Concept explainers
Factory
Fabricator Inc., a specialized equipment manufacturer, uses a
Our accounting system doesn't make any sense to me. It tells me that every labor hour carries an additional burden of $3,000. This means that while direct labor makes up only 5% of our total product cost, it drives all our costs. In addition, these rates give my design engineers incentives to "design out" direct labor by using machine technology. Yet, over the past years as we have had less and less direct labor, the overhead rate keeps going up and up. I won't be surprised if next year the rate is $4,000 per direct labor hour. I'm also concerned because small errors in our estimates of the direct labor content can have a large impact on our estimated costs. Just a 30~minute error in our estimate of assembly time is worth $ 1,500. Small mistakes in our direct labor time estimates really swing our bids around. I think this puts us at a disadvantage when we are going after business.
What did the engineer mean about the large overhead rate being a disadvantage when plating bids and seeking new business?
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 10 Solutions
Survey of Accounting (Accounting I)
- “Blast it!” said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. “We’ve just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $4,000. It seems we’re either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid.” Teledex Company manufactures products to customers’ specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant Manufacturing overhead $ 362,250 $ 414,000 $ 93,150 $ 869,400 Direct labor $ 207,000 $ 103,500 $ 310,500 $ 621,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant Direct materials $ 3,700…arrow_forward“Blast it!” said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. “We’ve just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $3,000. It seems we’re either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid.” Teledex Company manufactures products to customers’ specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant Manufacturing overhead $ 360,500 $ 412,000 $ 92,700 $ 865,200 Direct labor $ 206,000 $ 103,000 $ 309,000 $ 618,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant Direct materials $ 3,600…arrow_forward"Blast it!" said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. "We've just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $3,000. It seems we're either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid." Teledex Company manufactures products to customers' specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Manufacturing overhead Direct labor Fabricating Department Machining Assembly Total Plant $ 365,750 $ 418,000 $ 94,050 $ 877,800 $ 209,000 $ 104,500 $ 313,500 $ 627,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Direct materials Direct labor Manufacturing overhead Fabricating $ 3,900 $ 4,600 ? Department Machining $ 200 $ 500 ?…arrow_forward
- “Blast it!” said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. “We’ve just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $3,000. It seems we’re either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid.” Teledex Company manufactures products to customers’ specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Department Total Plant Fabricating Machining Assembly Manufacturing overhead $ 355,250 $ 406,000 $ 91,350 $ 852,600 Direct labor $ 203,000 $ 101,500 $ 304,500 $ 609,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Department Total Plant Fabricating Machining Assembly Direct materials $ 3,300 $ 200 $…arrow_forward"Blast it!" said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. "We've just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $2,000. It seems we're either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid. Teledex Company manufactures products to customers' specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Department Total Plant Fabricating Machining Assembly Manufacturing overhead $369,250 $ 422,000 $ 94,950 $ 886, 200 Direct labor $211,000 $ 105, 500 $ 316,500 $ 633,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Department Total Plant Fabricating Machining Assembly Direct materials $4,100 $ 400 $2,500 $ 7,000 Direct labor $5,000…arrow_forwardBlast it!” said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. “We’ve just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $3,000. It seems we’re either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid.” Teledex Company manufactures products to customers’ specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant Manufacturing overhead $ 365,750 $ 418,000 $ 94,050 $ 877,800 Direct labor $ 209,000 $ 104,500 $ 313,500 $ 627,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant Direct materials $ 3,900…arrow_forward
