AI Cost Assistant
Analyze your cost centers with AI and get recommended overhead, suggested markup, break-even, report charts, and a PDF export.
What it is
The AI Cost Assistant analyzes your indirect cost centers and returns recommendations for overhead, markup, and break-even. It's an AI-assisted read of your costs designed to help you set prices with confidence.
Its on-screen description is: "Analyze your indirect cost centers and get recommendations for overhead, markup, and break-even."
How to get there
- Path:
https://app.areacacao.com/cost-assistant - How to reach it: from the Cost management hub, click the Analyze with AI tile (~8 credits). It isn't a sidebar item: you always enter from the cost hub.
The link at the top of this screen is Back to dashboard, which takes you to the dashboard (not to the cost hub). If you want to return to the cost hub, navigate there from the dashboard or from the sidebar (FORMULATION → Costs).
Each run uses about 8 credits. Generate the analysis when your cost centers are up to date so you make the most of the query.
Before you start
For the analysis to be useful, first set up your cost centers in Cost management: rent, electricity, gas, salaries, and depreciation (through Fixed business costs and Rate settings). The screen itself reminds you: "Before generating the analysis, set up your cost centers in /costs (rent, electricity, gas, salaries, depreciation). Each run uses ~8 credits."
How to use it
Generate the analysis
Click Generate analysis. While the AI works, the button shows Analyzing….
Review the results
When it finishes, you'll see the indicators, the charts, and the recommendations (detailed below). If you want to recalculate with your updated data, the button changes to Re-run analysis (uses credits again).
Save or print the report
Next to the generate button you'll find Print / Download PDF. Click it to open your browser's print dialog and save the full report as a PDF or send it to a printer.
What you get
Three main indicators:
- Monthly indirect costs — the total of your indirect costs per month, in euros.
- Suggested overhead — the recommended overhead percentage.
- Break-even — the break-even point, in units per month.
Report charts
Below the indicators, a Report charts section visualizes the analysis with two charts:
- Break-even — a line chart where Fixed costs (a flat line) and Cumulative contribution (a rising line) cross exactly at break-even. The horizontal axis is in Units/mo, and a dashed guide marks the crossing point. It lets you see at a glance how many units you need to sell to cover your indirect costs.
- Suggested markup range — a bar chart comparing the Minimum factor with the Recommended one, so you can grasp the gap between the two bounds.
Recommended markup
- Recommended markup — a suggested range with a Minimum factor (×N) and a Recommended (premium) factor (×N). The screen clarifies: "Multiply the base cost by the factor to get the suggested selling price." To dig deeper into turning these factors into selling prices, see Pricing and margins.
Observations and actions
- Insights — AI-generated observations about your cost structure. It only appears if the analysis returns observations.
- Next steps — action recommendations. It only appears if the analysis returns recommendations.
At the bottom of the result you'll see "Generated with AI" with the date.
Save and print
Once the analysis is generated, the Print / Download PDF button opens your browser's native dialog. From there you can save the full report —indicators, charts, markup, insights, and next steps— as a PDF to archive it or share it with your team.
Error states
- If the run fails, you'll see "Couldn't generate analysis" or the backend message (for example, if you've run out of credits).
Plan availability
Available on all plans. Each run uses credits from your balance.