CHAPTER 6 Process Cost Accounting
Additional Procedures

Review Summary
  1.   In many industries where a process cost system is used, the materials may be put into production in irregular quantities and at varying points in the processing cycle, whereas labor and factory overhead usually are incurred evenly throughout the production process. In these situations, equivalent production must be computed separately for each element of production cost, rather than using one equivalent unit figure for all cost elements. In addition, the allocation of cost for each element must be computed individually when valuing the ending inventory.
  2.   Many production processes are of such a nature that there is some loss of units during the process due to evaporation, shrinkage, etc. Normal losses are unavoidable losses that are considered a necessary cost of producing the marketable units. The cost of the lost units is spread over the remaining marketable units, thus increasing the unit cost of the completed units. Abnormal losses that are not inherent to the manufacturing process nor are expected under efficient operating conditions are charged to a separate expense account, Abnormal Loss of Units, rather than increasing the inventory cost of the units transferred. For units gained in production in a department subsequent to the first, the calculation of the adjusted unit cost is similar to that made when units are lost, except that the total cost of the original units is spread over a greater number of units, thus reducing the unit cost.
  3.   The first-in, first-out (FIFO) method of process costing assumes that costs of the current period are first applied to complete the beginning units in process, then to start and finish a number of units, and finally to start other units in process. FIFO costing differs from average costing only if there is beginning work-in-process inventory. Under FIFO, the unit output required to complete the beginning work in process must be included in the equivalent production calculation. For example:

              

  4.   Calculation of unit costs with the FIFO method takes into consideration only the current period data. The cost of the beginning work in process is not merged with current costs under the FIFO method as it is under the average cost method until the units are transferred to a subsequent department or to finished goods.  At that time, the cost related to the beginning units in process lose their identity and are merged with the costs of those units started and finished during the current period. The costs assigned to the ending work-in-process inventory are determined in the same manner under the FIFO method as under the average cost approach.
  5.   In comparing the FIFO and the average cost methods, the argument for FIFO is that units started within the current period are valued at the current period’s costs and are not distorted by merging these costs with costs from the preceding period. However, this separate identity is typically not maintained when these units are transferred to the next department. The major advantage of the average cost method is that all units completed during the period have the same unit cost assigned to them, thus making average costing a simpler method to use.

  6.   Two or more products of significant value derived from a common process are known as joint products. The cost of materials, labor, and overhead incurred up to the point that the separate products can be identified—the split-off point—are known as joint costs. The physical unit of measure method allocates joint costs to the joint products on the basis of volume, weight, or size. The relative sales value method of allocating joint costs is based on the premise that the greatest share of joint costs should be borne by the products with the highest sales value. Some companies subtract the costs after split-off from the ultimate sales values of the individual products to arrive at an adjusted sales value that is used as the basis for allocating the joint costs.
  7.   When one or more of the products that result from a joint process have relatively little sales value, they are known as by-products. The most common method of accounting for by-products is to treat the estimated sales value of the by-product as a reduction in the inventory costs of the main products by debiting an inventory account, By-Products, and crediting Work in Process at the time the by-product is identified. If the by-product is subsequently sold for more or less than its estimated sales value, the difference may be credited or debited to Gain and Loss on Sales of By-Products. In instances where the sales value of the by-product is insignificant or uncertain, no entry is made for the by-product at the split-off point. When the by-product is subsequently sold, the by-product revenue is treated as either miscellaneous income, a reduction in cost of the main products sold, or a reduction in the cost of the main products manufactured.

Part I

Instructions: Indicate your answer in the Answers column by writing a “T” for True or an “F” for False.

Answers

  1.   When materials are added at varying stages of the production process, separate equivalent production figures must be used for materials and for labor and factory overhead........        _________
  2.   The incurrence of overhead is usually so closely related to labor costs or labor hours that overhead is thought to be incurred in the same ratio as labor expense for purposes of computing equivalent units........................................................................................... _________
  3.   Normal losses are treated as product costs, resulting in an increased unit cost for the marketable units............................................................................................................        _________
  4.   When materials are added at the end of a manufacturing process, ending units in work in process will be 100% completed as to materials.........................................................        _________
  5.   Under the FIFO method, the work required to complete the beginning work in process is ignored in computing equivalent units....................................................................        _________
  6.   Abnormal losses are treated as period costs and shown as a separate item of expense on the current income statement..................................................................................        _________
  7.   When materials are added in a department subsequent to the first department and additional units result, the adjusted unit cost will be more than the previous unit cost...................        _________
  8.   FIFO costing differs from weighted average costing only if there are units in process at the beginning of the period.........................................................................................        _________
  9.   Under the FIFO method, the cost of the beginning work in process has to be broken into its individual cost elements........................................................................................        _________
10.   Under the FIFO method, the costs of the beginning units in process are added to the costs of the work done during the period...........................................................................        _________
11.   The argument for the FIFO cost method is that the units started within the current period are valued at the current period’s cost and are not distorted by being merged with costs from the preceding period........................................................................................... _________
12.   The FIFO method has the advantage that all units completed during the period have the same unit cost assigned to them...................................................................................        _________
13.   If a product is to be processed further after the split-off point, an adjusted sales value should be used that takes into consideration the cost of the processing after split-off...........        _________
14.   The relative sales value method of assigning joint costs assumes that the greatest share of joint costs should be assigned to the product that has the highest value......................        _________
15.   If the estimated sales value of a by-product is uncertain, no entry is made until the date of sale.          _________

