
Who is responsible for direct materials quantity variance?
Responsibility of direct materials quantity variance: It is the responsibility of production manager to keep a check on excessive use of materials. However if purchase manager purchases low quality materials to improve the direct materials price variance then purchasing department would be considered responsible for the variance.
What is the difference between materials price variance and quantity variance?
The materials price variance is usually the responsibility of the purchasing manager. The materials quantity and labor efficiency variances are usually the responsibility of production managers and supervisors.
How do you find the variance of materials?
How to calculate materials quantity variance Find the materials quantity variance by multiplying the standard cost by the difference between the standard and actual quantities. Materials Quantity Variance = (Standard Quantity Units – Actual Quantity Units ) ✕ Standard Cost Per Unit
Who is responsible for price and quantity variances?
Moreover, price and quantity variances are usually the responsibilities of different managers. Nice work! You just studied 10 terms! Now up your study game with Learn mode. What is a quality standard? What is a price standard? A quantity standard indicates how much of an input should be used to make a unit of output.

Who is responsible for material quality variance?
The material yield variance is the difference between the standard and actual number of units used in the production process, multiplied by the standard cost per unit. This variance is the responsibility of the production department.
What is responsible material quantity variance?
A material quantity variance is the difference between the actual amount of materials used in the production process and the amount that was expected to be used. The measurement is employed to determine the efficiency of a production process in converting raw materials into finished goods.
What departments are responsible for quantity variances?
In general, the production department of the company is responsible for direct materials quantity variance since it has direct control over the usage of materials.
Is the production manager responsible for the materials price variance?
In general, the production manager is responsible for the materials price variance. An unfavorable materials quantity variance occurs when the actual quantity used in production is less than the standard quantity allowed for the actual output of the period. Return on investment (ROI) equals margin multiplied by sales.
Which manager is usually held responsible for materials usage variances?
Correct option and explanation: Production supervisor is usually held responsible for materials usage variances.
Who is responsible for unfavorable materials quantity variance?
the purchasing agentIn general, the purchasing agent is responsible for the material price variance. 5. When more hours of labor time are necessary to complete a job than the standard allows, the labor rate variance is unfavorable.
Which department is usually responsible for an unfavorable material quantity variance?
The production department is typically responsible for an unfavorable material quantity variance. This is because the production department is responsible for ordering and using the materials in question.
Which department should usually be held responsible for an unfavorable direct material quantity variance?
D. Purchasing. The purchasing department should ordinarily be held responsible for an unfavorable materials price variance because that department ordinarily has most control over the price. 17.
Who is responsible for labor efficiency variance?
production managersThe labor efficiency variance generally is also the responsibility of the production managers and supervisors. 8-6 The materials price variance can be computed either when materials are purchased or when they are placed into production. It is better to compute the variance when materials are purchased.
What is the purpose of quantity variance?
Quantity variance is used for planning and budgeting as a quality assurance metric to ensure ordering and production remain efficient. If the actual units are less than the standard units, the variance is favorable and generally results in savings.
What do you mean by material variance?
Material Variance Related to Materials This is the difference between the actual cost incurred for direct materials and the expected (or standard) cost of those materials. It is useful for determining the ability of a business to incur materials costs close to the levels at which it had planned to incur them.
What is a quantity variance?
A quantity variance is the difference between the actual usage of something and its expected usage. For example, if a standard quantity of 10 pounds of iron is needed to construct a widget, but 11 pounds are actually used, then there is a quantity variance of one pound of iron.
Formula of Direct Materials Quantity Variance
This variance may be computed using the following formula:Direct materials quantity variance = (Actual quantity used × Standard rate) – (Standard q...
Reasons of Unfavorable Materials Quantity Variance
An unfavorable materials quantity variance means excessive use of direct materials. The excessive use of direct materials may be the result of a nu...
Responsibility of Direct Materials Quantity Variance
It is the responsibility of production manager to keep a check on excessive use of materials. However if purchase manager purchases low quality mat...
Who is responsible for the variance?
However if purchase manager purchases low quality materials to improve the direct materials price variance then purchasing department would be considered responsible for the variance.
What is an unfavorable quantity variance?
An unfavorable materials quantity variance means excessive use of direct materials. The excessive use of direct materials may be the result of a number of reasons including: Purchase of unsuitable or substandard materials.
