BANZA December 2015 Issue | Page 30

Historical Costing. Costs are ascertained Since the price has to exceed the cost of after they have been incurred. The main production, effective costing enables appro- goal is to determine costs on work actually priate pricing, which should reflect what done in the past. It has limited use, though the market can stand. periodical comparisons may bear good results. From this, it is evident that to reach target Direct Costing. All direct costs, variable profit margins, it is important to en- and some fixed costs related to processes, sure that efficient costing controls are in operations or products are charged, leaving place. the rest of the costs to be deducted from profits in which they arise. Absorption costing. All costs, both variable METHODS OF COSTING 1. and fixed, are charged to operations, processes or products. This is different from 2. marginal costing where fixed costs are not included. 3. Cost is also closely knitted to price and value. Price is the amount of money paid for a 4. product or service while value is defined from the customer’s perception and represents their appraisal of the worth of the product of service offered. 5. Uniform Costing Best applied by unit members of business Standard Costing Best applied for investigations of discrepancies Historical Costing Best for periodic comparisons Direct Costing Applied to those processes that are attributable on a marginal basis Absorption Costing For all costs-operational, procedural and production.