{"id":666,"date":"2015-10-24T16:03:37","date_gmt":"2015-10-24T16:03:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/managacct2x10xmaster\/?post_type=chapter&p=666"},"modified":"2015-11-10T14:18:43","modified_gmt":"2015-11-10T14:18:43","slug":"direct-method-of-allocation","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-managacct\/chapter\/direct-method-of-allocation\/","title":{"raw":"Direct Method of Allocation","rendered":"Direct Method of Allocation"},"content":{"raw":"The direct method allocates costs of each of the service departments to each operating department based on each department's share of the allocation base. Services used by other service departments are ignored.\u00a0 This means the direct method does not recognize service performed by other service departments. \u00a0 For example, if Service Department A uses some of Service Department B's services, these services would be ignored in the cost allocation process. Because these services are not allocated to other service departments, some accountants\r\nbelieve the direct method is not accurate.\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/LxrmRNNW1PI\r\n\r\nLet's look at another example.\u00a0 A company has 2 service departments, Maintenance and Administration, and 2 operating departments (Department 1 and 2 for simplicity). \u00a0 The costs of the maintenance department are allocated based on the machine-hours used. For the\r\nadministration department, the cost allocation is based on the number of employees.\u00a0 The following information is provided:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/td>\r\nService Dept\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\nOperating Dept\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\nMaintenance<\/strong><\/td>\r\nAdministration<\/strong><\/td>\r\n1<\/strong><\/td>\r\n2<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Costs<\/td>\r\n$8,000<\/td>\r\n$4,000<\/td>\r\n$32,000<\/td>\r\n$36,000<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Machine-hours used<\/td>\r\n1,000<\/td>\r\n2,000<\/td>\r\n1,500<\/td>\r\n2,500<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Number of Employees<\/td>\r\n100<\/td>\r\n200<\/td>\r\n250<\/td>\r\n150<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nRemember how we calculate predetermined overhead rates?\u00a0 We will need that same formula again.\u00a0 The formula to calculate the allocation rate will be slightly modified for service department cost but will be:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Service Dept Cost<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
TOTAL Cost Driver (operating depts only)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nNotice, we use the operating department cost drivers only since we are allocating the service department cost to operating departments only and not to another service department.\u00a0 Maintenance uses machine-hours as the cost driver or basis and Administration uses number of employees.\u00a0 We can calculate the service department allocation rates as follows:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Maintenance Dept Cost<\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0= $8,000\r\n<\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0=$8,000<\/span><\/td>\r\n= $2 per machine hour<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
TOTAL Machine Hours (operating depts only)<\/td>\r\n(1,500 + 2,500)<\/td>\r\n4,000<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Administration Dept Cost<\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0= $4,000<\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0=$4,000<\/span><\/td>\r\n\u00a0= $10 per employee<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
TOTAL Employees (operating depts only)<\/td>\r\n(250 + 150)<\/td>\r\n400<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nTo allocate the service department costs to each operating department, we will take the amount of the cost driver (machine hours for maintenance and employees for administration) x the allocation rate we just calculated.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/td>\r\nOperating Dept 1<\/strong><\/td>\r\nOperating Dept 2<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Maintenance<\/td>\r\n$3,000<\/td>\r\n$5,000<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n(1,500 mach hour x $2 per mach hr)<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n(2,500 mach hour x $2 per mach hr)<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Administration<\/td>\r\n$2,500<\/td>\r\n$1,500<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\n(250 employees x $10 per employee)<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n(150 employees x $10 per employee)<\/span><\/em><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nNotice how the total maintenance amount allocated to the two departments (3,000 + 5,000) equals the maintenance department cost of $8,000.\u00a0 The same applies to administration as the total cost is $4,000 and we allocated a total of $4,000 (2,500 + 1,500).\u00a0 We can summarize the changes to the costs of each department:\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/td>\r\nService Dept<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\nOperating Dept<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
<\/td>\r\nMaintenance<\/strong><\/td>\r\nAdministration<\/strong><\/td>\r\n1<\/strong><\/td>\r\n2<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Costs<\/td>\r\n$8,000<\/td>\r\n$4,000<\/td>\r\n$32,000<\/td>\r\n$36,000<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Allocation of maintenance<\/td>\r\n($8,000)<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n3,000<\/td>\r\n5,000<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Allocation of administration<\/td>\r\n<\/td>\r\n($4,000)<\/span><\/td>\r\n2,500<\/span><\/td>\r\n1,500<\/span><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Total Costs<\/td>\r\n$0<\/td>\r\n$0<\/td>\r\n$37,500<\/td>\r\n$42,500<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n ","rendered":"

The direct method allocates costs of each of the service departments to each operating department based on each department’s share of the allocation base. Services used by other service departments are ignored.\u00a0 This means the direct method does not recognize service performed by other service departments. \u00a0 For example, if Service Department A uses some of Service Department B’s services, these services would be ignored in the cost allocation process. Because these services are not allocated to other service departments, some accountants
\nbelieve the direct method is not accurate.<\/p>\n