Overview
COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) represents the direct cost of producing or purchasing the products you sell. Understanding COGS is essential for calculating your true profit margins.
How COGS Works in Dashboardly
Dashboardly applies the cost data for eligible outbound items, using the applicable product default or SKU-specific cost. The formula below describes outbound product cost; confirmed return recovery is handled separately. See Setting Up Cost of Goods (COGS) and Orders for dated costs, sample costs, and inventory-return confirmation.
- Per-unit cost — The applicable product default or SKU-specific cost set on the Inventory page
- COGS per order — Outbound product cost for the order's eligible items. Confirmed FBS restock credits can reduce net order COGS.
- Total COGS — Aggregated for the eligible activity in the selected reporting period
Formula
COGS = SUM(unit_cost × quantity) for eligible outbound line items
Important Notes
- COGS is only calculated for orders with cost data entered
- If no applicable cost data exists, affected items can show $0 COGS. A SKU without its own override can still use the applicable product default.
- Refunded orders: a refund alone does not confirm that goods returned to sellable inventory. Original outbound cost remains until there is confirmed sellable warehouse receipt. FBS receipt is confirmed on the original order; eligible FBT return records post recovery by the warehouse receipt date.
- Cancelled orders before shipping: COGS is excluded. An order cancelled after shipping can still have product cost because it consumed inventory; completed status alone is not the eligibility test.
Where to Set Product Costs
- Go to the Inventory page in the left sidebar
- Find your product in the table
- Set a product default or a SKU-specific cost using the appropriate Inventory row. A product default provides a fallback without overwriting existing SKU-specific periods.
- Cost changes recalculate affected reporting days in the background, including historical periods. Reports can show the previous completed snapshot until recalculation finishes.