What are different types of standards under standard costing?
Standard in simple words is a measure of what is expected to take place under the current or anticipated circumstances. Another way of defining standard is that it is something that is predetermined or planned and management wishes that actual results equate to standards. Standards are one of important quantitative tools in the hand of […]
What is Backcasting? How is it different from Forecasting?
Backcasting is what can be understood as the opposite of forecasting and is one of the techniques to manage uncertainties and risks pertaining to future just like forecasting. However the way backcasting and forecasting approaches “the future” is very different. In forecasting we gather information about present conditions and then extrapolate them according to expectations, […]
What is Specific identification method of inventory valuation?
Specific identification method is just another method to value ending inventory of the business to be reported in the financial statements. IAS 2 permits the use of specific identification method. According to this method each identified items of inventory is assigned specific cost and hence the name specific identification. In simple words cost is attributed […]
Does Standard costing means costing based on cost accounting standards like financial accounting standards?
Standard costing does not mean cost accounting using uniform cost accounting standards similar to financial accounting standards. The main purpose of financial accounting standards is to have such set of financial statements for every entity that is comparable with other entity’s financial statements and also to have uniform basis of accounting for different transactions that […]
What is Normal costing?
Right at the very start of cost accounting we understand that decision making is one of the crucial and an ongoing process in every organization. Managers have to decide about many things all the time and for this they need relevant and reliable information or to be specific complete information. This is where cost accounting […]
What is the difference between Waste, Scrap, Spoil and Defect?
Waste: This is a loss connected with raw material or inputs to the production process and usually means to refer that input has been lost due to any reason either because of its nature of the material itself, nature of the process or some other conditions. Sometimes such output that does not have any sales […]
Can direct costs be fixed and indirect costs be variable costs?
Classifying costs as direct or indirect cost is one way of cost classification whereas classifying costs on the basis of their behaviour as fixed or variable costs is just another way of classification of costs. Both classifications are separate and must not be confused together. The cost that can be traced back to a product […]
What is a non-linear variable cost?
Variable costs are such costs that change with the change in business activity level. For example if production level changes then some costs of production will change as well. This change can either be in the same direction (direct relationship) i.e. if activity increases then cost increases as well OR it can be in the […]
What is HIFO?
HIFO is an acronym for Highest in, First out. This inventory valuation method assumes that inventory with highest bought in value i.e. highest purchase price in the stock will be consumed first or in other words will be sent out to production hall at first place. One of the main advantage of using HIFO method […]
What is Opportunity cost and why is it a Relevant cost as well?
Opportunity costs are defined to be the economic value of the benefit sacrificed under one alternative to avail the benefit under another alternative course of action. For example, company have the option of manufacturing either alpha or beta. As company does not have enough resources to manufacture both of them so it will have to […]
