“If it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense”

“If it doesn’t make dollars/money, it doesn’t make sense” means that if something doesn’t make money, then it doesn’t make sense (a pun on the word “cents”) to do it. The saying has been cited since about 1982 and is of unknown authorship.
       
 
Google Books
Handbook of Advanced Robotics .
By Edward L. Safford
Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books
1982
Pg. 277:
(e) If it doesn’t make dollars it doesn’t make sense
 
13 October 1994, Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution, “Made in Georgia: To market, to market? Think twice,” pg. H15:
Listen to A. Estes Reynolds, an extension food scientist at University of Georgia: “I always tell people, if it doesn’t make dollars and cents, it doesn’t make sense,” ...
   
21 March 1997, South Florida Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL), “Are stars worth their prices?” by Randy Harris, Showtime, pg. 51:
In Hollywood, if it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense.
 
Google Books
Dying Planet Living Dream
By Barry Gremillion
Lincoln, NE: iUniverse
2000
Pg. 199:
Sign above the cash register read, “If it doesn’t make money it doesn’t make sense.”
     
BoxingFanCast.com
Floyd: If it doesn’t make money, it doesn’t make sense
Date: 24th May 2010 at 11:25 pm
Written by Boxing Head
There have been a lot of reports about why Mayweather didn’t want to fight for Mosley’s belt.
 
Google Books
Corporate Defiance
By Anthony Ford
iUniverse
2012
Pg. 20:
“Art you know me by now. When it comes to money, I’m always serious. If it doesn’t make dollars it doesn’t make sense.”
 
Boston (MA) Globe
The truth about the ‘code of the street’
The real story of the law outside the law, from the Mattapan murder case to ‘The Wire’
By Leon Neyfakh
March 25, 2012
(...)
THERE ARE A FEW REASONS to believe the power of the code actually has diminished with time: According to Hureau, who has been researching Boston gangs for the past six years, one big difference between now and 20 years ago is that gang members don’t make nearly as much money selling drugs. The old saying was, “If it doesn’t make dollars, it doesn’t make sense.”
   
(Trademark)
Word Mark IF IT DOESN’T MAKE DOLLARS, IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE
Goods and Services (ABANDONED) IC 011. US 021 034. G & S: electric coffee brewers, electric tea brewers and electric hot water makers
(ABANDONED) IC 016. US 031. G & S: coffee filters
(ABANDONED) IC 021. US 002 013 033. G & S: coffee decanters and tea decanters
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 74092593
Filing Date August 30, 1990
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition November 5, 1991
Owner (APPLICANT) Bunn-O-Matic Corporation CORPORATION DELAWARE 1400 Stevenson Drive Springfield ILLINOIS 62708
Attorney of Record Cynthia A. Bushnell
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator DEAD
Abandonment Date July 29, 1992