Direct materials
Are those materials that become an integral part of the finished product and whose costs can be conveniently traced to the finished product, Materials that become an integral part of a finished product and whose costs can be conveniently traced to it.
Account analysis
A method for analyzing cost behavior in which an account is classified as either variable or fixed based on the analyst's prior knowledge of how the cost in the account behaves.
Administrative costs
All executive, organizational, and clerical costs associated with the general management of an organization rather with manufacturing or selling
Committed fixed costs
Investments in facilities, equipment, and basic organizational structure that can't be significantly reduced even for short periods of time without making fundamental changes
Common cost
A cost that is incurred to support a number of cost objects but that cannot be traced to them individually.
Contribution approach
An income statement format that organizes costs by their behavior; costs are separated into variable and fixed categories rather than being separated into product and period costs for external reporting purposes
Contribution margin
Amount remaining from sales revenue after variable expenses have been deducted
Conversion cost
Direct labor cost plus manufacturing overhead cost.
Cost behavior
The way in which a cost reacts to changes in the level of activity
Cost object
Anything for which cost data are desired. Examples of cost objects are products, customers, jobs, and parts of the organization such as departments or divisions.
Cost structure
The relative proportion of fixed, variable, and mixed costs in an organization.
Dependent variable
The measured variable that depends on the value of the independent variable
Differential cost
the difference in cost between two alternative.
Differential revenue
The difference in revenue between two alternatives.
Direct cost
A cost that can be easily and conveniently traced to a specified cost object.
Discretionary fixed costs
Those fixed costs that arise from annual decisions by management to spend on certain fixed cost items, such as advertising and research.
Engineering approach
A detailed analysis of cost behavior based on an industrial engineer's evaluation of the inputs that are required to carry out a particular activity and of the prices of those inputs.
Fixed cost
A cost that remains constant, in total, regardless of changes in the level of activity within the relevant range. If a fixed cost is expressed on a per unit basis, it varies inversely with the level of activity.
High-low method
A method of separating a mixed cost into its fixed and variable elements by analyzing the change in cost between the high and low activity levels
Incremental cost
An increase in cost between two alternatives
Independent variable
The factor that is changed in an experiment
Indirect cost
A cost that cannot be easily and conveniently traced to a specified cost object.
Indirect labor
The labor costs of janitors, supervisors, materials handlers, and other factory workers that cannot be conveniently traced to particular products.
Indirect materials
Small items of material such as glue and nails that may be an integral part of a finished product, but whose costs cannot be easily or conveniently traced to it.
Inventoriable costs
Synonym for product costs.
Least-squares regression method
a method of separating a mixed cost into its fixed and variable elements by fitting a regression line that minimizes the sum of the squared errors
Linear cost behavior
Cost behavior is said to be linear whenever a straight line is a reasonable approximation for the relation between cost and activity.
Manufacturing overhead
All manufacturing costs except direct materials and direct labor.
Mixed cost
A cost that contains both variable and fixed cost elements.
Opportunity cost
The potential benefit that is given up when one alternative is selected over another.
Period costs
Costs that are taken directly to the income statement as expenses in the period in which they are incurred or accrued.
Prime cost
Direct materials cost plus direct labor cost.
Product costs
All costs that are involved in acquiring or making a product. In the case of manufactured goods, these costs consist of direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead. Also see Inventoriable costs.
Raw materials
Any materials that go into the final product.
Relevant range
The range of activity within which assumptions about variable and fixed cost behavior are valid.
Selling costs
All costs that are incurred to secure customer orders and get the finished product or service into the hands of the customer
Sunk cost
A cost that has already been incurred and that cannot be changed by any decision made now or in the future.
Variable cost
A cost that varies, in total, in direct proportion to changes in the level of activity. A variable cost is constant per unit.