Wheels, Inc. manufactures wheels for bicycles, tricycles, and scooters. For each cost given below, determine if the cost is a product cost or a period cost. If the cost is a product cost, further determine if the cost is direct materials (DM), direct labor (DL), or manufacturing overhead (MOH) and then determine if the product cost is a prime cost, conversion cost, or both. If the cost is a period cost, further determine if the cost is a selling expense or administrative expense (Admin). Cost (a) is answered as a guide.
Solution:
Cost Product Period
DM DL MOH Prime Conversion Selling Admin.
a. Metal used for rims X X
b. Sales salaries
c. Rent on factory
d. Wages of assembly
workers
e. Salary of production
supervisor
f. Depreciation on
office equipment
g. Salary of CEO
h. Delivery expense

- Direct materials are those materials and supplies that are consumed during the manufacture of a product, and which are directly identified with that product.

- Direct labor is production or services labor that is assigned to a specific product, cost center, or work order.

- Manufacturing overhead refers to indirect factory-related costs that are incurred when a product is manufactured.

- Period costs are not directly tied to the production process. Overhead or sales, general, and administrative (SG&A) costs are considered period costs. SG&A includes costs of the corporate office, selling, marketing, and the overall administration of company business.

- Product costs are the direct costs involved in producing a product. A manufacturer, for example, would have production costs that include: Direct labor, Raw materials, Manufacturing supplies, Overhead that's directly tied to the production facility such as electricity.

- Prime cost= direct material + direct labor

- Conversion cost= direct labor + MOH

In this exercise:

a. Metal used for rims: Product - DM- Prime

b. Sales salaries: Period - Selling

c. Rent on factory: Product - MOH - Conversion

d. Wages of assembly workers: Product - DL - Prime - Conversion

e. Salary of production supervisor: Period - Admin

f. Depreciation on office equipment: Period

g. Salary of CEO: Period - Admin

h. Delivery expense: Period - Selling