Overview

Variable Cost Rules allow you to automatically calculate additional costs on your orders, ensuring your Contribution Report reflects your true profitability.

You can create rules for fulfilment fees, royalty costs, transaction fees, packaging costs, handling charges, and any other variable costs unique to your business.

Step 1: Navigate to Variable Cost Rules

From the left-hand navigation menu, go to:

Cost Configuration → Variable Cost Rules

This page contains two sections:

• Categories – Used to organise your variable costs.

• Rules – Used to create the logic that calculates those costs.

Step 2: Create a Variable Cost Category

Before creating a rule, you must first create a category.

1. Select the Categories tab.

2. Click Add Category.

3. Enter a Category Name.

4. Select the Category Type.

Available category types include:

• Fulfilment

• Transaction & Platform Fees

• Royalty Costs

• Cost of Goods Sold

• Other Variable Costs

5. Click Save.

Your category is now ready to use when creating rules.

Step 3: Create a Variable Cost Rule

1. Open the Rules tab.

2. Click Add Rule.

3. Complete the required fields:

• Rule Name

• Integration (Shopify, Amazon, Takealot, etc.)

• Category

• Rule Type

Step 4: Choose a Rule Type

Finzite supports several rule types depending on how your costs should be calculated.

% of Sales Amount

Calculates a percentage of the total order value.

Example

3% of every order.

Ideal for:

• Marketplace commissions

• Royalty fees

• Sales commissions

Fixed Fee Per Placed Order

Applies a single fixed amount to every order.

Example

R15 fulfilment fee per order.

Ideal for:

• Handling charges

• Packing fees

• Administration fees

Fixed Fee Per Unit Sold

Charges a fixed amount for every unit sold.

Example

R2 packaging fee per product.

Ideal for:

• Packaging

• Unit assembly

• Per-item handling

Fixed Fee Per Order If Product Is In Category

Applies a fixed fee only when an order contains products from a selected product category.

Example

R25 cold-chain delivery fee for frozen products.

% of Sales Amount If Product Is In Category

Calculates a percentage only for products within a selected category.

Example

5% royalty on branded products.

Fixed Fee Per Unit Sold If Product Is In Category

Applies a fixed amount for every unit sold within a selected product category.

Example

R3 assembly fee for furniture items.

% of Sales Amount If Order Has Tag

Applies a percentage only when the order contains one or more selected Shopify tags.

Example

Wholesale orders incur an additional 2% processing fee.

Fixed Fee Per Order If Order Has Tag

Applies a fixed fee when an order contains a selected Shopify tag.

Example

R50 administration fee for B2B orders.

Step 5: Configure the Rule

Depending on the rule type you select, you'll be asked to configure:

• Percentage (%)

• Fixed amount

• Product Category

• Shopify Tag

• Effective Date Range

• Additional rule-specific settings

Complete the required information and click Save.

Step 6: Recalculate Variable Costs

After creating or updating your rules:

1. Return to the Categories page.

2. Click Recalculate Variable Costs.

Finzite will automatically apply your new rules to historical and future orders, ensuring all reports reflect the updated calculations.

Step 7: Review Your Reports

Once the recalculation has completed:

• Contribution Report

• Sales Report

• Dashboard

• Financial Reporting

will automatically include your newly calculated variable costs.

No manual calculations are required.

Need Help Choosing a Rule?

Click the Help button on the Variable Cost Rules page to view a detailed explanation of every rule type, including:

• How each rule works

• The calculation formula used

• Practical examples

• Whether the rule applies at the order level or line-item level

This guide makes it easy to select the most appropriate rule for your business.

Best Practices

• Organise similar costs into logical categories for easier management.

• Use descriptive rule names so they are easy to identify later.

• Recalculate variable costs after making any changes to ensure reports remain accurate.

• Review your rules periodically as your pricing, fulfilment, or commission structures change.