A standard cost has been described as a predetermined cost, an estimated future cost, an expected cost, a budgeted unit cost, a forecast cost, or a "should be" cost. Standard costs are often a part of a manufacturer's annual profit plan and operating budgets. Standard costs will be established for the following year's direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead. If standard costs are used, there will be:

• a standard cost for each unit of input (e.g., $20 per hour of direct labor)


• a standard quantity of each input for each unit of output (e.g., 2 hours of labor for each product)


• a standard cost for each unit of output (e.g., $20 X 2 hours = $40 of direct labor per product)

Under a standard cost system, the standard costs of the manufacturing activities will be recorded in the inventories and the cost of goods sold accounts. Since the company must pay its vendors and production workers the actual costs incurred, there are likely to be some differences. The difference between the standard costs and the actual manufacturing costs is referred to as a cost variance and will be recorded in separate variance accounts. Any balance in a variance account indicates that the company is deviating from the amounts in its profit plan.

While standard costs can be a useful management tool for a manufacturer, its external financial statements must comply with the cost principle and the matching principle. Therefore, significant variances must be reviewed and properly reported as part of the cost of goods sold and/or inventories.

AccountingCoach PRO includes forms to assist in a better understanding of standard costs and their related variances.

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