Why must these costs be allocated rather than assigned?
Andrew Campbell
Updated on January 02, 2026
By definition, manufacturing overhead consists of costs that cannot be practically traced to products or jobs. Therefore, if these costs are to be assigned to products or jobs, they must be allocated rather than traced.
Why do we allocate overhead costs across different products?
Overhead costs are allocated to products to provide information for internal decision making, to promote the efficient use of resources, and to comply with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Why do companies use a predetermined rate to allocate fixed overhead?
Predetermined rates make it possible for companies to estimate job costs sooner. Using a predetermined rate, companies can assign overhead costs to production when they assign direct materials and direct labor costs.
Why is it important to allocate costs?
Here are several reasons why cost allocation is important: The process helps you make economic decisions — for example, whether or not to accept a special order. The information helps you evaluate and motivate your staff. Cost allocation supports the costs you report to customers when making bids for jobs.
What are the four purposes of cost allocation?
The four main purposes for allocating costs are to predict the economic effects of planning and control decisions, to motivate managers and employees, to measure the costs of inventory and cost of goods sold, and to justify costs for pricing or reimbursement.
Why do companies use a predetermined rate to allocate fixed overhead quizlet?
Why do companies use a predetermined rate to allocate fixed overhead? To estimate the cost of a product before the actual cost is known.
What are four purposes of cost allocation?
Which of the following is purpose of cost allocation?
A cost allocation is a good tool to use on an annual basis to track changes in costs. Allocating costs serves three main purposes. These are to: 1) make decisions, 2) reduce waste, and 3) determine pricing.