SYSPRO Job Costing Worksheet: Estimated vs Actual per Job
Job costing in SYSPRO tells you what each manufactured job really cost against what the bill of materials and routing said it should. This worksheet lets you key the numbers for a batch of jobs, see the variance in Rand and percent, and export a clean sheet for the month-end review.
| Job | Stock code | Estimated material | Actual material | Estimated labour hours | Actual labour hours | Labour rate per hour | Estimated cost | Actual cost | Variance | Variance % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R 31,520 | R 34,410 | R 2,890 | 9.2% | ||||||||
R 16,640 | R 15,770 | -R 870 | -5.2% | ||||||||
R 11,120 | R 13,315 | R 2,195 | 19.7% | ||||||||
R 51,000 | R 50,340 | -R 660 | -1.3% | ||||||||
R 7,050 | R 8,170 | R 1,120 | 15.9% |
Copy the estimated and actual figures from your SYSPRO WIP job reports. Use a blended labour rate that already includes your overhead recovery if you want fully absorbed cost.
Automate job cost variance from SYSPRO
Optional: we can review your job costing setup and show how a read-only report could replace the monthly spreadsheet.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the worksheet
Add one row per job. Enter estimated material and actual material issued to the job, then estimated and actual labour hours and the labour rate per hour. The sheet computes estimated cost, actual cost, variance and variance percent for every row, and totals the lot. Pull the inputs from your SYSPRO job cost reports, or from a query on the WIP tables if you have database access. Sort by variance to find the jobs that need a closer look first.
- Use one blended labour rate per work centre, or a rate per row
- Positive variance means actual cost exceeded estimate
- Add a row per job, not per operation, for a quick review
The method behind the numbers
Estimated cost is estimated material plus estimated hours times rate. Actual cost is actual material plus actual hours times rate. Variance is actual minus estimate, and variance percent divides that by the estimate. In SYSPRO the estimate comes from the bill of materials and routing at the time the job was created, so a stale BOM or routing is the most common reason variances look large. Standard costing differences and overhead absorption are not modelled here, so treat the result as a direct cost view.
Reading the result
A small positive variance across many jobs usually points to an outdated standard, such as scrap factors or routing times that no longer match the floor. A few large variances usually point to specific events: a rework, a price change on a purchased component, or material issued to the wrong job. Compare material variance and labour variance separately before drawing conclusions, because they have different owners in most plants.
Common mistakes
Mixing jobs that are still open with jobs that are complete gives misleading variances, because open jobs have not yet absorbed all their cost. Review completed jobs only, or flag open ones. Another frequent mistake is comparing against a current-cost estimate when the job was created at an older cost. Finally, remember that scrap and by-product receipts can reduce or shift cost, so check how your company treats them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this replace the SYSPRO job cost reports?
No. It is a review and communication aid. Your SYSPRO reports remain the source of record. The worksheet helps you compare jobs side by side, apply a consistent labour rate, and export a tidy summary for management without rebuilding a spreadsheet each month.
Can I include overhead in the labour rate?
Yes. Enter a fully absorbed rate per hour that already includes your overhead recovery, and the estimated and actual costs will include it. Use the same rate for estimate and actual so the variance reflects hours and material rather than rate differences.
Why is my variance percent zero?
The percentage divides by estimated cost. If estimated material and labour are both zero for a row, the sheet shows zero instead of an undefined number. Enter an estimate for the row and the percentage will appear.
Does it work for other ERPs?
Yes. Nothing in the calculation is specific to SYSPRO. Any ERP that gives you estimated and actual material and labour per job can feed it, which makes it handy when you compare plants on different systems.
If you want this variance view produced automatically from your SYSPRO data every week, Netray can build a read-only reporting layer over your SQL Server database.
Related Tools
SYSPRO MRP Checklist
A checklist of the master data, parameters and review steps that decide whether SYSPRO MRP output can be trusted.
Developer ToolsSYSPRO SQL Query Generator
Generate read-only SQL Server queries against common SYSPRO tables. Fill in database and filters, then copy the code.
ERP Migration & SelectionSouth Africa Manufacturer ERP Selection Scorecard
Weight your criteria, score up to three ERP candidates from 1 to 5, and see weighted totals out of 100. Exports to Excel.
Supply Chain & InventorySage Evolution Stock Take Checklist
A practical checklist for running a physical stock take in Sage Evolution, from preparation to posting variances.
More Costing & Finance tools
See all- Rand Weakness Margin Erosion Calculator
- SAP QM Inspection Effort and Cost Calculator
- SAP Standard Cost Estimate BOM Rollup Calculator
- Legacy ERP Retirement Cost and Payback Calculator
- JD Edwards World Month-End Close Procedure Template
- Distributor Customer Credit Application Template
- Distributor Customer Profitability Worksheet
- Distributor GMROI and Inventory Turns Calculator
- Vendor Early Pay Discount Worksheet
New to SYSPRO? Start with the SYSPRO guide and toolkit, or plan with Training Path Builder, Upgrade Path Planner, ERP Table and Field Explorer.
Keep exploring
Free tools
- SYSPRO MRP ChecklistA checklist of the master data, parameters and review steps that decide whether SYSPRO MRP output can be trusted.
- SYSPRO BOM Material Cost Rollup WorksheetEditable bill of material costing sheet with scrap allowance per component, to sanity check the rolled up cost SYSPRO holds for a parent stock code.
- SYSPRO Data Migration Mapping WorksheetTrack each master data object from legacy system to SYSPRO with transform rules, owner and sign off status.
ERP fixes and how-tos
- SYSPRO costing methods: standard, average, FIFO and last costWhat each SYSPRO costing method means, where it is set per stock code, how it changes WIP and variances, and what to check before you switch methods.
- SYSPRO Job Will Not Close or Leaves a WIP Balance: What to CheckWhy a SYSPRO job will not close or leaves a WIP balance, and how to clear it: job receipts, unissued materials, labour postings and variance to the GL.
- SYSPRO Cost Multiplier and How to Update an Item's Standard CostHow the SYSPRO cost multiplier fits item costing, how to update standard cost safely, and how a cost change flows into WIP and inventory valuation and the GL.
Guides
- How to Track Actual vs Estimated Hours in a CNC Machine ShopHow CNC job shops track actual versus estimated hours by operation, collect clean labor data, read the variance and feed corrections back into quotes.
- Sheet Metal Job Costing: Comparing Actual and Estimated MarginCompare estimated and actual cost on fabrication jobs: laser, brake, weld and finishing hours, scrap, nest variance, and the reports that show real margin.
- Gear Shop Margin: Quoted vs Actual by OperationFind where gear shop margin leaks: quoted vs actual hours by operation, scrap, outside heat treat, regrinds and rework, and how to feed actuals back into quotes.
AI on your ERP
- AI for SYSPRO production and job costingHow AI reads SYSPRO WIP jobs, labor and material postings to explain job cost variances and late work orders, with read-only access and on-prem hosting.
- AI for SYSPRO Manufacturing Operations: From Work Centers to AnswersSYSPRO Manufacturing Operations generates data on work centers, routings, and WIP - see how private AI turns it into shop floor answers on-prem.
Integrations
- How to use ChatGPT with SYSPROHow to use ChatGPT with SYSPRO: exporting data vs live access, custom GPT actions over a SYSPRO API, enterprise data controls, and when a private model is better.
- How to use Claude with SYSPROHow to use Claude with SYSPRO: MCP connectors, Anthropic API, AWS Bedrock or Google Vertex, enterprise data handling, and the on-prem alternative for sensitive data.