Variable Overhead Spending Variance

Variance analysis for overhead is split between variances related to variable and fixed costs. The calculated variable overhead spending variance may be classified as favorable and non-favorable. It implies that the actual costs of consumables such as oil and grease are lower than what was accounted for.

As in the marginal costing method, overheads are written off to the income statement, so the only variance occurring will be the overheads expenditure variance. Variance for fixed overhead spending is simple to calculate and understand. The only confusion is to differentiate between variable and fixed overheads. If https://accounting-services.net/ actual expenses incurred are less than budgeted allowance based on actual hours worked, a favorable spending variance occurs. After deciding which type of expenses for which you want to calculate spending variance, define the actual cost for those expenses, or the amount your client paid for an item or service.

Why Use Overhead Variance Formulas?

The variance is unfavorable because the actual spending was higher than the budget. Cost control is the practice of identifying and reducing business expenses to increase profits, and it starts with the budgeting process. In such a case, the company incurs an entirely new expense that wasn’t anticipated by the production department at all.

Fixed overhead spending variance is an important variance for management because it indicates the cost deviations that were not expected at the time of setting standards and budgets. Usually, the fixed overheads do not change in a shorter time frame of one to two years. But, if there is a change in the fixed overheads, it is usually a significant one. Any significant change in the overheads usually requires the approval of the top management. So, we may not target and call the production department squarely responsible for such a variance. Instead, the top management is usually responsible for such a variance.

Find out any additional variables

Suppose a company does not pay its fixed overheads completely in a year. This would increase the balance of current liability, suggesting liquidity issues with the company. In such cases, an analysis of fixed overhead spending variance would give management information on the liquidity that it needs to arrange to avoid a low current ratio. In case of an unfavorable variance, the actual fixed overhead expenses are more than the budgeted. And, in a favorable variance, the actual spend is less than the standard. In this article, we will cover in detail about the fixed overhead spending variance.

Company A estimates that its fixed overhead in a year should be $600,000. However, the production manager of Company A left the job, and there was no new replacement for a few months.

Causes of favorable variance:

Suppose a company carries out business process re-engineering or improves production techniques, or optimizes production. A favorable variance may be observed in cases where economies of scale are used to advantage to obtain bulk discounts for materials, or when efficient cost control measures are put in place by the management. A budget variance measures the difference between budgeted and actual figures for a particular accounting category, and may indicate a shortfall. A favorable variance may occur due to economies of scale, bulk discounts for materials, cheaper supplies, efficient cost controls, or errors in budgetary planning. This means that instead of improving our resource-management we are utilizing a lot of our resources in performing variance analysis on our costs resulting in internal inefficiencies. Where the budgeted cost is not known we may have to calculate the cost. This calculation requires a measure of budgeted activity and the relevant rate.

This amount may be for the total expense or for a single unit of the expense, like for the rate of hourly work or the price of one item. You can typically find this information in your client’s financial records and use it to start your spending variance calculations. It estimated its fixed manufacturing overheads for the year 20X3 to be $37 million.

Determine which expenses you’re calculating

By the time the reasons are found out and cost-reduction measures are decided, newer fixed costs are incurred and the previous analysis becomes irrelevant. The factory worked for 26 days putting in 860 hours work every day and achieved an output of 2,050 units. The expenditure incurred as overheads was 49,200 towards variable overheads and 86,100 towards fixed overheads. Fixed overhead spending variance is the difference between the actual fixed manufacturing overhead and the budgeted fixed manufacturing overhead for a period.