Cost center & cost element

Question

Hi Experts,
Can anybody please tell me,
What is difference between cost center and cost element.
what is exact role of both.

Answer 1

Hi,
Cost Center
Definition
External object (object type K) from Controlling which represents a clear origin of costs.
If you implement the Controlling component, you can find more information in SAP Library under Cost Center (Financials u2192 Controlling u2192 Cost Center Accounting u2192 Master Data in Cost Center Accounting (CO-OM-CCA) u2192 Cost Center)
and
Cost Center Accounting (Financials u2192 Controlling u2192 Cost Element Accounting).
Use
By assigning cost centers to organizational objects, you determine where costs incurred by the object are to be charged. The inheritance principle applies: If an organizational object is not assigned a cost center, the cost center assigned to the superior object applies.
An organizational object may also be assigned more than one cost center. For more information, see Cost Distribution (infotype 1018).
Integration
A cost center can be related to the following organizational objects:
·        an organizational unit via relationship A 011 (Cost center assignment)
·        a position via relationship A 011 (Cost center assignment)
·        a work center via relationship A 011 (Cost center assignment)
Cost Elements
Definition
Cost elements classify an organizationu2019s valuated consumption of production factors within a controlling area. A cost element corresponds to a cost-relevant item in the chart of accounts.
Structure
We distinguish between primary cost and revenue elements and secondary cost elements.
Primary Cost/Revenue Elements
A primary cost or revenue element is a cost or revenue-relevant item in the chart of accounts, for which a corresponding general ledger (G/L) account exists in Financial Accounting (FI). You can only create the cost or revenue element if you have first defined it as a G/L account in the chart of accounts and created it as an account in Financial Accounting. The SAP System checks whether a corresponding account exists in Financial Accounting.
Examples of primary cost elements include:
· Material costs
· Personnel costs
· Energy costs
Secondary Cost Elements
Secondary cost elements can only be created and administrated in cost accounting (CO). They portray internal value flows, such as those found in internal activity allocation, overhead calculations and settlement transactions.
When you create a secondary cost element, the SAP System checks whether a corresponding account already exists in Financial Accounting. If one exists, you can not create the secondary cost element in cost accounting.
Examples of secondary cost elements include:
· Assessment cost elements
· Cost elements for Internal Activity Allocation
· Cost elements for Order Settlement
Integration
Cost elements in Controlling (CO) are closely related to the general ledger accounts used in Financial Accounting (FI). This is because the SAP System is structured as an Integrated Accounting System:
Cost elements document which costs (differentiated by category) are incurred within a settlement period, and in which amount. They provide information concerning the value flow and the value consumption within the organization. Cost Element Accounting and Cost Center Accounting/Internal Orders are closely linked in the SAP System. Each posting to an account that is also a cost element, is assigned either to a cost center or order. This ensures that at period-end the data is subdivided by cost elements and cost centers/internal orders for analysis purposes. The following section describes how you can subdivide and characterize cost elements in the SAP System.
Cost element characteristics depend on the controlling area and the allocation methods used in your organization.
Hope this helps clarifying your doubt about cost center & cost element.
Regards,
Tejas