Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP) is a global business outsourcing services provider headquartered in Roseland, N.J. ADP is one of the largest payroll outsourcing providers in the world, and was an early adopter of a cloud computing operating model. According to executives, the vendor cuts paychecks for one in six Americans.
The reverse of fixed costs are variable costs, which vary with changes in the activity level of a business. Examples of variable costs are direct materials, piece rate labor, and commissions.
Definition: Variable costs are production costs that change in proportion to the amount of goods that are produced. In other words, for every good that is produced, variable costs increase by the same amount. In any production process, manufacturers incur a variety of costs. Cost accountants and managers usually split these costs into two main categories: variable costs and fixed costs. Example A good example of variable costs for a piano manufacturer is the cost of piano keys.