Medan, 17 April 2026 – Class A students from the Class of 2024 of the Diploma Program in Tax Administration at the Faculty of Vocational Education, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), carried out a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) activity for the Cost Accounting course through a workshop titled "Implementing Basic Cost Accounting for SMEs in Mangga Village to Determine Product Selling Prices" at the Mangga Village Office, Medan Tuntungan District, Medan, on Friday (17 April). The initiative aimed to improve the understanding and capacity of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in applying basic cost accounting as a foundation for determining appropriate product selling prices.
The activity began with observations and interviews involving SME owners in Mangga Village to identify the financial management challenges they face. The findings revealed that most participants had not maintained structured cost records, continued to mix personal and business finances, and determined selling prices based on estimation rather than calculating the Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM).
As a follow-up, the students organized an interactive seminar, educational sessions, practical simulations, and mentoring on the implementation of basic cost accounting. The workshop covered fundamental cost accounting concepts, the classification of production costs—including raw material costs, direct labor costs, and manufacturing overhead—as well as hands-on training in calculating the Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM) and determining product selling prices using a more systematic approach. Participants also received a simple bookkeeping template to assist them in recording business expenses.
The workshop involved 16 SME owners representing various business sectors and was supported by the Mangga Village administration and members of the local Family Welfare Empowerment (PKK) organization, who served as activity facilitators. Throughout the program, participants actively engaged in discussions and question-and-answer sessions while demonstrating strong enthusiasm during the practical exercises.
Based on the evaluation results, the workshop successfully improved participants' understanding of the importance of maintaining proper business cost records, separating personal and business finances, and determining selling prices based on logical and measurable cost calculations. Through this initiative, the organizers hope that SME owners will independently and consistently implement simple bookkeeping practices, thereby improving business management, strengthening competitiveness, and contributing to the economic empowerment of the Mangga Village community.