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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:The Digital way of working
Moderator:QUARK::LIONELON
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5321
Total number of notes:139771

863.0. "How are facilities factored into cost center budges?" by TOKLAS::FELDMAN (Week 3: Raising the Roof) Fri Jul 14 1989 21:13

    Does Digital charge individual cost centers for their overhead and
    space, or is that factored out before it gets to the cost center
    budget?
    
    For example, Digital charges the Credit Union rent for the space that
    DCU uses in Digital facilities.  That makes sense, since the DCU is a
    separate corporation.  What I'm wondering is does the high level budget
    simply give the Facilities Cost Center at a site their own budget,
    without regard to the other cost centers?  Or does someone compute a
    per square foot or similar metric, and charge each cost center at a
    site an amount proportional to the amount of space they use?
    
       Gary
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
863.1No such thing as a free lunch!YUPPIE::COLEI'm Midtown-bound on the SED Express!Fri Jul 14 1989 22:093
	To my knowledge, the SED DSWM gets a monthly hit on her expense column 
for each employee space she has in the facility.  Ditto for basic phone 
service, computer services, etc.
863.2SCARY::M_DAVISEat dessert first;life is uncertain.Sat Jul 15 1989 22:204
    In the facilities where I've worked, the costs are passed onto the cost
    centers/tenants.
    
    Marge
863.3VAXRT::CANNOYdespair of the dragons, dreamingMon Jul 17 1989 13:284
    We get charged a per square foot charge, but I don't think it's
    monthly. I think it just appears as a line in the yearly budget.
    
    Tamzen
863.4MSCSSE::LENNARDMon Jul 17 1989 15:054
    A Cost Center gets taxed for facilities in two major ways:  One
    is a straight-forward cost per Sq Ft.  Some other charges hit the
    cost center on a per-head basis.  Either way, we are very expensive,
    and there is quite a difference between various facilities.
863.5allocations - debit here, credit thereMUSKIE::BLACKI always run out of time and space to finish ..Mon Jul 17 1989 21:3523
    
    My experience is field only but I would bet it is applicable company
    (well US) wide. 
    
    Facility costs are in fact cross charged to the local 'line' cost
    centers in a variety of ways. Some are 'actuals' ie certain measureable
    things eg some phone charges, CPU time etc ... but ... most are
    aggregates divided up in some way ie by number of folks in each
    function, number of phones, number of ports. These come across called
    'facility allocations'. Personnel etc is handled the same way. 
    
    So the costs of all non-line functions in a facility are borne by
    the line cost centers within that facility (or district etc where
    CCs transcend facilities - thats getting more common). 
    
    In affect, then the net margin out of a district (cost center etc)
    is revenue (FS, SWS etc) and CERTs less expenses of those units
    less expenses of facility etc. 
    
    It gets real interesting when sonmeone (eg sales) wants an expensive
    place and someone else (eg FS) wants a quonset hut!
    
    
863.7Charges in the MillCLIPR::FAZIOFri Jul 21 1989 22:5114
    In the Mill Facilities keeps records of what Cost Centers own how much
    square footage.  Each month the Cost centers are charged the going
    rate.
    Fy 89 in the Mill was 2.17/sq ft.  FY '90 will be 1.78/sq ft.  Included
    in that charge are Electricity/heat etc. as well as the dispensary,
    security and much more.
    We also pay a separate Ethernet access charge.  I don't recall what it
    is but it is significant.  They charge each person who has a phone.  I
    know it sounds flaky but that is how it is done.
    In addition we pay a 'tax' to pay for the 'group' level managers.
    
    We do product development with what is left over...
    
    -Paul
863.8TOKLAS::FELDMANWeek 4: Siding and trimMon Jul 24 1989 21:509
    Thanks for all the info.  It is much appreciated.
    
    At the risk of going beyond the bounds of this conference, is it a fair
    conclusion that this type of accounting is common, though not
    necessarily universal, among large businesses?  A quickie yes-no answer
    is sufficient; I see no reason to fill up this topic with a bunch of
    replies on what a dozen other companies do.
    
       Gary
863.9SSDEVO::EGGERSAnybody can fly with an engine.Mon Jul 24 1989 23:311
    yes