Cost Dialog Box

Building the Model: General Elements > Cost > Cost Dialog Box

Cost Dialog Box

Use the Cost Dialog box to define costs for Locations, Entities, and Resources. Fields in the Cost Dialog box vary between Object Types and ProModel evaluates expressions in these fields only during translation at run time. The General Statistics Report includes statistical information automatically generated during run time about cost for locations, entities, and resources.

Object Type Use this pull-down menu to define costing for the components of the selected object type. Object types include locations, resources, and entities as shown in the following example. All defined model components of the selected type appear in the box below the object type field and ProModel allows you to assign costs to any of these components.

Locations

Operation Rate This field specifies the cost per unit of time to process entities at the selected location. Cost accrues only while an entity executes a WAIT or USE statement in operation logic. ProModel accepts expressions in this field and evaluates them at translation.

Per With this pull-down menu, you can set the time units for the Operation Rate. Time units may be in seconds, minutes, hours, or days as shown here.

Resources

Regular Rate This field specifies the cost per unit of time for a resource used in the model. You can use expressions in this field (evaluated at translation) to set the rate or change it using SetRate. For more information on the SetRate operation statement, see SetRate.

Per This pull-down menu allows you to set the time units for the Regular Rate. Times may be in seconds, minutes, hours, or days as shown here.

Cost Per Use This field allows you to define the actual dollar cost accrued each time you use the resource (i.e., the minimum usage cost). The cost per use updates when you obtain the resource and ProModel accepts expressions in this field (evaluated at translation).

Please Note: Since ProModel counts a preemption as a use, if you preempt a resource from an entity, the usage cost applies to the resource only when it returns to the entity.

Entities

Initial Cost This field allows you to define the initial entity cost for an entity which enters the system through a scheduled arrival, a CREATE statement, or an ORDER statement. ProModel accepts expressions in this field and evaluates them at translation.

Please Note: When you implicitly create new entities through a ROUTE statement, ProModel does not add an initial cost to the entity. To add an initial cost, use the INCENTCOST statement. See IncEntCost for more information.