10 6 Direct Materials Variances Financial and Managerial Accounting

This could occur because the company was able to hire workers at a lower rate, because of negotiated union contracts, or because of a poor labor rate estimate used in creating the standard. For example, a manager might decide to make a manufacturing division’s results look profitable in the short term at the expense of reaching the organization’s long-term goals. A recognizable cost variance could be an increase in repair costs as a percentage of sales on an increasing basis. This variance could indicate that equipment is not operating efficiently and is increasing overall cost. However, the expense of implementing new, more efficient equipment might be higher than repairing the current equipment. In the short term, it might be more economical to repair the outdated equipment, but in the long term, purchasing more efficient equipment would help the organization reach its goal of eco-friendly manufacturing.

This method of overestimation, sometimes called budget slack, is built into the standards so management can still look good even if costs are higher than planned. In either case, managers potentially can help other managers and the company overall by noticing particular problem areas or by sharing knowledge that can improve variances. The combination of the two variances can produce one overall total direct materials cost variance. Ignore how much you actually paid for raw materials; we’re just trying to quantify the actual vs. expected quantity. To evaluate the price difference, you’re looking for a different accounting formula called the direct material price variance.

Estimate the standard material quantity

Businesses that use the standard costing system to value inventory need to estimate standard prices and quantities for all direct materials. You’ll use those figures to track the manufacturing process in your accounting software. Direct materials move from raw electronic filing materials to work in process (WIP) to finished goods as they’re transformed into saleable products. The variance is unfavorable because more materials were used than the standard quantity allowed to complete the job.

How is direct material usage variance calculated in a multi-product company?

If the net income is less than their forecasts, the company has an unfavorable variance. Subtracting from that the product of the Standard Quantity of raw materials (AQ) and the Standard Cost (SC) would give the total expected cost of materials if the conversion process used those materials exactly as expected. Another element this company and others must consider is a direct materials quantity variance. From the accounting records, we know that the company purchased and used in production 6,800 BF of lumber to make 1,620 bodies. Based on a standard of four BF per body, we expected raw materials usage to be 6,480 (1,620 bodies x 4 BF per blank). A favorable labor rate variance occurred because the rate paid per hour was less than the rate expected to be paid (standard) per hour.

1. Unfavorable variance is an accounting term that describes instances where actual costs are greater than the standard or projected costs.
2. An unfavorable materials quantity variance occurred because the pounds of materials used were greater than the pounds expected to be used.
3. The amount of materials used and the price paid for those materials may differ from the standard costs determined at the beginning of a period.
4. While we haven’t finished the calculation, it’s smart to pause here for some analysis.
5. In this case, the actual quantity of materials used is 0.20 pounds, the standard price per unit of materials is $7.00, and the standard quantity used is 0.25 pounds.
6. For this reason, labor efficiency variances are generally watched more closely than labor rate variances.

A favorable outcome means you spent less on the purchase of materials than you anticipated. If, however, the actual price paid per unit of material is greater than the standard price per unit, the variance will be unfavorable. An unfavorable outcome means you spent more on the purchase of materials than you anticipated. Angro Limited, a single product American company, employs a proper standard costing system. The normal wastage and inefficiencies are taken into account while setting direct materials price and quantity standards.

If a company’s actual quantity used exceeds the standard allowed, what would the variance be?

A manager needs to be cognizant of his or her organization’s goals when making decisions based on variance analysis. The standard cost is the amount your business expected to pay for each unit of raw material. We’ll discuss this in detail later, but companies that use the standard costing system to value their inventory correct their inventory account cash surrender value of life insurance balance sheet balances with the materials quantity variance. The materials quantity variance is one of several cost accounting metrics that manufacturers review to measure manufacturing efficiency. Keeping an eye on variances helps manufacturers identify and remedy issues as they crop up.

On the other hand, if workers use the quantity that is more than the quantity allowed by standards, the variance is known as unfavorable direct materials quantity variance. Figure 10.35 shows the connection between the direct materials price variance and direct materials quantity variance to total direct materials cost variance. Figure 8.3 shows the connection between the direct materials price variance and direct materials quantity variance to total direct materials cost variance. In this case, the actual quantity of materials used is 0.20 pounds, the standard price per unit of materials is $7.00, and the standard quantity used is 0.25 pounds. This is a favorable outcome because the actual quantity of materials used was less than the standard quantity expected at the actual production output level.

The same calculation is shown using the outcomes of the direct materials price and quantity variances. Connie’s Candy paid $2.00 per pound more for materials than expected and used 0.25 pounds more of materials than expected to make one box of candy. The unfavorable variance could be the result of lower revenue, higher expenses, or a combination of both. Oftentimes, an unfavorable variance could be due to a combination of factors. The shortfall could be due, in part, to an increase in variable costs, such as a price increase in the cost of raw materials, which go into producing the product.

Standard direct material usage refers to the amount of materials allowed to be used per unit produced. Direct materials quantity variance is also known as direct material usage or volume variance. Watch this video featuring a professor of accounting walking through the steps involved in calculating a material price variance and a material quantity variance to learn more. The actual quantity used can differ from the standard quantity because of improved efficiencies in production, carelessness or inefficiencies in production, or poor estimation when creating the standard usage. While we haven’t finished the calculation, it’s smart to pause here for some analysis.