Mastering Your Margins: Why the Part Cost Breakdown is a Must-Have for Smarter Quoting

When it comes to quoting, every cent counts. In manufacturing, your margins are only as accurate as your cost calculations — and if you’re estimating without all the details, it’s easy to miss the mark. That’s why the Part Cost Breakdown in Opto is such a game-changer.

This powerful feature offers a full, transparent view of your total build costs in a single screen. No more guessing. No more back-and-forth. Just everything you need to build better quotes and protect your bottom line.

What Is the Part Cost Breakdown?

The Part Cost Breakdown is a live, detailed summary of all the costs involved in producing a part — materials, labour, time, and markups included.

It helps you answer key questions instantly:

• How much will this part cost to make?

• Where do the costs come from?

• How long will it take to complete?

• What labour steps are required?

• Where are markups applied?

With everything in one place, you can make confident decisions — whether you're quoting for a new client or reviewing job profitability.

The Problem It Solves

Quoting is often done using rough estimates, old spreadsheets, or disconnected systems. That can lead to:

• Underquoting and lost margin

• Overquoting and missed opportunities

• Inaccurate labour assumptions

• Surprises in production or invoicing

The Part Cost Breakdown solves all of this. It gives you the power to see the full picture in real time.

No guesswork. No assumptions. Just clarity.

What the Breakdown Shows You

When you open the Part Cost Breakdown window in Opto, you’ll see:

🧾 Materials and Parts - A list of all materials and components required for the part, with quantities and pricing.

🔧 Labour Steps - Each stage of the job process is shown, with associated time and cost values. From setup to inspection, it’s all captured.

⏱️ Time Requirements - How long each step takes, with total estimated build time for the part.

💲 Markups - Clear visibility of where markups are applied — on materials, labour, or total cost — so you can easily track and control pricing.

📊 Final Cost and Sell Price - you’ll see the total cost to produce the item and the estimated sell price, including margin.

This all-in-one summary makes it easy to see if your quote is accurate, competitive, and profitable.

Why It Matters

In manufacturing, there’s a big difference between “what you think a part costs” and “what it actually costs.”

The Part Cost Breakdown gives you:

✅ Real-Time Clarity - No more switching screens or running reports. You can see — instantly — what’s driving costs and what you can adjust.

✅ Margin Control - Know how much profit you’re actually making on every part. Adjust markups or components to hit your targets.

✅ Smart Quoting - Use actual data — not estimates — to refine your quote or suggested sell price. You’ll win more work without sacrificing margin.

✅ Production Readiness - With all labour steps and material needs mapped out, your team is better prepared before a job even begins.

When Should You Use It?

Use the Part Cost Breakdown any time you:

• Create or revise a quote

• Review a BOM (Bill of Materials)

• Analyse job profitability

• Evaluate pricing strategy

• Plan production workflows

It’s especially useful for custom jobs, new builds, or high-volume products with tight margins.

Integrated With Your Opto Workflow

Like all features in Opto, the Part Cost Breakdown is designed to work seamlessly with your broader system — from inventory and BOMs to job management and sales.

When you make changes in the BOM or adjust labour costs, your breakdown updates automatically. You don’t need to refresh, re-enter data, or pull reports.

This integration means you’re always working with live data — and making decisions you can trust.

Final Thoughts

If quoting has ever felt like a guessing game, the Part Cost Breakdown is your cheat code. It puts every input, step, and cost on one screen — helping you refine your pricing, protect your margins, and improve job accuracy.

For fast-moving manufacturers, it’s a must-have for smarter decisions, better quotes, and long-term profitability.

🛠️ Ready to take the guesswork out of quoting? Dive into the Part Cost Breakdown documentation and start quoting with confidence today.