Definition
Variance Analysis, in managerial accounting, refers to the investigation of deviations in financial performance from the standards defined in organizational budgets.
Explanation
Variance analysis typically involves the isolation of different causes for the variation in income and expenses over a given period from the budgeted standards.
So for example, if direct wages had been budgeted to cost $100,000 actually cost $200,000 during a period, variance analysis shall aim to identify how much of the increase in direct wages is attributable to:
- Increase in the wage rate (adverse labor rate variance);
- Decline in the productivity of workforce (adverse labor efficiency variance);
- Unanticipated idle time (labor idle time variance);
- More wages incurred due to higher production than the budget (favorable sales volume variance).
Types of Variances
Main types of variances are as follows:
- Sales Price Variance
- Sales Volume Variance
- Sales Mix Variance
- Sales Quantity Variance
- Direct Material Price Variance
- Direct Material Usage Variance
- Direct Material Mix Variance
- Direct Material Yield Variance
- Direct Labor Rate Variance
- Direct Labor Efficiency Variance
- Direct Labor Idle Time Variance
- Variable Overhead Spending Variance
- Variable Overhead Efficiency Variance
- Fixed Overhead Total Variance
- Fixed Overhead Spending Variance
- Fixed Overhead Volume Capacity & Efficiency Variance
Click on variances listed above to view their explanations, formulas, calculations & examples.
Basis of Calculation
Variance analysis highlights the causes of the variation in income and expenses during a period compared to the budget.
In order to make variances meaningful, the concept of ‘flexed budget’ is used when calculating variances. Flexed budget acts as a bridge between the original budget (fixed budget) and the actual results.
Flexed budget is prepared in retrospect based on the actual output. Sales volume variance accounts for the difference between budgeted profit and the profit under a flexed budget. All remaining variances are calculated as the difference between actual results and the flexed budget.
Following table shows how variances are calculated using the flexed budget approach.
| Budget (Original) | Budget (Flexed) | Actual Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Output |
(10,000 units) |
(15,000 units) |
(15,000 units) |
|
|
Sales |
$1,000,000 |
$1,500,000 |
$1,800,000 |
|
|
|
|
The difference of $300,000 represents Sales Price Variance |
||
|
Direct Materials |
($100,000) |
$(150,000) |
$(200,000) |
|
|
|
|
The difference of |
||
|
Direct Labor |
($200,000) |
$(300,000) |
$(350,000) |
|
|
|
|
The difference of |
||
|
Variable Overheads |
($300,000) |
$(450,000) |
$(500,000) |
|
|
|
|
The difference of $50,000 represents Variable Overhead Total Variance which can be further analyzed into variable Overhead Rate & Efficiency variance |
||
|
Fixed Overheads |
($75,000) |
$(75,000) |
$(50,000) |
|
|
|
|
The difference of $25,000 represents Fixed Overhead Total Variance which can be further analyzed into Fixed Overhead Expenditure & Volume variance |
||
|
Total Profit |
$325,000 |
$525,000 |
$700,000 |
|
|
|
The difference between budgeted profit and profit under flexed budget ($200,000) represents the Sales Volume Variance. Sales Volume Variance can be further analyzed into Sales Mix Variance & Sales Quantity Variance |
|
||
Flexed budget is prepared using actual output. As actual quantity is the 1.5 times of budgeted quantity, sales and expenses have been ‘flexed’ to 1.5 times of the original budget with the exception of fixed overhead which remains the same under the marginal costing basis.
As you may have noticed, all variances other than the sales volume variance are basically calculated as the difference between actual and flexed income & expenses. The difference between flexed budget profit and the fixed budget profit is accounted for separately in a single variance, i.e. sales volume variance.
This approach to calculating variances facilitates comparison of like with like. Hence, we can compare the actual expenditure incurred during a period with the standard expenditure that ‘should have been incurred’ for the level of actual production. Similarly, actual sales revenue can be compared with the standard revenue that ‘should have been earned’ for the level of actual sales during a period in order to determine the effect of variance in prices.
Functions and Importance
Variance analysis is an important part of an organization’s information system.
Functions of variance analysis include:
Planning, Standards and Benchmarks
In order to calculate variances, standards and budgetary targets have to be set in advance against which the organization’s performance can be compared against. It therefore encourages forward thinking and a proactive approach towards setting performance benchmarks.
Control Mechanism
Variance analysis facilitates ‘management by exception’ by highlighting deviations from standards which are affecting the financial performance of an organization. If variance analysis is not performed on a regular basis, such exceptions may ‘slip through’ causing a delay in management action necessary in the situation.
Responsibility Accounting
Variance analysis facilitates performance measurement and control at the level of responsibility centers (e.g. a department, division, designation, etc). For example, procurement department shall be answerable in case of a substantial increase in the purchasing cost of raw materials (i.e. adverse material price variance) whereas the production department shall be held responsible with respect to an increase in the usage of raw materials (i.e. adverse material usage variance). Therefore, the performance of each responsibility centre is measured and evaluated against budgetary standards with respect to only those areas which are within their direct control.