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Total variances

Forums › Ask ACCA Tutor Forums › Ask the Tutor ACCA PM Exams › Total variances

  • This topic has 5 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 3 years ago by John Moffat.
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • December 14, 2021 at 11:16 am #644230
    Syed Ahsan Ali
    Participant
    • Topics: 136
    • Replies: 85
    • ☆☆☆

    To calculate total variances we need to accumulate their sub-variances such as:

    Material Price————————12000 F
    Material Usage———————-10000 A
    Total Material variance————$2000 F

    Labour rate—————————30000 F
    Labour efficiency——————–10000 A
    LAbour idle time———————12000 A
    Total Labour variance————–$8000 F

    Variable OH expenditure———-15000 F
    Variable OH efficiency————-16000 A
    Total Variance OH variance——-$1000 A

    Fixed OH expenditure————–12000 F
    Fixed OH efficiency—————–11000 A
    Fixed OH capacity——————14000 A
    Total Fixed OH variance———–13000 A

    Fixed OH volume can also be calculated because both efficiency and capacity are included in it.

    Please correct me this is the way we calculate total variances. And correct if I am missing anything here.

    December 14, 2021 at 3:44 pm #644248
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54701
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    Adding up the individual variances as you have done does give the total variance, and your figures are correct.

    However, it depends what information is given in the question – as I show in my free lectures then if you have the information then you can calculate the total variances directly.

    (Also, do please appreciate that very little is asked in Paper PM with regard to these basic variances because they are all examined in detail in Paper MA (was F2). In Paper PM almost all questions on variances (and certainly in Section C of the exam) are on the advanced variances (mix & yield and planning & operational).

    December 20, 2021 at 9:26 am #644585
    Syed Ahsan Ali
    Participant
    • Topics: 136
    • Replies: 85
    • ☆☆☆

    Planning and Operational variances:

    To calculate total variances of planning and operational variance we need to accumulate their sub-variances such as:

    Material Price Planning——————–15000 F
    Material Price Operational—————-12000 A
    Total Material Price variance————-$3000 F

    Material Usage Planning——————20000 F
    Material Usage Operational————–18000 A
    Total Material Usage variance———–$2000 F

    Labour Rate Planning———————-15000 F
    Labour Rate Operational——————12000 A
    Total Labour Rate variance—————$3000 F

    Labour Efficiency Planning—————20000 F
    Labour Efficiency Operational———–18000 A
    Total Labour Efficiency variance——–$2000 F

    Sales Price Planning———————–15000 F
    Sales Price Operational——————-12000 A
    Total Sales Price variance—————-$3000 F

    Sales Volume Planning——————–20000 F
    Sales Volume Operational—————-18000 A
    Total Sales Volume variance————-$2000 F

    Is that all correct? I asked because I had doubts!

    December 20, 2021 at 2:56 pm #644614
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54701
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    There are two ways of calculating planning and operational variances that give different answers. Although the examiner accepts either way, she prefers the way that I explain in my lectures. For this way, what you have written is correct.

    December 20, 2021 at 4:05 pm #644620
    Syed Ahsan Ali
    Participant
    • Topics: 136
    • Replies: 85
    • ☆☆☆

    Mix and Yield variances:

    Please help me with this question too on total variances.

    To calculate total variances of mix and yield variance we need to accumulate their sub-variances such as:

    Material Mix———————————-12000 F
    Material Yield——————————–10000 A
    Total Material usage variance———–$2000 F

    Sales Mix————————————-12000 F
    Sales Quantity——————————10000 A
    Total Sales volume variance————$2000 F

    Please say whether we will be asked material mix and sales mix in the exam (no labour mix is relevant for paper PM)?

    December 21, 2021 at 7:53 am #644643
    John Moffat
    Keymaster
    • Topics: 57
    • Replies: 54701
    • ☆☆☆☆☆

    I really do not know why are you are typing out what is explained in my free lectures!

    Materials mix and sales mix are both examinable, which is we have free lectures on both of them.

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