  • Cost Controller: Gather the posting, pool, account lines and attachments for an approval decision.
  • Variance Analyst: Show the linked estimate and actual posting for a Scheduled variance and explain the recorded difference.
  • Finance Reviewer: List draft journals and released variances for the selected accounting period.

Stays with a person

  • A person still decides whether a posting is approved and whether a scheduled variance is ready for release.
  • Check the status, review decision and operation receipt after acting.
  • An assistant summary does not substitute for the underlying source record or ledger result.

Set up an agent

Integrations

Connects to the tools you use

Set up connections through ERP.AI and Proto workflows, with every change logged.

  • Cost Accounting
  • Source charges
  • Rate planning
  • General ledger
Data model

Your data, in tables you can change

Every record lives in a table you can see, extend and export. Add fields or whole tables in Proto.

Browse all 17 tables
17tables
  • Cost foundations4
  • Standard estimates6
  • Actual postings9
  • Variance review6
  • Cost journals6
  • Period oversight5
Implementation

Roll out one team at a time

Start with one team and one process, then add the rest once the basics are running.

  1. Set the cost context

    Confirm organizations, pools, cost objects, ledger accounts, accounting periods and team responsibilities.

  2. Load a baseline

    Build a standard estimate with cost element lines, review its rate basis and issue it.

  3. Enter incurred cost

    Create an actual posting with account lines, then route it to Cost Controller for approval.

  4. Review the difference

    Link the estimate and posting in a Scheduled variance; have Variance Analyst inspect and release it.

  5. Check the ledger

    Review journal lines, operation receipts and the Ledger and Reconciliation page before the first period close.

Read the implementation plan

Pricing

$0per user

The base account and everyday work in the ERP.AI app are free, for every user.

  • No per-user or per-seat fees
  • Viewing, editing, approving and exporting records in the app is free
  • Pay only for machine work: API calls, imports, workflows and AI agents
  • Prepaid credits from $5. Purchased credits never expire

Pricing details

Machine work rate card Included per $1 of credit

Machine work rate card
UsagePer $1
Record reads (list, filter, get)20,000
Search or aggregate queries4,000
Record writes4,000
Imported or synced records200,000
Workflow runs2,000
AI agent runs2,000
Scheduled jobs or webhooks20,000
File uploads (MB)2,000
CSV or PDF exports100
FAQ

Questions, answered

Scope, rollout and pricing for Cost Accounting.

All questions
How do I get started?

Click Get started, then use Proto to configure Cost Accounting for your business. Start with one organization, one active cost pool, one cost object and a real estimate-to-posting case.

What is a cost object here?

A business partners record identifies the job, product or contract used for the standard estimate and variance comparison.

How is an estimate built?

Cost Accountant creates a standard cost estimates record with standard cost lines for quantity, unit price, cost element and account, then issues the draft through the native action.

Who approves an actual posting?

Cost Controller reviews a posting in Pending Approval and uses Cost Posting Approval Action. The resulting decision and operation receipt stay with the record.

How is a variance released?

Variance Analyst checks its linked estimate and actual posting, then uses Variance Release Action on a Scheduled variance.

Can we inspect an action result?

Operation receipts retain the action, actor, time and result state. Review decisions retain the posting approval decision.

How are journal entries organized?

Journal entries belong to an organization and accounting period. Journal lines carry debit and credit amounts and a ledger account.

Where do period exceptions appear?

Ledger and Reconciliation shows journal, period and reconciliation exceptions still open for review.

What should we prepare for migration?

Bring organization and pool codes, cost object identifiers, standard rates, accounts, periods and a sample of actual cost documents with their source references.

Set up Cost Accounting your way.

Start free, then use Proto to change fields, steps and approvals before your team goes live.

Start now Download Proto

How to get started

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