Second-year Class B students of the Diploma Program in Tax Administration at Universitas Sumatera Utara conducted a Project-Based Learning (PBL) activity through a workshop entitled "From Cost of Goods Sold to Net Profit: Strategies for Determining Cost of Goods Sold, Profit Margins, and Tax Planning for MSMEs" at Rumah BUMN Medan on Wednesday, April 15. The workshop was attended by 34 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise (MSMEs) owners representing various business sectors.

The workshop aimed to enhance participants' understanding of Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) calculation, pricing strategies, profit margin determination, and fundamental taxation concepts for MSMEs. The program adopted an interactive approach, combining presentations, discussions, simulation exercises, hands-on practice using Microsoft Excel, and personalized mentoring sessions.

Throughout the workshop, participants demonstrated strong enthusiasm, particularly during the practical exercises and interactive discussions. Through guided mentoring, they gained a deeper understanding of the importance of accurately calculating the Cost of Goods Sold as the basis for determining competitive selling prices and achieving sustainable profit margins.

The evaluation results indicated that the workshop significantly improved participants' understanding of COGS calculation, pricing strategies, profit margin analysis, and MSME tax management. In addition, the program helped participants identify practical solutions to common business management challenges while encouraging the adoption of more structured financial practices, including bookkeeping, pricing decisions, and effective tax planning.

Through this Project-Based Learning initiative, the Diploma Program in Tax Administration reaffirmed its commitment to experiential learning by enabling students to apply classroom knowledge in addressing real-world challenges while contributing to the development and financial sustainability of local MSMEs.