Cost Accounting for Specific Orders and Processes
Cost Accounting System for Specific Orders
This system is used by businesses that produce goods on a per-order basis, allowing for the separation of production into distinct batches. Upon receiving an order, a production order is issued, detailing customer requirements such as item type, quantity, customer name, designs, and specifications.
Registration and Monitoring of Direct Materials
This process tracks the direct materials from the initial request to the supplier through their use in production. The departments involved in this flow include purchasing, receiving, production, and accounting.
Analyzing direct material usage is crucial for several reasons:
- Direct materials often represent a significant percentage of total production costs.
- They can be a source of potential losses.
- They typically require substantial investment and financial resources.
- They involve considerable expenses related to freight, insurance, and storage.
Tools for Direct Materials Control
1. Inventory Cards
These records track the inflow and outflow of raw materials in both units and value.
Several methods can be used to value inventory:
A) FIFO (First-In, First-Out): This method assumes that the materials used in production are the ones that have been in storage the longest. This generally results in a lower cost of goods sold, higher ending inventory value, and higher profits.
B) LIFO (Last-In, First-Out): This method assumes that the materials used in production are the most recently purchased. This typically leads to a higher cost of goods sold, lower ending inventory value, and lower profits.
C) Weighted Average Price Method: Materials are valued at a weighted average price, calculated by dividing the total value of inventory by the total number of units.
2. Inventory Levels
Inventory levels determine the quantity of materials a company should keep in stock.
Consumption: The projected amount of materials needed based on production schedules.
Lead Time: The time it takes for suppliers to deliver materials.
Safety Stock and Special Factors: A buffer stock to account for unforeseen circumstances.
Minimum Stock Level: The minimum amount of material required to meet operational needs.
Critical Stock Level: The lowest permissible stock level; falling below this point could disrupt production.
Maximum Stock Level: The highest desirable stock level to avoid excessive carrying costs.
3. Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)
EOQ = √(2 * D * K / H)
Where:
D = Annual demand
K = Cost per order
H = Holding cost per unit
Other relevant formulas:
Carrying Cost (CA) = (Q / 2) * H
Ordering Cost (CP) = (D / Q) * K
Total Cost (CT) = CA + CP
Number of Orders = D / Q
Time Between Orders = 360 / Number of Orders
Registration and Monitoring of Direct Labor
Direct labor, similar in importance to direct materials, impacts product cost. Tracking direct labor allows for calculating wages, allocating labor costs to products or batches, and monitoring labor efficiency.
Legal Aspects of Direct Labor
- Maximum legal workweek: 192 hours per month / 48 hours per week
- Maximum daily hours: 8 hours (Monday-Saturday) or 9.6 hours (Monday-Friday)
- Overtime must be paid with a minimum 50% surcharge.
Registration and Control of Manufacturing Overhead Costs
Total manufacturing overhead costs include indirect materials, indirect labor, fuels, lubricants, and depreciation. These costs are allocated to products, processes, or batches.
Cost Accounting System for Processes
This system is used by companies with continuous production processes, producing similar or homogeneous items. Product identity is less distinct, and costs are averaged over a defined period (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, annually).
Steps in Determining Cost
- Flow Factor: Physical units involved in the process.
- Cost Report: Cumulative cost plus added costs in the process.
- Equivalent Production: Physical units separated by cost element.
- Cost Calculation: Cost report divided by received units and equivalent production units.
- Cost Distribution: Justification of the cost report.
Equivalent Units: All units in production, including completed units, units in progress (expressed as completed units based on their degree of completion), and abnormal losses.
Normal Losses: Absorbed by the production process and increase production costs.
Abnormal Losses: Treated as good units for costing purposes, resulting in a loss.
Cost Calculations and Formulas
The provided HTML includes various formulas and calculations related to cost accounting, including cost per process, cost distribution, equivalent production, and gross profit calculations. These formulas are complex and require further context to be fully explained within this JSON format.
Gross Profit % = Units Sold (Production * % Received) * (Unit Cost * Gross Profit Margin %)
Overhead Rates
Direct Materials Overhead Rate = Total Overhead Costs / Total Direct Material Costs
Direct Labor Overhead Rate = Total Overhead Costs / Total Direct Labor Costs
Prime Cost Overhead Rate = Total Overhead Costs / Total Prime Cost
Overhead Rate per Direct Labor Hour = Total Overhead Costs / Total Direct Labor Hours
Overhead Rate per Machine Hour = Total Overhead Costs / Total Machine Hours
Overhead Rate per Finished Product = Total Overhead Costs / Total Finished Products