Part II

Instructions: In the Answers column, place the letter from the list below that identifies the term that best matches the statement. No letter should be used more than once.
a.  Abnormal losses                               h.  Normal losses
b.  Adjusted sales value                           i.  Period costs
c.  Adjusted unit cost                              j.  Physical unit of measure method
d.  By-products                                     k.  Product cost
e.  FIFO costing                                     l.  Relative sales value method
f.  Joint costs                                       m.  Split-off point
g.  Joint products

Answers

_____    1.   These are current costs charged to expense and are not included as part of the inventory.
_____    2.   These are not inherent to the manufacturing process and are not expected under normal, efficient operating conditions.
_____    3.   This could be based on volume, weight, size, or grade and is one means of apportioning joint costs to joint products.
_____    4.   This assumes that costs of the current period are first applied to complete the beginning units in process, then to start and finish a number of units, and finally to start other units in process.
_____    5.   These represent a necessary cost of producing marketable units, are ignored in the calculation of equivalent production, and are treated as product costs.
_____    6.   This is the stage in the manufacturing process when separate joint and by-products become identifiable.
_____    7.   This is a joint product’s sales value less its estimated manufacturing and selling costs after split-off.
_____    8.   It includes the total cost of materials, labor, and overhead necessary to manufacture an item.
_____    9.   These are the primary objectives of a manufacturing process that produces two or more items from a common process.
_____  10.   This represents a new cost calculated for units transferred from a prior department because some of these units have been lost or gained in production in the subsequent department.
_____  11.   These are secondary products with relatively little value produced from a common process.
_____  12.   This is a commonly used means of apportioning joint costs to joint products that is based on the selling price of a joint product as it relates to the total selling price of all joint products.
_____  13.   These are the costs of materials, labor, and overhead incurred during a manufacturing process that produces two or more products.

Part III

Instructions: In the Answers column, place the letter of the choice that most correctly completes each item.

Answers

_____    1.   In a process costing system, if units are lost at the beginning or during the process of production and the loss is normal, the determination of equivalent units should:
a.  Ignore the units lost
b.  Assign the cost of units lost to units transferred out
c.  Use all of the units lost in the computation
d.  None of the above
_____    2.   Costs should be charged against revenue in the period in which costs are incurred except:
a.  For factory overhead costs for a product manufactured and sold in the same accounting period
b.  When the costs will not benefit any future period
c.  For costs from idle manufacturing capacity resulting from an unexpected shutdown
d.  For costs of normal shrinkage and spoilage incurred for the manufacture of a product in inventory
_____    3.   Materials are added at the start of the process in Graeter Company’s mixing department, the first stage of the production cycle. The following information is available for the month of July:
Units
                        Work in process, July 1 (50% complete as to materials and conversion costs)...........................................................................        40,000
                        Started in July............................................................       120,000
                        Transferred to the next department...............................        90,000
                        Lost in production (Normal)........................................        20,000
                        Work in process, July 31 (60% complete as to materials and conversion costs)...........................................................................        50,000
Under Graeter’s cost accounting system, the costs incurred on the lost units are absorbed by the remaining marketable units. Using the average cost method, what are the equivalent units for the materials unit cost calculation?
a.  140,000                                                    c.  90,000
b.  110,000                                                    d.  120,000

