Learning objective
1. Compute the direct materials quantity and price variances and explain their
significance.
2. Compute the direct labor efficiency and rate variances and explain their
significance.
3. Compute the variable manufacturing overhead efficiency and rate variances and
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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1. Price standards specify how much should be paid for the quantity of the input to be used.
2. Quantity standards specify how much of the input should be used per unit of output.
Management by exception is a system of management in which standards are set for various operating
activities, with actual results compared to these standards. Any deviations that are deemed significant are
brought to the attention of management as exceptions.
The variance analysis cycle is a continuous process used to identify and solve problems:
1. The cycle begins with the preparation of standard cost performance reports in the accounting
department.
2. These reports highlight variances that are differences between actual results and what should
have occurred according to standards.
6. Next periods operations are carried out and the process is repeated.
Types of Standards
1. Ideal standards can only be attained under the best of circumstances. They allow for no work
interruptions and they require employees to work at 100% peak efficiency all of the time.
2. Practical standards are tight, but attainable. They allow for normal machine downtime and
employee rest periods and can be attained through reasonable, highly efficient efforts of the
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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average worker. Practical standards can also be used for forecasting cash flows and in planning
inventory.
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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General Model for Variance Analysis
Differences between standard prices and actual prices and standard quantities and actual quantities are
called variances. The act of computing and interpreting variances is called variance analysis.
Variance Analysis
1. A quantity variance is the difference between how much of an input was actually used and how
much should have been used and is stated in dollar terms using the standard price of the input.
2. A price variance is the difference between the actual price of an input and its standard price,
multiplied by the actual amount of the input purchased.
Quantity and Price standards are determined separately for two reasons:
1. Different managers are usually responsible for buying and for using inputs. For example: The
purchasing manager is responsible for raw material purchase prices and the production manager is
responsible for the quantity of raw material used.
2. The buying and using activities occur at different points in time. For example: Raw material
purchases may be held in inventory for a period of time before being used in production.
Learning Objective 1 Compute the direct materials quantity and price variances
and explain their significance
he total budget variance is the difference between the actual cost of the input and its planned
cost.
a. The planned input cost (flexible budget amount) is SP SQ,
where SP = Standard unit price of an input
SQ = Standard quantity of inputs allowed for the actual output
b. The actual input cost is AQ AP,
where AP = Actual price per unit of the input
AQ = Actual quantity of input used
thus,
Total budget variance = (AP AQ) (SP SQ)
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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1. Price (rate) variance is the difference between the actual and standard unit price of an input
multiplied by the number of inputs used.
2. Usage (efficiency) variance is the difference between the actual and standard quantity of inputs
multiplied by the standard unit price of the input.
3. Unfavorable (U) variances occur whenever the actual prices or usage are greater than the
standard.
4. Favorable (F) variances occur whenever the actual prices or usage are less than the standard
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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Instruction
Solution
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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Direct labor efficiency variance = SR x (AH SH) = $44.00 x (64,000 65,000) = $44,000 (F)
Illustration 2
Sheybow Company maintains warehouses that stock items carried by its e-retailer clients. When one of
Sheybows clients receives an order from an online customer, the order is forwarded to Sheybow. The
item is then pulled from the warehouse, packed, and shipped to the customer. Sheybow uses a
predetermined variable overhead rate based on direct labor-hours. According to the companys records,
0.04 direct labor-hours are required to fulfill an order for one item and the variable overhead rate is $3.25
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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per direct-labor hour. During December, Expedient shipped 120,000 orders using 4,600 direct labor-
hours. The company incurred a total of $14,720 in variable overhead costs.
Instruction
Part (a)What is the variable overhead rate variance during December?
Solution
AH x (AR SR) = 4,600 hours ($3.20 per hour $3.25 per hour) = $230 F
SR x (AH SH) = $3.25 per hour (4,600 hours 4,800 hours) = $650
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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3. The variable overhead efficiency variance (VOEV) measures the change in variable
overhead consumption that occurs because of efficient (or inefficient) usage of the activity.
VOEV = (AH SH) SVOR
a. The variable overhead efficiency variance is directly related to the direct labor
efficiency variance if the variable overhead cost driver is direct labor hours.
b. The causes of variable overhead efficiency variance are generally the same as those for
the direct labor usage variance.
Illustration 3
Jacobs Company applies manufacturing overhead costs to products on the basis of direct labor-hours.
