Overhead Expenses

ANSHUL RASTOGI , Last updated: 14 July 2007  
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Allocation of Overhead Expenses

[Submitted by Mr. Anshul Rastogi,
CA(Final) Student]

Overhead is expenses incurred for carrying out the production process and sale of finished goods. On the other hand overhead is an indirect cost i.e. cost does not directly attributable to any department. All overhead expenses must have identification for department or product except in cases where this is not possible. Various approach are used for allocate and apportionate overhead to the department.

There is little difference between allocation and apportionment of overhead. The dictionary meaning of allocation is ‘To Place’ and dictionary meaning of apportionment is ‘To Share’. According to ICMA Terminology “The allotment of whole item of cost to cost centers or cost unit is know as allocation.” The term apportionment is defined as allotment to two or more cost center or cost unit of a proportion of common item of cost on estimated basis of benefit received. The service department expenses have to be further apportioning to the department on some equitable basis depending up on the nature and extent of service rendered. The process of allocation or apportionment of overhead to the department is called as departmentalization of overhead. These department or product is called as cost center to which all cost is charged through allocation and apportionment.

In perspective of India two approach is famous to allocate and apportionate overhead viz. traditional approach and modern approach (Activity Based Costing).

I. Traditional Approach:
This approach is very famous approach to allocate and apportionate overhead up to 1950’s in India. In this approach indirect cost that directly identifiable to the department is allocate and expense incurred for various department jointly have to be apportionate over each department on proportionate basis. Proportion can be differing from expense to expense. For examples:

  Expense Basis for apportionment
  Rent Area occupied
  Lighting No. of switches
   Salary Time devoted
   Power No. of machine x Horse
power of machine

  

  

 

It is necessary to take best suitable proportion to apportionate overhead for ascertain cost. In this approach every customer pay equal amount for product irrespective of facility enjoyed.

II. Modern Approach (Activity Based Costing):

With the rapid advancement in industrialization with all its complexities a new approach is introduced to allocate and apportionate overhead named Activity Based Costing. Under this approach all indirect cost are traced to departments on the basis of activity carried for production. The great advantage of this approach is that customer who enjoyed more facility pay more and who enjoyed less facility pay fewer amounts.

In both approach profit of the company is same department-wise profit can be changed. Activity Based Costing (ABC Technique) is world wide acceptable costing technique. Big manufacturing concern can adopt ABC Technique because it evaluates correct performance of each department.

In the perspective of India small-scale industry can not adopt ABC Technique because it is very technical system and require a person who has technical knowledge of ABC Technique. This system is very expensive system because it require more cost records and cost books. Small-scale industry can adopt a new technique named Hybrid Technique easily. Under this approach some indirect expense who play relevant role in ascertainment of cost apportionate on the basis of activities and other expense apportionate on proportionate basis depending up on the nature of expense. Hybrid technique is less expensive, less technical and requires less costing records in compare to Activity Based Costing.

Illustration:

A small-scale industry manufactures three products A, B and C. Product A is manufacture in department X, product B is manufacture in department Y and product C is manufacture in department Z. there is two service department viz. canteen and maintenance. Information relating to direct cost to these departments is given below:

Departments                                            

Particular X Y Z Canteen Maintenance
Direct Material  50000  20000  10000  25000  10000
Direct Labor  20000  10000  5000  15000  40000
Other information:          
No. of employees  100  50  20  10  5
Area occupied (in square feet)  1000  500  200  100  50
No. of machine  5  3  2  -  1
Value of each machine (Rs.)  10000  15000  10000  -  5000
No. of switches  20  10  15  5  8
No. of production runs  25  50  50  -  -
No. of inspection  25  50  125  -  -
No. of purchase order placed  25  100  200  -  -
No. of customer order received  10  50  225  -  -

Information relating to indirect cost:

  Rent Rs. 37000
   Insurance Rs. 12000
  Lighting Rs. 11600
  Set up cost Rs. 500 per set up
  Quality inspection cost Rs. 200 per inspection
  Purchases processing cost Rs. 150 per order
  Order processing cost Rs. 175 per order
  Cooling charges Rs. 30897
  Gas, water and fuel Rs. 11700

Product C requires cooling facility.

  Product No. of unit produce
  A 1000
  B 500
  C 2000

You are required to calculate cost of each product.

Solution:

Calculation of cost of products

 

Production Departments

Service Department

Particulars

X

Y

Z

Canteen

Maintenance

Product name

A

B

C

   
Direct material

50000

20000

10000

   
Direct labor

20000

10000

5000

   

Direct cost

70000

30000

15000

   
Indirect cost:          
Material      

25000

10000

Labor      

15000

40000

Rent

20000

10000

4000

2000

1000

Insurance

5000

4500

2000

 

500

Lighting

4000

2000

3000

1000

1600

Set up cost

12500

25000

25000

   
Quality inspection cost

5000

10000

25000

   
Purchase processing cost

3750

15000

30000

   
Order processing cost

1750

8750

39375

   
Cooling charges    

30897

   
Gas, water and fuel

2340

2340

2340

2340

2340

       

45340

55440

Re-distribution of overhead of:          
Canteen department

25909

12954

5182

(45340)

1295

Maintenance department

28368

17020

11347

 

(56735)

Total cost

178617

137564

193141

NIL

NIL

No. of unit produce

1000

500

2000

   

Cost per unit

178.62 275.13 96.57    

Note:

  Indirect costs are apportionate as follows:

Indirect cost

Basis of apportionment

Rent

Area occupied

Insurance

No. of machine x Value of each machine

Lighting

No. of switches

Gas, water and fuel

Equally

   Re-distribution of cost of service departments are as follows:

Canteen department No. of employees
Maintenance department No. of machine
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Published by

ANSHUL RASTOGI
(ARTICLE TRANEE)
Category Students   Report

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