Re: Shipping costs for incoming goods

["Chris Travers" <..hidden..>]

On 3/14/07, Matt Jackson <..hidden..> wrote:
> Backtracking a bit, found this "solution" on the sql-ledger list:
>
> "Create a part for each component eg: packing, freight and table. Then
> create
> assembly from these. Also include your own labour cost, postage and
>
> handling ...etc. When you sell the assembly all parts will be moved from
> inventory to COGS."

I usually create a parts for boxes etc. and services for freight,
shipping, and any handling fee.

You can then create an assembly based on these if you want.

Another option is to create a shipping and handling service with a
unit of something like USD.  Then you just add the charge tot he qty.
This won't directly tie into expenses though and you will need to add
an ap transaction for that.

A lot of that may depend on how many boxes you go through in a year.
I personally consider them office supplies and not capital expenses
(so I treat them as expenses at time of purchase since I do not keep a
significant quantity of such assets onhand), but you may want to ask
your accountant how best to categorize and track them.  This may
depend in part on how many boxes you keep on hand and whether this is
significant to your bookkeeping.

If you do a lot more shipping than I do (and you probably do) this may
be a bigger question.

I guess the question becomes whether, in your case, you need to track
boxes as inventory.  An accountant can answer that question better
than I can.  If you have a high flow and a low on-hand number, that
may not be a problem.  If you order, say, 10000 boxes at a time, and
then use them for two year between orders, then that might be
different.

If you do, then you want to buy boxes via vendor invoices, add
assemblies, and maybe adjust the qty to the number of boxes, and the
cost so that the total is what you want to charge.

Best Wishes,
Chris Travers