Practical Cost System, for Printing Offices (Classic Reprint)

Master cost control for your print shop and finally see where your money goes. This practical guide shows how to track every job, price time, and separate productive work from overhead so you can determine true profitability—issue by issue, department by department.

Designed for small to medium shops, it explains a step‑by‑step method to build a cost system, use job records and time tickets, and extend time to meaningful cost figures. The approach covers newspaper production, bindery, press work, and office overhead so you can spot losses and improve returns without hiring an expert.

• How to classify work into chargeable and non‑chargeable time and why it matters for costs


• How to record, extend, and total time across stock, composition, press, and bindery


• Ways to determine the cost per hour and the overall profit or loss for each job


• Guidance on when to hire help and how to scale the system for larger shops

Ideal for printers who want a clear, actionable path to accurate hour costs and better business results.