- "Blast it!" said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. "We've just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $4,000. It seems we're either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid." Teledex Company manufactures products to customers' specifications and uses job-order costing. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Manufacturing overhead Direct labor Fabricating $367,500 $ 210,000 Direct materials Direct labor Manufacturing overhead Department Machining $ 420,000 $ 105,000 Fabricating $ 4,000 $ 4,800 ? Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Assembly $ 94,500 $ 315,000 Department Machining $300 $ 600 ? Total Plant $ 882,000 $630,000 Assembly Total…arrow_forward"Blast it" said David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. "We've just lost the bid on the Koopers jon by $2,000. It seems we're either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid". Teledex Company manufactures products to customers specification and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year: Department Fabricating Machining Assembly Total Plant manufacturing overhead $350,000 $400,000 $90,000 $840,000 direct labor $200,000 $100,000 $300,000 $600,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Departments Fabricating Machining…arrow_forwardO’Leary Corporation manufactures special purpose portable structures (huts, mobile offices, and so on) for use at construction sites. It only builds to order (each unit is built to customer specifications). O’Leary uses a normal job costing system. Direct labor at O’Leary is paid $20 per hour, but the employees are not paid if they are not working on jobs. Manufacturing overhead is assigned to jobs by a predetermined rate on the basis of direct labor-hours. The company incurred manufacturing overhead costs during two recent years (adjusted for price-level changes using current prices and wage rates) as follows. Year 1 Year 2 Direct labor-hours worked 67,600 54,600 Manufacturing overhead costs incurred Indirect labor $ 2,784,000 $ 2,184,000 Employee benefits 1,014,000 819,000 Supplies 676,000 546,000 Power 633,000 528,000 Heat and light 139,200 139,200 Supervision 777,990 658,050 Depreciation 2,000,500…arrow_forward
- The cost accountant for M. Company wants to determine the cost of factory overhead. Based on observation and discussions with plant workers, you feel that five accounts are most relevant. Two are fixed- supervisory salaries and depreciation- and the remaining three are variable. Indirect labor is primarily used to move materials and varies with a number of moves. The largest component of utilities is electricity to run production machinery; which is driven by machine hours. Purchasing seems to be driven by the number of purchase orders. The accounts and their balances for the past six months are shown below: Indirect Plant and Labor Supervisory Equipment Cost Utilities Purchasing Salaries Depreciation July $14,250 $12,000 $38,200 $20,000 $6,500 Aug 15,800 10,600 35,400 23,000…arrow_forward"Blast it!" sald David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. "We've just lost the bid on the Koopers Job by $2,000. It seems we're elther too high to get the Job or too low to make any money on half the Jobs we bid." Teledex Company manufactures products to customers' specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply Its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to Jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year. Department Fabricating Machining $ 358,750 $ 410, e00 $ 102,500 Assembly 92, 250 $ 307,500 S Total Plant Manufacturing overhead Direct labor 861,e0e 615, eee 24 205,000 Jobs require varying amounts of work In the three departments. The Koopers Job, for example, would have requlred manufacturing costs In the three departments as follows: Fabricating $ 3,500 $ 3,800 Department Machining $ 200 $ 500 Assembly $1,900 $ 6,700 Total Plant $ 5,600 $11,000 Direct…arrow_forward"Blast It!" sald David Wilson, president of Teledex Company. "We've Just lost the bid on the Koopers job by $2,000. It seems we're either too high to get the job or too low to make any money on half the jobs we bid." Teledex Company manufactures products to customers' specifications and uses a job-order costing system. The company uses a plantwide predetermined overhead rate based on direct labor cost to apply Its manufacturing overhead (assumed to be all fixed) to Jobs. The following estimates were made at the beginning of the year. Department Fabricating Machining $ 358,750 $ 410,e00 $ 205,000 Assembly Total Plant Manufacturing overhead 92,250 $ 307,500 861, eee 615, e00 Direct labor $ 102,500 Jobs require varying amounts of work in the three departments. The Koopers job, for example, would have required manufacturing costs in the three departments as follows: Fabricating $ 3,500 $ 3,800 Department Machining $ 200 $ 5ee Assembly $ 1,900 $ 6,700 Total Plant $ 5,600 $11,000 Direct…arrow_forward
- Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Ser...AccountingISBN:9781305970663Author:Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. MowenPublisher:Cengage LearningExcel Applications for Accounting PrinciplesAccountingISBN:9781111581565Author:Gaylord N. SmithPublisher:Cengage LearningPrinciples of Accounting Volume 2AccountingISBN:9781947172609Author:OpenStaxPublisher:OpenStax College
- Principles of Cost AccountingAccountingISBN:9781305087408Author:Edward J. Vanderbeck, Maria R. MitchellPublisher:Cengage Learning