Briefly explain the meaning of the variable overhead efficiency variance and the variable overhead spending variance
What will be an ideal response?
Answer: The variable overhead efficiency variance is the difference between actual quantity of the cost-allocation base used and the budgeted amount of the cost allocation base that should have been used to produce the actual output, multiplied by budgeted variable overhead cost per unit of the cost-allocation base. The efficiency variance for variable overhead cost is based on the efficiency with which the cost allocation base was used to make the actual output.
The variable overhead spending variance is the difference between the actual variable overhead cost per unit of the cost-allocation base and the budgeted variable overhead cost per unit of the cost-allocation base, multiplied by actual quantity of the variable overhead cost-allocation base used for actual output. The meaning of this variance hinges on an explanation of why the per unit cost of the allocation base is lower or higher than the amount budgeted. Some explanations might include different-than-budgeted prices for the individual inputs to variable overhead or perhaps more efficient usage of some of the variable overhead items.