Q3RQ Question: What is a static budge .. FREE SOLUTION

Comparing actual results to a budget based on actual activity for the period is possible with the use of a A. A (static budget/flexible budget) is not designed to change with changes in activity level. A static budget based on planned outputs and inputs for each of a company’s divisions can help management track revenue, expenses, and cash flow needs. A static budget forecasts revenue and expenses over a specific period but remains unchanged even with changes in business activity. Data for Croix Company are given in BE10-1. In the second quarter, budgeted sales were $384,000.

The original budget for selling expenses included variable and fixed expenses. To determine the flexible budget amount, the two variable costs need to be updated. The new budget for sales commissions is $10,500 ($262,500 sales times 4%), and the new budget for delivery expense is $1,750 (17,500 units times 10%). These are added to the fixed costs of $12,500 to get the flexible budget amount of $24,750. The flexible budget uses the same selling price and cost assumptions as the original budget. Variable and fixed costs do not change categories. The variable amounts are recalculated using the actual level of activity, which in the case of the income statement is sales units.

Accounting Principles, 12th Edition Ch24

They work well for evaluating performance when the planned level of activity is the same as the actual level of activity, or when the budget report is prepared for fixed costs. However, if actual performance in a given month or quarter budgeting report is different from the planned amount, it is difficult to determine whether costs were controlled. Actual net income is unfavorable compared to the budget. What is not known from looking at it is why the variances occurred.

For example, let’s say a company had a static budget for sales commissions whereby the company’s management allocated $50,000 to pay the sales staff a commission. Regardless of the total sales volume–whether it was $100,000 or $1,000,000–the commissions per employee would be divided by the $50,000 static-budget amount. However, a flexible budget allows managers to assign a percentage of sales in calculating the sales commissions.

Static Budgets vs. Flexible Budgets

Explain why the variances are favorable or unfavorable. Means that top management has to investigate every budget difference. Nicki DeGroot, CFA, has an MBA from the University of Iowa. Nicki spent several years working in finance at large corporations. Prior to that, Nicki worked in buy-side fixed income research. More recently, Nicki has worked developing content for online courses, tutoring students, and as a consultant in finance.

This budget is useful in a business where sales and expenses are highly predictable. In contrast, when companies see changes in sales and production levels from time to time, they can’t use a static budget. This budget cannot act as a tool for cost and benefit analysis.

Flexible Budget Performance Report

You can view the transcript for “flexible budget variance” here . Companies that do not effectively track shifting expenses compared to their initial static budget may find it difficult to report their actual earnings. This can cause negative legal implications. Organizations have a vested interest in providing accurate information to their shareholders, so they can accurately manage portfolios and adjust dividend expectations. A flexible budget makes it easier for businesses to see more variances. During your higher-earning months, you would save for the months where your income isn’t as high. If the budget is built on a certain production level, and production volume changes significantly, resources can’t easily be reallocated to account for the change.

Calculated by Time-Weighted Return since 2002. Volatility profiles based on trailing-three-year calculations of the standard deviation of service investment returns. The key lies in keeping a disciplined process when justifying budget increases.

Understanding a Static Budget

Also, because static budgets don’t have built-in wiggle room, they can help companies control their costs and make smart spending decisions. The performance report shows the business entity’s information on the static budget and the actual operating results. It is done to determine the static budget variance. A static budget is prepared for only one level of activity.

This takes budgeting from time-consuming to rewarding. Datarails is an enhanced budgeting software that can help your team create and monitor budgets faster and more accurately than ever before.

Disadvantages of a Static Budget

Flexible budgets are most appropriate for businesses that operate with an increased variable cost structure, where costs are primarily attached to activity levels. Accordingly, an organization can keep track of its expenses and ensure whether it is going on as per plan. The static budget becomes dysfunctional in case of a change in anticipated situations like a significant change in actual production/ sales. Overall it is a very beneficial tool for every organization for product profitability and cost analysis. Is a form of costing analysis tool which changes with the change in sales and production level of business. Flexible budgets are fundamental tools to measure business performance on a static budget.

• This approach means you’ll easily be able to make changes in the budgeted expenses that are directly tied to your actual revenue.
• A static budget helps to monitor expenses, sales, and revenue, which helps organizations achieve optimal financial performance.
• Selling ExpensesThe amount of money spent by the sales department on selling a product is referred to as selling expenses.
• Static budgets and reports that assume set figures for everything aren’t as useful for reality checks as a flexible budget performance report.
• These variances can be quite misleading.
• Managerial accounting is the practice of analyzing and communicating financial data to managers, who use the information to make business decisions.