Batch Production Log for Makers

Who this is for

A record of every run. Each batch gets a line with what was planned, what came out, how many were seconds or rejects, what the materials cost and how long it took, and the sheet works out the cost of each good item at your own hourly rate.

Makers who produce in runs, such as candles, soap, prints, ceramics or cards, and want to see what a batch really costs and how many make it to sale.

What this helps you track

• Every batch by number, date and product
• Units planned against units actually made
• Seconds and rejects in each batch
• Materials cost and making time for the batch
• The cost of each good unit at your own hourly rate

How to use it

1. Write your business, the period and your hourly rate at the top.
2. Give each batch a number and a line: the date, the product, how many you planned and how many you made.
3. Count the seconds or rejects separately; they are taken off the units made before the cost per unit is worked out.
4. Enter the materials cost for the whole batch and the total minutes it took, including set-up and clearing down if you want them costed.
5. The labour cost and cost per good unit are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, divide the batch total by the good units.
6. Compare batches of the same product to see which runs cost more and why.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why take the rejects off before working out the cost?

Because the batch cost has to be covered by the items you can sell. Spreading it over good units only shows what each saleable item really cost. If you sell seconds at a lower price, note that separately.

Should set-up and cleaning time be included?

That is up to you, but it is time the batch took. Including it gives a truer cost per unit; the making time log can break the minutes down by stage if you want to see where they go.

Where does the materials cost come from?

Add up the cost of what the batch used, from receipts or from the materials cost per unit sheet multiplied by the batch size. Enter the batch total, not a per-item figure.

What is a reasonable reject rate?

The sheet does not suggest one; it depends entirely on your craft and your process. What it does show is your own rate over time, which is the figure that matters for your costings.