The terms controllable costs and noncontrollable costs are synonymous with variable costs and fixed costs respectively.

Controllable Costs

Expenses that can be managed or influenced by decisions made by a company's management.

Noncontrollable Costs

Costs that cannot be influenced or altered by the actions of a manager or business unit, often determined by external factors.

Variable Costs

Costs that change in proportion to the level of goods or services that a business produces, such as raw materials and labor expenses.