Question

Difficulty: MediumFactory Overheads and Indirect Manufacturing Costs

Match each cost item incurred by a manufacturing enterprise to its correct accounting classification in the financial statements.

  • Factory supervisor's salaryFactory Overhead (Indirect Labor Cost)
  • Depreciation of factory plant and machineryFactory Overhead (Indirect Expense)
  • Carriage inwards on raw materialsPrime Cost (Direct Material Cost)
  • Sales manager's commissionSelling and Distribution Expense

Answer

Factory supervisor's salary matches Factory Overhead (Indirect Labor Cost); Depreciation of factory plant and machinery matches Factory Overhead (Indirect Expense); Carriage inwards on raw materials matches Prime Cost (Direct Material Cost); Sales manager's commission matches Selling and Distribution Expense.
Factory overheads include all indirect manufacturing expenses incurred in the factory building, such as indirect labor (factory supervisor salary) and indirect factory operational costs (depreciation of factory machinery). Direct costs related to raw material acquisition (carriage inwards) increase prime cost, whereas post-production expenses (sales commission) belong to administrative or selling expenses.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify factory overheads (indirect manufacturing costs)
Factory supervisor's salary is categorized as indirect labor, while depreciation of factory machinery is categorized as an indirect factory expense.
Indirect costs incurred within the production environment that cannot be conveniently assigned to specific units produced constitute factory overheads.
2
Identify prime cost components
Carriage inwards on raw materials is added to the cost of raw materials purchased.
Carriage inwards forms an integral part of the direct material cost required to bring raw materials to their present location and condition.
3
Distinguish manufacturing costs from selling expenses
Sales manager's commission is classified as a selling and distribution expense.
Expenses connected with the sale and distribution of finished goods are charged directly to the Profit and Loss Account rather than the Manufacturing Account.

Key Concept

Classification of manufacturing expenditures into direct costs (prime cost), factory overheads (indirect labor and indirect expenses), and administrative or selling expenses.
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