Choose a costing method
What this does
The costing method decides what a unit is worth when it leaves stock, and therefore what your inventory is worth on the balance sheet. It is set in the accounting settings and, if you need to vary it, on the product category.
Steps

Important
This documentation is for WindoorERP 19 or later. Discover why we changed.
-
01
Go to Accounting › Configuration › Settings, to the Inventory Valuation section.
-
02
Choose the accounting practice: Periodic (bills posted as expenses, stock corrected at closing — the European norm) or Perpetual (bills posted as assets, cost recognised when goods are sold).
-
03
Set the costing method, on the settings or on the product category.
-
04
Check the accounts behind it: stock account on the category, stock variation, expense or cost of goods sold, and the inventory-loss account.
Costing Methods
Standard Cost
Fixed unit cost, updated manually as vendor contracts change.
| Operation | Unit Cost | Qty On Hand | Delta Value | Inventory Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Stock | $10 | 0 | — | $0 |
| Receive 8 @ $10 | $10 | 8 | +8 × $10 | $80 |
| Receive 4 @ $16 | $10 | 12 | +4 × $10 | $120 |
| Deliver 10 | $10 | 2 | -10 × $10 | $20 |
| Receive 2 @ $9 | $10 | 4 | +2 × $10 | $40 |
Average Cost (AVCO)
Weighted average recalculated on each incoming receipt.
| Operation | Unit Cost | Qty On Hand | Delta Value | Inventory Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Stock | $0 | 0 | — | $0 |
| Receive 8 @ $10 | $10 | 8 | +8 × $10 | $80 |
| Receive 4 @ $16 | $12 | 12 | +4 × $16 | $144 |
| Deliver 10 | $12 | 2 | -10 × $12 | $24 |
| Receive 2 @ $6 | $9 | 4 | +2 × $6 | $36 |
FIFO (First In, First Out)
Each receipt retains its distinct unit cost layer, and sales consume the oldest layer first.
| Operation | Unit Cost | Qty On Hand | Delta Value | Inventory Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Stock | $0 | 0 | — | $0 |
| Receive 8 @ $10 | $10 | 8 | +8 × $10 | $80 |
| Receive 4 @ $16 | $12 | 12 | +4 × $16 | $144 |
| Deliver 10 | $16 | 2 | -8 × $10 - 2 × $16 | $32 |
| Receive 2 @ $6 | $11 | 4 | +2 × $6 | $44 |
Note
Removal strategies (e.g. FEFO, FIFO, Closest Location) decide which physical unit is picked on the floor. Costing methods decide how that movement is valued on the general ledger.
Inventory vs Accounting
The Inventory app keeps track of the inventory value in real time as you receive and deliver goods. The reporting menu lets you analyze inventory quantities and values by company, location, product, and more.
The Accounting app updates accounts when you receive invoices or bills. Even though receipts and invoices differ, accountants post closing entries to reconcile the difference between what has been invoiced and received/delivered.
| Transaction / Document | Accounting Impact | Inventory Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase Order | — | — |
| Goods Receipt | — | Stock On-Hand increases |
| Vendor Bill | AP & Expense / Asset posted | — |
| Sales Order | — | — |
| Customer Invoice | AR & Revenue posted | — |
| Delivery Order | — | Stock On-Hand decreases |
| Closing Entry | Reconciles Inventory vs GL gap | — |
Accounting Methods
There are two accounting practices on how to maintain your accounts, defined in Accounting app › Configuration › Settings, under the Inventory Valuation section:
- Periodic: Post vendor bills as expenses by nature, and update stock valuation in the closing entry by reducing expenses (stock variation). This is the best practice in Europe.
- Perpetual: Post vendor bills as assets (stock valuation), and recognize cost of goods sold when goods are delivered/invoiced. This is the best practice in Anglo-Saxon accounting (US, UK, GCC).
| Event | EU Periodic | EU Perpetual | US Periodic | US Perpetual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory Adjustment | — | Stock / Loss | — | Stock / Shrinkage |
| Vendor Bill | Expense / Payable | Stock / Payable | COGS / Payable | Stock / Payable |
| Customer Invoice | Income / Receivable | Income / Receivable Expense / Stock |
Income / Receivable | Income / Receivable COGS / Stock |
| Closing Entry | Stock / Variation | Stock / Variation | Stock / Variation | Stock / Variation |
Changes in WindoorERP 19
Before WindoorERP 19, the Perpetual accounting method posted real-time accounting journal items at every single warehouse movement, which caused high transaction overhead and cluttered general ledgers.
Since WindoorERP 19, the Perpetual method impacts stock valuation cleanly at the invoice level, and the closing reconciliation wizard handles interim gaps (bills to receive, invoices to issue, prepaid expenses, and deferred revenues).
| Feature / Capability | WindoorERP 18 | WindoorERP 19 |
|---|---|---|
| Periodic Continental | Manual closing | Automated closing |
| Periodic Anglo-Saxon | Not supported | Fully supported |
| Perpetual Continental | Manual closing | Automated |
| Perpetual Anglo-Saxon | Manual closing | Automated |
| Accounting Valuation | Requires physical inventory sync | Accounting native |
| Perpetual Entries | Invoices + every single move line | Invoices + consolidated closing |
| Invoices to Issue Accrual | No | Automated |
| Bills to Receive (GRNI) | No | Automated |
| Deferred Revenues & Prepayments | No | Automated |
| System Performance | Slower (high move volume) | Fast & optimized |
| General Ledger Auditability | Cluttered journal entries | Clean, audited balances |
Common mistakes
- Changing the costing method on a live category with existing on-hand stock without posting an inventory revaluation.
- Assuming the warehouse removal strategy (e.g. FIFO vs FEFO) dictates GL valuation: removal controls picking order, while costing method controls dollar valuation.
- Leaving Standard Cost unreviewed while supplier extrusion and glass prices fluctuate significantly.
Was this article helpful?
Thanks — your feedback helps.
Running a window or door factory?
Ask for a demo