_____    4.   The Assembly Department is in the second stage of Forrest Company’s production cycle. On May 1, the beginning work in process contained 50,000 units, which were 40% complete as to conversion costs. During May, 200,000 units were transferred in from the first stage of Forrest’s production cycle. On May 31, the ending work in process contained 40,000 units, which were 20% complete as to conversion costs. Material costs are added at the beginning of the process. Using the average cost method, the equivalent units were:
Materials                    Conversion Costs
a.   210,000                             200,000
b.   250,000                             250,000
c.   250,000                             218,000
d.   210,000                             218,000
_____    5.   The FIFO method of process costing differs from the average method in that the FIFO method:
a.  Considers the stage of completion of beginning work-in-process inventory in computing equivalent units of production, but the average method does not
b.  Does not consider the stage of completion of beginning work-in-process inventory in computing equivalent units of production, but the average method does
c.  Is applicable only to those companies using the FIFO inventory pricing method, but the average method may be used with any inventory pricing method
d.  Allocates costs based on whole units, but the average method uses equivalent units
_____    6.   When using the FIFO process costing method, the correct equivalent units of production for use in computing unit costs is equal to the number of units:
a.  Started into process during the period, plus the number of units in work in process at the beginning of the period
b.  In work in process at the beginning of the period, plus the number of units started during the period, plus the number of units remaining in work in process at the end of the period times the percent of work necessary to complete these units
c.  In work in process at the beginning of the period times the percent of work necessary to complete the items, plus the number of units started and completed during the period, plus the number of units remaining in work in process at the end of the period times the percent of work performed on these units during the period
d.  Transferred out during the period, plus the number of units remaining in work in process at the end of the period times the percent of work necessary to complete the units

_____    7.   A condition in which the FIFO process costing method will produce the same cost of goods manufactured as the average method is:
a.  When goods produced are homogeneous in nature
b.  When there is no beginning inventory
c.  When there are no lost units
d.  When beginning and ending inventories are each fifty percent complete
_____    8.   The components of production allocable as joint costs when a single manufacturing process produces several salable products are:
a.  Materials, labor, and factory overhead
b.  Materials and labor only
c.  Labor and factory overhead only
d.  Factory overhead and materials only
_____    9.   If two or more products share a common process before they are separated, the joint costs should be allocated in a manner that:
a.  Assigns a proportionate amount of the total joint cost to each product by means of a quantitative basis
b.  Maximizes total earnings
c.  Minimizes variations in a unit of production cost
d.  Does not introduce an element of estimation into the process of accumulating costs for each product
_____  10.   Oklahoma City Refining manufactures two products, kerosene and gasoline. Initially they are processed from the same raw material, crude oil, but after split-off, they are further processed separately. Additional information is as follows:
Kerosene    Gasoline     Final Sales
Ultimate sales value..............................      $9,000        $6,000         $15,000
Joint costs prior to split-off point............          ?                 ?               6,600
Costs after split-off point.......................       3,600         2,400           6,000
Using the adjusted sales value method, the assigned joint costs of kerosene and gasoline, respectively, are:
a.  $3,300 and $3,300                                     c.  $4,400 and $2,200
b.  $3,960 and $2,640                                     d.  $4,560 and $2,040

Part IV

Cost of production summary; materials not added uniformly throughout process; average costing.

Tejas Manufacturing, Inc. manufactures a single product on a continuous plan in three departments. On June 1, the work in process in the Assembly Department was:
Cost in preceding department.........................       $25,000
Materials—Assembly....................................             –0–
Labor—Assembly........................................        $2,720
Factory overhead—Assembly........................        $1,360
Units in process............................................          5,000
Costs in Assembly during June were:
Materials......................................................       $10,000
Labor...........................................................       $25,000
Factory overhead..........................................       $12,500
During June, 45,000 units were received from the Machining Department at a cost of $225,000; 40,000 units were completed in Assembly, of which 38,000 were transferred to the Painting Department, and 2,000 were on hand in Assembly at the end of the month. Ten thousand units were still in process, estimated to be one-half complete as to labor and factory overhead. All materials are added at the end of the process in Assembly.