The standard cost card shows that 6 direct labor-hours are required per unit of product. The company
estimated that it would work 180,000 direct labor-hours and incur the following manufacturing
overhead costs for the month of March:
Total fixed overhead costs $237,600
Total variable overhead costs $198,000
During March, the company completed 28,000 units of product, worked 172,000 direct labor-hours,
and incurred the following total manufacturing overhead costs:
Instruction
Part (a) what is the variable overhead (VOH) spending variance for March?
Part (b) what is the variable overhead (VOH) efficiency variance for March?
Part (c) What is the fixed overhead budget variance for March?
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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Part (d) what is the fixed overhead volume variance for March?
Solution
Part (A):
VOH rate = Budgeted variable overhead costs budgeted direct labor hours
VOH rate = $198,000 180,000 direct labor hours = $1.10 per direct labor hour
VOH spending variance = Actual VOH incurred (Actual direct labor hours x VOH rate per direct
labor hour) = $197,800 (172,000 hours x $1.10 per hour) = $8,600 U
The variance is unfavorable because the actual overhead costs were more than the benchmark (that
is, how much should have been spent in total on variable overhead items during the period).
Part (b):
First, compute the variable overhead (VOH) rate as follows.
VOH rate = Budgeted variable overhead costs budgeted direct labor hours
VOH rate = $198,000 180,000 direct labor hours = $1.10 per direct labor hour
VOH efficiency variance = (AH hours x VOH rate) - (SH hours x VOH rate) = (172,000 hours x
$1.10/DL hour) ((28,000 units x 6 DL hours/unit) x $1.10/hour) = $4,400 U
More direct labor hours (172,000) were worked than were allowed at standard (168,000); as such,
the overhead efficiency variance is unfavorable.
FOH budget variance = Actual fixed overhead Budgeted fixed overhead = $230,600 $237,600 =
$7,000 F
Since actual fixed overhead was less than the amount budgeted for the period, the budget variance is
favorable.
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Part (d)
First, compute the fixed overhead (FOH) rate as follows.
FOH rate = Budgeted fixed overhead costs budgeted direct labor hours = $237,600 180,000
direct labor hours = $1.32 per direct labor hour
FOH Volume variance = Budgeted fixed overhead (Standard hours allowed x FOH rate) =
$237,600 (((28,000 units x 6 DL hrs./unit) x $1.32 per DL hour) = $15,840 U
Since budgeted fixed overhead was more than the amount applied to work in process during the
period, the volume variance is unfavorable.
Problems
PROBLEM 1
ABC Company produced 25,000 units of Product XP-1 during 2000. Each product required 6 pounds of
material at $11 per pound and 2 hours of direct labor at $15 per hour. During 2003, 160,000 pounds of
material were purchased and used for $1,750,000; payroll totaled $743,900 for 49,000 hours.
Required:
Calculate the direct materials price and usage variances and the direct labor rate and efficiency variances.
PROBLEM 2
Acme Corp. applies overhead to production using a rate of $75 per machine hour ($35 variable, $40
fixed). Acme produced 15,000 units and incurred overhead of $3,710,000 (of which $1,495,000 was
variable overhead) while using 43,500 machine hours. The overhead standards assumed each product
would use 3 machine hours. The practical capacity of 18,000 units was used as the denominator activity.
Required:
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PROBLEM 3
XYZ Company produces a compound by mixing 3 gallons of AB-5 (costing $2.25 per gallon) and 4
gallons of CR-3 (costing $7.50 per gallon). The output is 5 gallons of the compound. During August,
21,000 gallons of AB-5, costing $46,500, were purchased and used; 26,000 gallons of CR-3, costing
$198,000, were purchased and used. A total of 37,000 gallons of output were obtained.
Required:
PROBLEM 4
Scooter Company has the following standard cost sheet using an expected capacity of 120,000 units:
Overhead:
Total....................................... $115.00
During the year, 125,000 units were produced. Actual costs included the following:
Overhead................................ Variable:$3,025,000
Fixed:$4,275,000
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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Required:
1. Calculate the direct materials price and usage variances and the direct labor rate and efficiency
variances
2. What is the variable overhead (VOH) spending variance? And What is the variable overhead
Lecturer: Yusuf H. Mohamed Ch. 10 Handout Class: BBF02-PT Subject: Mang .Acc
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