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Management article
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Reference no. 87106
Published by: Harvard Business Publishing
Published in: "Harvard Business Review", 1987

Abstract

In many companies, corporate accountants preparing financial statements face intense deadline pressure. Using standard methods of allocating selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses is a quick and easy way for them to calculate nonmanufacturing costs for different product lines. But management pays a price when company accountants take this shortcut. To allocate SG&A costs properly, controllers need to compile all expense data to produce a precise breakdown of all expense categories for each product line. The next step is to incorporate this information into the annual financial plan, with the goals of making fair and reasonable cost allocations.

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Abstract

In many companies, corporate accountants preparing financial statements face intense deadline pressure. Using standard methods of allocating selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses is a quick and easy way for them to calculate nonmanufacturing costs for different product lines. But management pays a price when company accountants take this shortcut. To allocate SG&A costs properly, controllers need to compile all expense data to produce a precise breakdown of all expense categories for each product line. The next step is to incorporate this information into the annual financial plan, with the goals of making fair and reasonable cost allocations.

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