Cost Override Variance Accounting Examples

This topic describes the difference in accounting entries that result when a Cost Override value exists on an invoice/credit note detail line and a Cost Override Variance GL Account is not entered in CC00/Invoicing versus the resulting entries when a GL account is entered in the Cost Override Variance GL Acct field.

  • Using the Cost Override Variance GL Account will help reduce discrepancies between the Evaluation and the Inventory Control account in the GL.

  1. Scenario 1: Cost is overridden on an Invoice Detail Line:

    • The selling price of the product is $170.00
    • The average cost of the product is $100.00.
    • The product is sold with a cost override of $90.00.

    Scenario 1: Impact on General Ledger Debit Credit
    Receive 1 unit @ 100.00:    
    Inventory Control GL 100.00  
    Receipts Accrual GL   100.00
    Inventory Evaluation (IC81) = 100.00 and    
    Inventory Control in GL = 100.00;    
    Evaluation and GL are in balance.    
         
    Sell 1 unit for $170.00 but override the cost to be $90.00    
    No Cost Override Variance Account is assigned:    
    Accounts Receivable 170.00  
    Product Sales GL   170.00
    Cost of Sales GL (uses override cost) 90.00  
    Inventory Control GL (uses override cost)   90.00
    Evaluation is 0, but the Inventory Control in GL = $10.00    
    Evaluation and GL are out of balance.    
         
    If we enter a Cost Override Variance GL account in CC00/Invoicing    
    the following GL entries for Cost are generated:    
    Inventory Control GL (uses average cost)   100.00
    Cost of Sales (uses override cost) 90.00  
    Cost Override Variance GL (DR/CR for the difference) 10.00  
    Evaluation is 0 and Inventory Control in GL is 0;    
    Evaluation and GL are in balance.    

  1. Scenario 2: Stock is put back into inventory via Credit Note, but cost on Credit Note is different than current average cost:

    In this scenario, stock is put back into inventory because a customer returned it. Cost on the Credit Note may be different than the current average cost if the cost is manually overridden on the Credit Note detail line or it is picked up as an override from Invoice History when an auto credit is processed.

    • A costing discrepancy arises because the quantity on hand (QOH) is increased for the return but Average cost is NOT re-averaged.

    • This discrepancy is resolved when you enter a Cost Variance Override GL Account in CC00/Invoicing:

    Scenario 2: Impact on General Ledger Debit Credit
    Receive 2 units @ 100.00:    
    Inventory Control GL 200.00  
    Receipts Accrual GL   200.00
    Inventory Evaluation (IC81) = 200.00 and    
    Inventory Control in GL = 200.00;    
    Evaluation and GL are in balance.    
         
    Sell 1 unit for $170.00:    
    Accounts Receivable GL 170.00  
    Product Sales GL   170.00
    Cost of Sale 100.00  
    Inventory   100.00
    Inventory Evaluation (IC81) = 100.00 and    
    Inventory Control in GL = 100.00;    
    Evaluation and GL are in balance.    
         
    Receive 1 unit for $150.00:    
    Inventory Control GL 150.00  
    Receipts Accrual GL   150.00
    Average cost now = 125.00 (1 @ 100 + 1 @ 150 = 2 @ 125)    
    Inventory Evaluation (IC81) = 250.00 and    
    Inventory Control in GL = 250.00    
    Evaluation and GL are still in balance    
         
    The unit that was sold at cost of 100.00 is returned via Autocredit    
    (autocredit picks up the cost of the original sale from Invoice History    
    as a Cost Override):    
    Accounts Receivable   170.00
    Sales 170.00  
    Inventory 100.00  
    Cost of Sale   100.00
    Inventory Control GL = 350.00;    
    QOH is increased by 1 unit, but cost is not re-averaged.    
    Now, Evaluation is 375.00 (3 units at 125.00)    
    There is a discrepancy of 25.00    
    Evaluation and GL are out of balance.    
         
    If we enter a Cost Override Variance GL account in CC00/Invoicing    
    the following GL entries for Cost are generated:    
    Inventory Control GL (uses average cost) 125.00  
    Cost of Sale (uses override cost)   100.00
    Cost Override Variance GL   25.00
    Evaluation is 375.00 (3 units at 125.00)    
    Inventory Control in GL = 375.00    
    Evaluation and GL are in balance.    

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