Article # 1067

Technical Note: Effects on Inventory Balances when Shipping Inventory Items in Excess of their Quantities On-hand

Difficulty Level: Beginner Level AccountMate User

Version(s) Affected: AccountMate 7 for SQL and Express; AccountMate 6.5 for SQL and MSDE; AccountMate 6.5 for LAN

Module(s) Affected: Sales Order, Accounts Receivable, Inventory Control, Purchase Order

Posting Date: 07/11/2007

Regardless of the inventory costing method being used, shipping inventory items in excess of their on-hand quantities results to the same accounting entries and the same effect on inventory balances. This documentation aims to explain why the effect on inventory balances does not vary depending on the inventory costing method being used. For the purpose of illustration, consider the following assumptions and scenarios:

Assumptions:

Inventory – Item # A Quantity Cost Per Unit Total Beginning Balance Add: Purchases 10 5 $50 $53 $500 $265

Total Number of Units Per Record 15 $765 Average Cost ($765/15) Cost of $51 $50 $53 the first unit in inventory Cost of $75 the last unit in inventory Selling Price Per Unit Accrue Received Goods option in the vendor record is activated

Assuming that you sell 16 units of Item # A on credit, the system will create the following accounting entries:

Accounts Receivable $1,200 Sales Revenue $1,200 To record sales computed as follows: 16 units @ $75

Effects on Inventory Balances using the different Inventory Costing Methods: When you ship inventory items in excess of their quantities on hand, the system uses the average cost of the inventory item in the computation of cost of sales for the excess quantity, regardless of the cost method (i.e. Specific ID, LIFO, or FIFO) selected in the inventory item record. Therefore, the cost of sales for the quantity being shipped in excess of the on-hand quantity and the accounting entries that the system generates are the same regardless of the inventory costing method being used. Although the cost of sales for the shipped quantity in excess of the on-hand quantity does not vary, the manner in which the cost of sales is computed differs for each inventory costing method. The succeeding paragraphs explain the difference.

1) Average Cost Method

When the average cost method is being used for costing inventory, the system updates the average cost for each unit of the item by dividing total inventory cost by total on-hand quantity. Based on the assumptions above, the system will generate the following entries to increase cost of sales and decrease inventory upon shipment of the 16 units of Item # A:

Cost of Sales $816 Inventory $816 To record cost of sales computed as follows: 16 units @ $51 (average cost)

To continue our example, assume that you purchase 12 units of Item # A at $45 each. The accounting entries are as follows:

Inventory $540 Accrued Received Goods Liability $540 To record the receipt of inventory computed as follows: 12 units @ $45

Inventory $6 Cost Adjustments $6 To record the adjustment for the excess shipment of one (1) unit computed as follows: Cost of Sales should be $45 (purchase cost) Cost of Sales per record 51 (average cost) Cost Variance $6

Note: The system records an adjustment of $6 to recognize the cost variance for one (1) unit that is shipped in excess of quantity on hand. To take up this adjustment, the system records a debit to the Inventory account and a credit to the Cost Adjustment account defined in the GL Accounts tab of either the PO Module Setup, IC Module Setup, SO Module Setup or AR Module Setup function. You can generate the GL Transfer Report in the Accounts Payable module to verify the Cost Adjustment entries resulting from this transaction.

The effect of the foregoing transactions on the inventory account will be as follows: Inventory – Item # A Quantity Cost Per Unit Total Beginning Balance 10 $50 $500 Add: Purchases 5 $53 $265 Subtotal 15 $765 Less: Shipment 16 $51 $816 Balance (1) (51) Add: Purchases 12 $45 $540 Add (Less): Cost $6 Adjustment Adjusted Ending Balance 11 $495

2) First-In, First-Out (FIFO) Cost Method

The First-In, First-Out (FIFO) method is based on the assumption that costs are charged to expense (cost of sales) in the order in which they are incurred. Thus, Inventory is stated in terms of the most recent costs. Assuming that the FIFO method is used in costing Item # A, the system will compute the cost of sales for the shipment of the 16 units in this manner:

From beginning quantities (10 units @ $50) $500 From purchases (5 units @ $53) 265 Excess shipment (1 unit @ $51) 51 Total cost of sales (16 units) 816

Note: The computation of the cost of sales for the excess unit shipped is based on the average cost of $51 and not $50, which is the unit cost of the beginning on-hand quantities.

Assuming that you purchase additional 12 units of Item # A at $45 per unit, the system will generate the same accounting entries and arrive at the same ending inventory balance as indicated in the Average Cost Method section above.

3) Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) Cost Method

The Last-In, First-Out (LIFO) method is based on the assumption that the latest costs of a specific item should be charged to cost of sales. Thus, inventory is stated at earliest costs. Assuming that the LIFO method is used in costing Item # A, the system will compute the cost of sales for the shipment of the 16 units as follows:

From purchases (5 units @ $53) $265 From beginning quantities (10 units @ $50) 500 Excess shipment (1 unit @ $51) 51 Total cost of sales (16 units) 816

Note: The computation of the cost of sales for the excess unit shipped is based on the average cost of $51 and not $53, which is the unit cost of the inventory items purchased.

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