Meaning and Classfication of Overheads
Cost Accounting Notes B.Com 4th Sem CBCS Pattern
Meaning and Definition of overheads
Aggregate of all expenses relating to indirect material cost, indirect labour cost and indirect expenses is known as Overhead. Accordingly, all expenses other than direct material cost, direct wages and direct expenses are referred to as overhead.
According to Wheldon, Overhead may be defined as "the cost of indirect material, indirect labour and such other expenses including services as cannot conveniently be charged to a specific unit."
Blocker and WeItmer define overhead as follows: "Overhead costs are operating cost of a business enterprise which cannot be traced directly to a particular unit of output. Further such costs are invisible or unaccountable."
Classification of Overheads
Classification of overheads is the process of grouping of costs based on the features and objectives of the business organization. Classification is made according to following basis:
1. Classification according to Elements:
According to this classification overheads are divided according to their elements. The classification is done as per the following details.
- Indirect Materials: Materials which cannot be identified with the given product unit of cost center is called as indirect materials. For example, lubricants used in a machine is an indirect material, similarly thread used to stitch clothes is also indirect material. Small nuts and bolts are also examples of indirect materials.
- Indirect Labour: Wages and salaries paid to indirect workers, i.e. workers who are not directly engaged on the production are examples of indirect wages.
- Indirect Expense: Expenses such as rent and taxes, printing and stationery, power, insurance, electricity, marketing and selling expenses etc are the examples of indirect expenses.
2. Functional Classification
Overheads can also be classified according to their functions. This classification is done as given below.
- Manufacturing Overheads: Indirect expenses incurred for manufacturing are called as manufacturing overheads. For example, factory power, works manager’s salary, factory insurance, depreciation of factory machinery and other fixed assets, indirect materials used in production etc. It should be noted that such expenditure is incurred for manufacturing but cannot be identified with the product units.
- Administrative Overheads: Indirect expenses incurred for running the administration are known as Administrative Overheads. Examples of such overheads are, office salaries, printing and stationery, office telephone, office rent, electricity used in the office, salaries of administrative staff etc.
- Selling and Distribution Overheads: Overheads incurred for getting orders from consumers are called as selling overheads. On the other hand, overheads incurred for execution of order are called as distribution overheads. Examples of selling overheads are sales promotion expenses, marketing expenses, salesmen’s salaries and commission, advertising expenses etc. Examples of distribution overheads are warehouse charges, transportation of outgoing goods, packing, commission of middlemen etc.
- Research and Development Overheads: In the modern days, firms spend heavily on research and development. Expenses incurred on research and development are known as Research and Development overheads.
3. Classification according to Behavior
According to this classification, overheads are classified as fixed, variable and semi-variable. These concepts are discussed below.
- Fixed Overheads: Fixed overheads are commonly described as those that do not vary in total amount with increase or decrease in production volume, for a given period of time, may be a year. Salaries, depreciation of fixed assets, property taxes, are some of the examples of fixed costs. Total fixed costs remain same irrespective of changes in volume of production but per unit of fixed cost is variable. It increases if production decreases while if production increases, it decreases.
- Variable Overheads: Variable overheads are those which go on increasing if production volume increases and go on decreasing if the volume decreases. Such increase or decrease may or may not be in the same proportion. Variable overheads are generally considered to be controllable as they are directly connected with the production.
- Semi-variable Overheads: These types of overheads remain constant over a relatively short range of variation in output and then are abruptly changed to a new level. In other words, they remain same up to a certain level of output and after crossing that level, they start increasing. For example, supervisor’s salary is treated as fixed but if a decision is taken to operate a second shift, additional supervisor may have to be appointed which results into increase in the salary of the supervisor. This indicates that it is a semi-variable overhead. Similarly, maintenance expenditure, fire insurance are also semi-variable overheads.
Usefulness of Overhead Classification
- It ensures effective cost control.
- It helps the management for effective decision making.
- The application of marginal costing is essentially for profit planning, cost control, decision making etc. are based on the classification of overheads.
- On the basis of classification of fixed and variable cost, flexible budgets are prepared at different levels of activity.
- It facilitates fixing of selling price.
- Cost classification is useful for break-even analysis. Break-even analysis mainly depends on overall cost and profit which can be useful for making or buying decision.
- It helps to find out the unit cost of production.
Also Read: Important Question Bank for Upcoming Exams
Unit 3: Part A (Overheads – Theory)
(These Questions are subject to modification, if necesary. Download DTS Application for complete notes)
Q. What do you mean by overhead cost? Explain the various classification of overhead cost.Mention its significance. 2013,2015, 2019
Q. What doyou mean by allocation and apportionment of overheads to cost centres (2017SN,2018SN)? What are the bases of overhead apportionment to various departments? 2013, 2017, 2022, 2023
Q. What do you mean by under absorption and over absorption of Overheads? How do they arise (2015)? How are they treated in cost accounts? 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023
Q. Explain various methods for absorption of overheads. 2016,2017
Q. What is overhead codification? Mention is various methods. Explain its objectives and significance.
Q. Explain the treatment of some specific overheads in cost accounting.
Unit 3: Part B (Overheads – Practical)
Q. Practical Problems:
Ø Machine hour Rate 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Ø Primary and secondary distribution of overheads from production department to service department. 2014, 2019
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