Managerial Accounting Chapter 2 Part 2

Problem 2-15 (15 minutes)

1. The controller is correct in his viewpoint that the salary cost should be classified as a selling (marketing) cost. The duties described in the problem have nothing to do with manufacturing a product, but rather deal with moving finished units from the factory to distribution ware-houses. Selling costs include all costs necessary to secure customer orders and to get the finished product into the hands of customers. Coordination of shipments of finished units from the factory to distribution warehouses falls in this category.

2. No, the president is not correct. The reported net operating income for the year will differ depending on how the salary cost is classified. If the salary cost is classified as a selling expense all of it will appear on the income statement as a period cost. However, if the salary cost is classified as a manufacturing (product) cost, then it will be added to Work In Process Inventory along with other manufacturing costs for the period. To the extent that goods are still in process at the end of the period, part of the salary cost will remain with these goods in the Work in Process Inventory account. Only that portion of the salary cost that has been assigned to finished units will leave the Work In Process Inventory account and be transferred into the Finished Goods Inventory account. In like manner, to the extent that goods are unsold at the end of the period, part of the salary cost will remain with these goods in the Finished Goods Inventory account. Only the portion of the salary that has been assigned to finished units that are sold during the period will appear on the income statement as an expense (part of Cost of Goods Sold) for the period. The remainder of the salary costs will be on the balance sheet as part of inventories.

Problem 2-16 (30 minutes)

Note to the Instructor: There may be some exceptions to the answers below. The purpose of this problem is to get the student to start thinking...