2. Activity Based Costing (ABC)
ABC is designed toABC is designed to
provide managersprovide managers
with costwith cost
information forinformation for
strategic and otherstrategic and other
decisions thatdecisions that
potentially affectpotentially affect
capacity andcapacity and
therefore “fixed”therefore “fixed”
costs.costs.
ABC is a
good supplement
to our traditional
cost system
I agree!
3. Overhead rates mayOverhead rates may
be based on activitybe based on activity
at capacity.at capacity.
Overhead rates mayOverhead rates may
be based on activitybe based on activity
at capacity.at capacity.
Activity Based Costing (ABC)
Both manufacturingBoth manufacturing
and nonmanufacturingand nonmanufacturing
costs may becosts may be
assigned toassigned to
products.products.
Both manufacturingBoth manufacturing
and nonmanufacturingand nonmanufacturing
costs may becosts may be
assigned toassigned to
products.products.
Some manufacturingSome manufacturing
costs may be excludedcosts may be excluded
from productfrom product
costs.costs.
Some manufacturingSome manufacturing
costs may be excludedcosts may be excluded
from productfrom product
costs.costs.
A numberA number
of cost pools eachof cost pools each
allocated to a productallocated to a product
or cost object.or cost object.
A numberA number
of cost pools eachof cost pools each
allocated to a productallocated to a product
or cost object.or cost object.
Allocation bases oftenAllocation bases often
differ fromdiffer from
traditional costingtraditional costing
systems.systems.
Allocation bases oftenAllocation bases often
differ fromdiffer from
traditional costingtraditional costing
systems.systems.
4. How Costs are Treated Under
Activity-Based Costing
Level of Com
plexity
Overhead Allocation
PlantwidePlantwide
OverheadOverhead
RateRate
PlantwidePlantwide
OverheadOverhead
RateRate
DepartmentalDepartmental
OverheadOverhead
RatesRates
DepartmentalDepartmental
OverheadOverhead
RatesRates
Activity BasedActivity Based
CostingCosting
Activity BasedActivity Based
CostingCosting
5. Plantwide Overhead Rate
Companies tended to use direct labordirect labor asas
the overhead allocation base. There was a
belief that direct labor and overhead
costs were highly correlated.
6. Departmental Overhead Rates
Finishing Department
Shipping Department
Painting Department
Many companies have a systemMany companies have a system
in which each department hasin which each department has
its own overhead rate.its own overhead rate.
Many companies have a systemMany companies have a system
in which each department hasin which each department has
its own overhead rate.its own overhead rate.
10. Cost of Idle Capacity
Traditional CostTraditional Cost
AccountingAccounting
The predeterminedThe predetermined
overhead rate is basedoverhead rate is based
on budgeted activity.on budgeted activity.
This results in applyingThis results in applying
overhead costs ofoverhead costs of
unused, or idle,unused, or idle,
capacity.capacity.
Traditional CostTraditional Cost
AccountingAccounting
The predeterminedThe predetermined
overhead rate is basedoverhead rate is based
on budgeted activity.on budgeted activity.
This results in applyingThis results in applying
overhead costs ofoverhead costs of
unused, or idle,unused, or idle,
capacity.capacity.
Activity BasedActivity Based
CostingCosting
Products are charged forProducts are charged for
the costs of capacitythe costs of capacity
they use – not for thethey use – not for the
costs of capacity theycosts of capacity they
don’t use.don’t use.
Activity BasedActivity Based
CostingCosting
Products are charged forProducts are charged for
the costs of capacitythe costs of capacity
they use – not for thethey use – not for the
costs of capacity theycosts of capacity they
don’t use.don’t use.