What this calculation means
Case allocation costs countable units such as individual portions or cans. It works when the units in a case are equivalent for the recipe decision.
Unequal pieces may need weight-based costing. The calculation assumes the supplied count is the correct allocation basis.
How to use this calculator
Count the units included in the paid case. Enter how many of those units the recipe uses; do not substitute a weight for either count.
Formula and variables
Used cost = Case price ÷ Units per case × Units used
- Case priceUSD
- Price paid for the case.
- Units per caseunits
- Countable units contained in the case.
- Units usedunits
- Countable units used in the recipe.
Dollar amounts display to cents, with exact half-cent values rounded away from zero; intermediate calculations keep full precision.
Understand your result
The result is the ingredient cost of the selected count. It does not assign a separate cost to packaging or the remaining case.
Worked example
Use 3 units from a 24-unit case priced at $48.
Case price: 48 USD
Units per case: 24 units
Units used: 3 units
- Each of the 24 units costs $48 ÷ 24 = $2.
- Three used units cost 3 × $2 = $6.
Example result: $6.00
Frequently asked questions
Does it include waste from opening a unit?
No. If only part of a unit is usable, measure that yield separately and use a cost basis that reflects the usable quantity.
Are fractional units permitted?
The arithmetic accepts nonnegative quantities. If the item can only be used whole, apply that physical constraint when entering the count.