Time Machine Mode: Cost History Logic
Time Machine Mode allows you to track and view how product costs change over time.
It provides a historical and time-based view of cost data, enabling more accurate analysis and decision-making.
The Big Picture
Cost is not always static.EVA allows you to define cost values across time and view how they change, rather than storing only a single fixed value.
Date-Based Cost Tracking
EVA supports assigning cost values with effective dates.
This means:
- each cost value can be tied to a specific date
- new cost entries do not overwrite previous ones
- cost history is preserved over time
Instead of replacing cost values, EVA builds a timeline of cost changes.
Viewing Past Cost States
Time Machine Mode allows users to look back at previous cost values.
This enables users to:
- understand historical profitability
- analyze how cost changes affected performance
- review past pricing or sourcing decisions
Past cost states reflect the exact cost value active during that time period.
Viewing Future Cost States
Users can also define cost values that will become active in the future.
This allows:
- planning for upcoming cost changes
- preparing for supplier or logistics updates
- forecasting profitability based on future costs
Future cost states are stored and automatically applied when their effective date is reached.
The Logic
EVA manages cost as a time-based sequence:
- each cost entry includes an effective date
- cost values are stored as a timeline
- the system determines the active cost based on the selected date
This allows EVA to calculate profitability accurately for any given time period.
Why This Matters
Without time-based cost tracking:
- historical analysis would use incorrect cost values
- cost changes would overwrite previous data
- profitability trends would be misleading
With Time Machine Mode:
- cost history is preserved
- past and future states can be analyzed
- decisions can be based on accurate time-specific data
Key Value Pillars
Historical accuracy
Past cost values remain available and unchanged.
Forward planning
Future cost changes can be defined in advance.
Time-based analysis
Profitability can be evaluated using the correct cost for each period.
Pro Insight
When analyzing past performance, always ensure the correct date is selected so that EVA uses the appropriate historical cost instead of the current value.