> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vinmake.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# True Cost

> Build a first-draft true cost from the approved BOM

# True Cost

⚪ **Planned (Phase 3)**

True cost is the internal cost base used to calculate any client quotation. It rolls
up material costs (from the BOM and assigned materials), CM cost, packaging cost,
processing costs (washing, printing, embroidery), testing, freight, wastage, and MOQ
considerations into a single per-unit number.

## Inputs

The true cost workflow pulls from:

* The approved style record
* The approved BOM draft
* Material assignments (where available)
* Consumption per BOM line
* Unit prices (from material library or template estimates)
* CM (cut-and-make) cost
* Packaging cost
* Washing / printing / embroidery cost
* Testing cost
* Freight / logistics assumptions
* Wastage rate
* MOQ considerations

## What Brain does

1. **Create a first-draft true cost** using everything available.
2. **Fill in what it can** from material library prices and template estimates.
3. **Highlight missing prices** and mark assumptions explicitly.
4. **Flag uncertain fields** with confidence scores.
5. **Ask the merchandiser to complete** missing details.
6. **Log every human edit** to feed the correction loop.

## Draft true cost example

| Cost Component      |    AI Draft | Source                       | Confidence |
| ------------------- | ----------: | ---------------------------- | ---------: |
| Main fabric         |      \$4.20 | Material library             |     Medium |
| Lining              |      \$1.10 | Template estimate            |        Low |
| Buttons             |      \$0.60 | BOM quantity × library price |     Medium |
| Zipper              |      \$0.35 | Template estimate            |        Low |
| Thread              |      \$0.08 | Default                      |       High |
| Label / packaging   |      \$0.25 | Default                      |     Medium |
| CM cost             |      \$3.50 | Similar style                |     Medium |
| **Total true cost** | **\$10.08** | Calculated                   |     Medium |

Low-confidence lines are always flagged for review.

## Review statuses

The true cost record carries one of these statuses:

* `AI draft created`
* `Missing material prices`
* `Waiting for sourcing`
* `Waiting for merchandiser review`
* `Reviewed by merchandiser`
* `Ready for quotation`

The next workflow (quotation) only runs when status is `Ready for quotation`.

## Approval gate

The merchandiser reviews the draft, fills missing prices, adjusts assumptions, and
explicitly approves. Approval moves the record into `Ready for quotation` and
triggers the suggestion to draft the quotation.

## Related

* [Tech Pack → BOM](/brain/staging/workflows/tech-pack-to-bom) — upstream
* [Material Sourcing](/brain/staging/workflows/material-sourcing) — fills the gaps
* [Quotation](/brain/staging/workflows/quotation) — usual next step