Why is variance unfavorable?
The variance is unfavorable because the actual usage of materials (8,000 kg) is more than what has been allowed (7,500 kg) by standard to manufacture 5,000 units.
When actual quantity of materials used deviates from the standard quantity allowed to manufacture a certain number of units, is?
When actual quantity of materials used deviates from the standard quantity allowed to manufacture a certain number of units, materials quantity variance occurs. This is a variance of physical quantity but is also reported in dollars for proper financial measurement. To express this variance in dollars, both actual quantity used and standard quantity allowed are multiplied by standard price per unit of materials. Read direct materials price and quantity standards article to understand how standard price and quantity of direct materials are set.
When should variance be brought to the attention of concerned persons?
For quick remedial actions, the variance should be brought to the attention of concerned persons as soon as possible.
Who is Responsible for Direct Materials Quantity Variance?
Generally, production department is responsible to see that material usage is kept in line with standards. However, purchasing department may be responsible for unfavorable materials quantity variance if it is caused by poor quality of materials. If purchasing department obtains inferior quality materials in effort to economize on price, the materials may be unsuitable for use and may result in excessive waste. Thus purchasing department rather than production department would be responsible for the quantity or usage variance.
How to find material quantity variance?
Materials quantity variance is computed by comparing the actual quantity of materials used with the standard quantity of material allowed, both priced at standard cost. If actual quantity used is more than the standard quantity allowed to produce a particular number of units, the variance is called unfavorable materials quantity variance. An if actual quantity of materials used is less than the standard quantity allowed, the variance is called favorable materials quantity variance.
What is the standard quantity allowed?
The standard quantity allowed is the result of multiplying 1,750 units of finished product by the standard quantity of 2 pieces per unit. The $125 materials quantity (or usage) variance is unfavorable because the actual quantity used exceeded the standard quantity by 50 pieces of direct materials (item 5-489).
How many pieces of 5-489 are used in a unit?
Assume that 3,550 pieces of item 5-489 (direct material) are used in producing 1,750 units of finished product. Standard quantity allowed to produce 1 unit of finished product is 2 pieces of item 5-489 and standard price per piece of 1 piece is $2.50.
What is variance in manufacturing?
The variance typically applies to direct materials in the manufacture of a product, but it could apply to anything - the number of hours of machine time used, square footage used, and so on. The quantity variance can be a relatively arbitrary number, since it is based on a derived baseline.
What is a Quantity Variance?
A quantity variance is the difference between the actual usage of something and its expected usage. For example, if a standard quantity of 10 pounds of iron is needed to construct a widget, but 11 pounds are actually used, then there is a quantity variance of one pound of iron. The variance typically applies to direct materials in the manufacture of a product, but it could apply to anything - the number of hours of machine time used, square footage used, and so on.
What does favorable variance mean?
Similarly, a favorable quantity variance may be based on a baseline that is too generous. This means that an improperly high baseline will hide what may actually be an excessive amount of quantity usage .
How is variance multiplied?
Thus, the amount of the quantity variance is multiplied by the standard cost per unit. A separate variance, the rate variance, is used to derive any difference between the actual and standard price per unit.
What does scrapping a number of units in the production process mean?
For example, the scrapping of a number of units in the production process may mean that the quality of incoming components was inadequate, which could be the problem of the purchasing department.
When to compute materials price variance?
The materials price variance can be computed either when materials are purchased or when they are placed into production . It is usually better to compute the variance when materials are purchased because that is when the purchasing manager, who has responsibility for this variance, has completed his or her work.
What causes labor rate variance?
Several factors other than the contractual rate paid to workers can cause a labor rate variance. For example, skilled workers with high hourly rates of pay can be given duties that require little skill and that call for low hourly rates of pay, resulting in an unfavorable rate variance. Or unskilled or untrained workers can be assigned ...
What is the difference between quantity standard and price standard?
A quantity standard indicates how much of an input should be used to make a unit of output. A price standard indicates how much the input should cost.
What would happen if poor quality materials were used in production?
If poor quality materials create production problems, a result could be excessive labor time and therefore an unfavorable labor efficiency variance. Poor quality materials would not ordinarily affect the labor rate variance.
What happens if a bottleneck is in production?
If workstations before the bottleneck in the production process produce at capacity, the bottleneck will be unable to process all of the work in process.
