Reference Data
Analytical Cornerstone
Table of Contents
Reference Data
- Regional unit costs
- Foreign exchange rates
- Tax rates
- Labor loaders
- Man hours by Region
- Product prices
Clicking a reference data type opens the Reference Data view, where each data type is displayed in a separate tab:
Reference Data — Regional Unit Costs
Regional Unit Costs — By Grade
Clicking View Report displays, by default, a list of all regional cost factors for All consumables and Labor. Selecting Fiber, Chemical, Energy, Miscellaneous, or Labor filters the view to show only the consumables (or labor) for the selected category. The example below illustrates the Energy view. Choosing your preferred currency, USD or EUR, converts all regional costs into the same currency across all countries, enabling easier and more consistent comparison. Revision date shows the last time that this cost has been revised.
The report can be exported to Excel via the Export button on the right-hand side.
Note: Regional unit costs can be adjusted in the Quick Scenario, in the Market Adjustment - Regional Unit Costs section of the Advanced Scenario manager, or for individual mills under Advanced Scenario, Mill Adjustment, Unit Costs, as well as via Reline Baseline Data button on several the mill pages. Please see the relevant help pages on the Fastmarkets Support hub for more information.
Regional Unit Costs — By Region
The By Region view shows all of the regional unit costs for a specific country or sub-region. Select the By Region tab, choose the country or sub-region under Region, the Cost Date, and the Currency, then click View Report. Note: This report cannot be viewed for All regions simultaneously.
See By Grade above for default settings and explanation on the the report itself.
Reference Data — Foreign Exchange
The Foreign Exchange report shows the average exchange rates per quarter to your preferred currency (as per Preferences) either by date or by currency.
Foreign Exchange - By Date
The default view is By Date. By default, this is set to the latest available quarter, but this can be changed. Click on View Report to see the data.
Foreign Exchange - By Currency
Click on By Currency to find the dropdown list of currency per country or region. Select the currency and click View Report.
The page displays a chart showing the evolution of the selected currency versus your preferred currency, followed by the data report.
Use Export on the right to download the report data. Note: the chart is not included in the Excel export.
Note: Exchange Rates can be adjusted in the Quick Scenario, or in the Market Adjustment - Exchange Rates section of the Advanced Scenario manager. Exchange rates cannot be updated on a mill-by-mill basis.
Reference Data — Tax Rates
The Tax Rates report shows current tax rates for all countries tracked in Analytical Cornerstone. Historical tax rates are not available.
Tax rates are used in the Mill Profitability report, mill level Total Costs Curve graph and report, as well as in the and Custom Market Total Costs graph and report.
Click Export to download an Excel file with the data of the current table.
Note: Tax Rates can be adjusted in the Advanced Scenario manager, Capital Cost and Profitability, Country Tax Rates. Tax Rates rates cannot be updated on a mill-by-mill basis.
Reference Data — Labor Loaders
The Labor Loaders report displays a country-by-country listing of Labor Loaders for hourly as well as salary personnel. For example, an hourly benefits loader of 1.50 for Canada assumes that the “loaded” cost of benefits, etc., adds 50% to the average “straight time wage rate” for hourly personnel. The Labor Loaders data shown in the table is the baseline value used for mills. When different information is available, mills can have data that is different from the regional value (usually in the US or Canada).
Benefits Loader Hourly refer to hourly paid workers (Operators and Maintenance), whereas Benefits Loader Salary refers to monthly/annually salaried employees (Exempt and Non-Exempt).
Click Export to download an excel file with the data of the current table.
Note: Labor Loaders can be adjusted in the Advanced Scenario manager, Market Adjustments, Labor Adjustments for a market, or Mill Adjustments, Labor Adjustment for an individual mill.
Reference Data — Man Hours by Region
The Man Hours by Region report displays a country-by-country (as well as sub-regions for Canada and the US) listing of annual hours (worked) for hourly as well as salary personnel (those with monthly/annual salaries). The man hours data shown in the table is the baseline value used for mills. When more specific information is available, mills may show adjusted data, different from the regional value, in the Mill Cost report.
Click Export to download an excel file with the data of the current table.
Note: Man Hours by Region can be adjusted in the Advanced Scenario manager, Market Adjustments, Labor Adjustments for a market, or Mill Adjustments, Labor Adjustment for an individual mill.
Reference Data — Product Prices
Fastmarkets RISI tracks product prices for all pulp and paper products produced that are available in Analytical Cornerstone, with the exception of tissue, specialty & industrial paper, as well as wood products. The Reference Data – Product Prices report allows you to see all of products and their associated prices.
You can incorporate RISI product prices into your analysis by using the Overlay Market Prices feature in the Graph section of the following market reports:
- Cash Costs Curve
- Direct Costs Curve
- EBITDA Curve
- Total Costs Curve
For more information on how to use Overlay Market Prices, see the relevant section in Custom Markets - Costs in the Fastmarkets Support.
The Product Prices are also used for the Net Sales price in the Mills Profitability reports.