Instructions: Complete the following cost of production report for Assembly, using the average costing method for beginning work-in-process inventories. (Round unit costs to three decimal places.)
Hint: First complete the equivalent production schedule before attempting to compute the unit cost of work added during the period.
Tejas Manufacturing, Inc.
Cost of Production Summary—Assembly
For the Month of June, 2008
Cost of work in process, beginning of month:
Cost in Machining....................................................         $
Cost in Assembly:
Materials......................................     $
Labor...........................................
Factory overhead..........................                                                         $
Cost of goods received from Machining during month.....
Cost of production for month:
Materials..................................................................         $
Labor.......................................................................
Factory overhead......................................................                                                        
Total costs to be accounted for.......................................                                 $.....................................................................
Unit output for month:
Materials..................................................................
Finished and transferred to Painting during month...
Equivalent units of work in process, end of month...
Finished and on hand............................................                                                        
Total equivalent production................................                                                        
Labor and factory overhead:
Finished and transferred to Painting during month...
Equivalent units of work in process, end of month...
Finished and on hand............................................                                                        
Total equivalent production................................                                                        
Unit cost for month:
Materials..................................................................                                 $
Labor.......................................................................
Factory overhead......................................................                                                          
Total....................................................................                                 $.....................................................................
Inventory costs:
Cost of goods finished and transferred to Painting during month:
Cost in Machining................................................         $
Cost in Assembly..................................................                                 $
Cost of work in process, end of month:
Finished and on hand:
Cost in Machining................................................         $
Cost in Assembly..................................................                            
Still in process:
Cost in Machining................................................         $
Cost in Assembly:
Materials..................................     $
Labor.......................................    
Factory overhead......................                                                                                
Total production cost accounted for................................                                 $.....................................................................
Total cost from preceding dept.:
Work in process—beginning inventory.......................                                 $
Transferred in during period.......................................                                                        
Total....................................................................                                 $.....................................................................
Total units from preceding dept.:
Work in process—beginning inventory.......................
Transferred in during period.......................................                                                        
Total....................................................................        

Part V

Cost of production summary; FIFO costing.

Jedi Chemical Company operates three producing departments—Mixing, Refining, and Finishing. During May, the Refining Department transferred 40,000 units to the Finishing Department and had 7,000 units in process at the end of May. There were 10,000 units in process on May 1 in the Refining Department. The remaining 37,000 units started in the Refining Department during May were received from the Mixing Department. The costs incurred in the Refining Department during May were labor, $50,375, and factory overhead, $40,300. (No materials were added in the Refining Department.) The work-in-process inventory on May 1 was $10,000. The costs transferred to the Refining Department from the Mixing Department amounted to $120,050. The Refining Department work-in-process inventory was one-half complete on May 1 and three-fourths complete on May 31.

Instructions: Complete the following May cost of production report for the Refining Department, using the first-in, first-out method of accounting for beginning inventories. (Carry unit cost computations to three decimal places.)
Jedi Chemical Company
Cost of Production Summary—Refining Department
For the Month of May, 2008
Cost of work in process, beginning of month.......................                                 $
Cost of goods received from prior department during month.
Cost of production for month:
Materials ………………………………………………….      $
Labor...........................................................................
Factory overhead..........................................................                                                    
Total costs to be accounted for...........................................                                 $                 
Labor and
Factory Overhead
Unit output for month:
To complete beginning units in process...........................
Units started and finished during month..........................
Ending units in process..................................................                                                    
Total equivalent production........................................                                                    
Unit cost for month:
Labor...........................................................................                                 $
Factory overhead..........................................................                                                    
Total........................................................................                                 $                 
Inventory costs:
Cost of goods finished and transferred to Finishing Department during month:
Beginning units in process:
Prior month’s cost ………………………………….         $
Current cost to complete:
Labor (_____________________).....................
Factory overhead (_____________________).....                                 $
Units started and finished during month:
Cost in prior department (_____________________)            $
Cost in Refining Department (_____________________)                                                 
Total cost transferred (_____________________)....
Cost of work in process, end of month:
Cost in prior department (_____________________) ……       $
Cost in Refining Department:
Labor (_____________________).............................
Factory overhead (_____________________).............                                                    
Total production costs accounted for...................................                                 $                 

Part VI

Accounting for joint products and by-products; relative sales value and adjusted sales value methods.

NBA Chemical Company produces two liquid products from one process. The products, Vertical and Leap, are drawn off separately from a huge vat and piped into tank cars for shipment. The joint materials, labor, and overhead costs to produce 15,000 gallons of Vertical and 10,000 gallons of Leap total $75,000. The sales values are $10 per gallon of Vertical and $5 per gallon of Leap.

Instructions:
  1.   Compute the assignment of joint costs to the individual products using the relative sales value method.
  2.   Compute the assignment of joint costs to the individual products using the adjusted sales value method, assuming that the costs after split-off are $3 per gallon for Vertical and $1 per gallon for Leap. (Round percentages to two decimal places and dollar amounts to the nearest whole dollar.)
  3.   Assume the same facts as in (2) above except that a by-product, Dunk, results from the same process and can be sold for $10,000 without further processing. Compute the assignment of joint costs using the adjusted sales value method and treating the by-product value as a reduction in the joint costs. (Round dollar amounts to the nearest whole dollar.)