MA – L2 – Q19 – Standard Costing and Variance Analysis

Zaytuna Enterprises operates a standard absorption costing system to control the manufacturing costs of its single product, “Eco Blocks”. The following standards have been set:

Description Standard
Direct material 2 kgs at GH₵6/kg
Direct labour 1 hr at GH₵7/hr
Fixed overheads GH₵9
Total production cost GH₵28

The fixed overhead standard cost per unit is based on a budgeted monthly production of 4,000 units.
Actual results for the most recent month were:

Description Actual
Production 4,300 units
Direct material cost GH₵56,000 for 9,000 kgs
Direct labour cost GH₵32,800 for 4,600 hours paid, only 4,000 hours were worked
Fixed overhead GH₵35,000

No direct material inventories are held.

Required

Calculate the following variances:

(a) Direct material price

(b) Direct material usage

(c) Direct labour rate

(d) Direct labour efficiency

(e) Idle time

(f) Fixed overhead expenditure

(g) Fixed overhead volume

(h) Fixed overhead capacity

(a) Direct Material Price Variance
= (Standard Price − Actual Price) × Actual Quantity
= (GH¢6 − GH¢6.2222) × 9,000 kg
= GH¢2,000 (A)

(b) Direct Material Usage Variance
= (Standard Quantity − Actual Quantity) × Standard Price
= (8,600 kg − 9,000 kg) × GH¢6
= GH¢2,400 (A)

(c) Direct Labour Rate Variance
= (Standard Rate − Actual Rate) × Actual Hours Paid
= (GH¢7 − GH¢7.1304) × 4,600 hours
= GH¢600 (A)

(d) Direct Labour Efficiency Variance
= (Standard Hours − Actual Hours Worked) × Standard Rate
= (4,300 hours − 4,000 hours) × GH¢7
= GH¢2,100 (F)

(e) Idle Time Variance
= Idle Hours × Standard Rate
= (4,600 hours − 4,000 hours) × GH¢7
= GH¢4,200 (A)

(f) Fixed Overhead Expenditure Variance
= Budgeted Fixed Overhead − Actual Fixed Overhead
= (4,000 units × GH¢9) − GH¢35,000
= GH¢36,000 − GH¢35,000
= GH¢1,000 (F)

(g) Fixed Overhead Volume Variance
= (Budgeted Production − Actual Production) × Standard Fixed Overhead Rate
= (4,000 units − 4,300 units) × GH¢9
= GH¢2,700 (F)

(h) Fixed Overhead Capacity Variance
= (Budgeted Hours − Actual Hours) × Fixed Overhead Absorption Rate
= (4,000 hours − 4,000 hours) × GH¢9
= NIL

     Working Notes

  1. Computation of Standard Quantity
    Actual Quantity × Material per unit
    4,300 × 2 kg = 8,600 kg
  2. Computation of Actual Price
    Direct Material Cost / Total Units of material
    GH¢56,000 / 9,000 kgs = GH¢6.2222
  3. Computation of Actual Rate
    Direct Labour Cost / Actual Hours Paid
    GH¢32,800 / 4,600 hours = GH¢7.1304
  4. Computation of Standard Hours
    Total Production units × Std Hour per unit
    4,300 units × 1 hour = 4,300
  5. Computation of Budgeted Fixed Overhead
    Budgeted Monthly Production × Fixed Overhead Cost per unit
    4,000 units × GH¢9 = GH¢36,000