Cost Breakdown Structure


A Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) in project management organises project costs into manageable categories, aligning with the project's Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). It helps track expenses, allocate budgets, and monitor financial performance, ensuring projects stay on budget and enabling more accurate cost control and forecasting.

Technique Overview

Cost Breakdown Structure

Cost Breakdown Structure Definition

A Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) in project management is a hierarchical framework that categorises and itemises all costs associated with a project. It links these costs to specific work packages, phases, or components, providing a detailed financial overview. It enables effective budget allocation, tracking, and control, ensuring that every expense aligns with the project's objectives and resource plans. By structuring costs in this manner, project managers can better predict financial needs, identify potential overruns, and maintain financial transparency throughout the project lifecycle.

Cost Breakdown Structure Description *

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Business Evidence

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Business Application

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Further Reading

Cost Breakdown Structure web and print resources *

Cost Breakdown Structure references (4 of up to 20) *

  • PMI (Project Management Institute). (2021). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide).
  • Kerzner, H. (2022). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling.
  • Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2021). Project Management: The Managerial Process. 8th edition.
  • Heagney, J. (2016). Fundamentals of Project Management.

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