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Savastute

September 2026 · 6 min

Costing the floor will defend

If the estimator, the cell leader and the ledger disagree, the ERP is not the problem. The standard is.

A quotation model that does not share a standard with the ledger is a negotiation, not a cost. The work is to walk bills of materials, routing, hours and scrap against the job — then make sales use the same file.

Start with WIP

If work in progress is a month-end balancing figure, the rest of the costing check on this site will fail with it. Start there. Facilities and the bank pack sit in the retainer if the brief needs them.

Do not buy a system hoping it invents a standard

The six-question check is the start. If you cannot name this month’s five worst margin leaks, or work in progress is a balancing figure, do not buy a new ERP hoping it will invent a standard. It will faithfully automate the fiction.