Stock & Costing
How material entries update work order actual cost, estimate vs actual materials.
Last updated: February 2026
Overview
Material entries directly affect the cost summary on a work order. For T&M work orders, materials are billed to the client at cost. For Estimate work orders, material costs are tracked against the estimate for margin analysis.
Materials in T&M (Charge-up) Work Orders
Each material entry contributes to the billable total. The cost summary shows:
- Labour subtotal (all time entries × applicable rates)
- Materials subtotal (all material entries × unit costs)
- Total billable amount
Materials in Estimate Work Orders
Materials are tracked for cost-awareness and margin analysis. The material costs are compared against the agreed estimate to show gross margin. This information is company-private and never shared with the vessel owner.
Estimate vs Actual Materials
For Estimate work orders with a materials allowance in the original estimate, you can compare:
- Estimated materials amount (set when creating or editing the work order)
- Actual materials amount (sum of all logged material entries)
- Variance (estimate − actual)
Use the estimate vs actual comparison to identify jobs where materials are running over budget so you can raise a change order with the client.
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