CPG Operator Guide
Co-Manufacturing Direct Cost Scope Guide
Use this guide to define one SKU, production-run, currency, and salable-unit scope and identify the current records behind the seven inputs owned by the Co-Packer Direct Cost Planner.
Define the SKU, run, and unit basis
State one SKU or pack configuration, one production run or scenario, one currency, and one salable-unit basis. Mixed packs, periods, or currencies require explicit reconciliation outside this guide.
What to include
- SKU or pack
- run or scenario
- currency and salable unit
Identify the tolling source
Name the current quote, invoice, contract schedule, or operating record supporting the proposed tolling amount and state whether its basis is per unit, case, batch, hour, or another stated basis.
What to include
- source reference and date
- quoted basis
- open scope questions
Separate material and packaging records
Identify current raw-material and packaging records separately, including brand-supplied versus co-packer-supplied responsibility and any missing, bundled, or unresolved items.
What to include
- raw-material source
- packaging source
- supply responsibility
State freight ownership and basis
Identify inbound and outbound freight records, delivery terms, locations, dates, and exclusions without converting, allocating, or inferring freight.
What to include
- inbound record
- outbound record
- delivery responsibility
Prepare salable units and loss assumptions
Identify the planned salable-unit record and the source and scope of any expected material-loss assumption. Do not infer a rate or present a benchmark.
What to include
- planned salable-unit record
- loss-assumption source
- scope and exclusions
Preserve inclusions, exclusions, and dates
List setup, testing, storage, handling, changeover, disposal, tax, overhead, financing, channel, and other items as included, excluded, bundled, unknown, or handled by a separate method.
What to include
- included items
- excluded or unknown items
- source dates and reviewers
Hand the prepared inputs to the owner
Enter only reviewed assumptions in the Co-Packer Direct Cost Planner and retain the source packet, unit basis, dates, inclusions, exclusions, and unresolved questions beside its result.
What to include
- seven reviewed categories
- owner link
- retained source packet
How this page fits the Tools system
The Co-Packer Direct Cost Planner owns all direct-cost arithmetic; this page owns source-scope preparation only.
The guide ends with a reviewed seven-category source packet, not direct cost, run cost, complete COGS, margin, savings, price, accounting treatment, or a supplier decision.
What this page does—and does not—show
This guide prepares source scope for the Co-Packer Direct Cost Planner. It does not estimate or calculate cost, validate a quote, determine accounting treatment, complete COGS, recommend a price, or select a co-packer.
The Co-Packer Direct Cost Planner exclusively executes COPACKER-DIRECT-COST-V1; this guide prepares source scope and contains no controls, formula, conversion, or numeric output.
Evidence and review boundary
Tier C. This guide prepares source scope for the Co-Packer Direct Cost Planner. It does not estimate or calculate cost, validate a quote, determine accounting treatment, complete COGS, recommend a price, or select a co-packer.
Operations and finance owners using current quotes, invoices, contracts, production plans, material, packaging, freight, and run records.
No external rate or rule is embedded; values and assumptions come from the user.
Related tools and next steps
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Guidance is being rebuilt with CPG design partners to connect these planning steps to a shared operating model. That connected product workflow is not available for live product demonstrations today. This standalone browser page does not connect to a Guidance account, product data, or a live operating workflow.
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