Lesson 3 of 5
Variances
10 min
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When order 1001200 is finished at the end of July, its balance tells you that production cost differed from standard. Variance calculation tells you why, by splitting the difference into categories. For a controller, the categories are the valuable part: an unexplained balance is just a number; a quantity variance on rotors and a resource-usage variance on a substitute regulator are two conversations with two owners.
What July looks like
| Item | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Actual costs, June and July | 77,900 |
| Goods receipt credits, 500 units × 150 | −75,000 |
| Order balance = total variance (target cost version 0) | 2,900 |
Order 1001200 after final delivery.
Target cost versions
Variances compare a control cost with a target cost, and the pair is defined by a target cost version. SAP's learning material describes four standard versions:
| Version | Compares | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| 0 Total variance | Actual costs with target costs from the standard cost estimate | The variance that must be settled to FI, because stock is valued at standard |
| 1 Production variance | Actual costs with plan costs from the order's preliminary costing | How production performed against the order's own plan |
| 2 Planning variance | Order plan costs with the standard cost estimate | Whether the order was planned differently from the standard |
| 3 Production variance of the period | Actual costs with an alternative cost estimate, such as a modified standard | Performance against a more current cost basis |
Only version 0 is posted; the others are additional information for analysis. SAP's material also cautions that version 0 is not necessarily the sum of versions 1 and 2.
Variance categories
Variance calculation sorts the total into categories on the input side (what went into the order) and the output side (what came out).
| Category | Side | Meaning | Order 1001200 (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input price variance | Input | Inputs valued at a different price than in the standard, such as moving-average parts or activities revalued at actual prices | 0 (rotor CMC-RTR-200 has price control S, so it is issued at its USD 40 standard; Lakeside's USD 42 PO price posts as a purchase price difference at goods receipt or invoice receipt, not to the order) |
| Input quantity variance | Input | More or less quantity used than the target for the delivered output | 2,120 (15 extra rotors × USD 40 = 600; 20 extra labor hours × USD 52 = 1,040; 5 extra machine hours × USD 96 = 480) |
| Resource-usage variance | Input | A different material or activity used than planned | 300 (substitute regulator used for 60 units) |
| Remaining input variance | Input | Input differences that fit no other category, such as overhead differences | 480 (overhead differences) |
| Lot size variance | Output | Lot-size-independent costs, such as setup, spread over a different quantity than planned | 0 (500 planned, 500 delivered) |
| Output price variance | Output | Goods receipt valued at a price other than the standard | 0 |
| Mixed-price variance | Output | Goods receipt valued with a mixed cost estimate instead of the standard cost estimate | 0 |
| Remaining variance | Output | Differences that cannot be assigned to another category, for example when no target costs exist | 0 |
| Total | 2,900 |
Variance categories with Contoso's July example (illustrative).
- Did components or activities cost more per unit than in the standard?Yes → input price variance (owner: cost center, or purchasing for moving-average parts)
- Was more quantity used than the target for the output?Yes → input quantity variance (owner: production)
- Was a different material or activity used?Yes → resource-usage variance (owner: production engineering)
- Did the order produce a different quantity than planned, with fixed setup cost?Yes → lot size variance (owner: production planning)
Lot size and scrap
Lot size variance matters when quantities change. SAP's material gives the formula: lot-size-independent target costs × (1 − control quantity ÷ planned quantity). If Contoso had delivered only 400 of 500 planned alternators, the setup cost included in the standard for 500 would be spread over 400, and a lot size variance would appear. Scrap variance compares planned scrap with actual scrap and is valued at target cost; it appears when the BOM or routing plans scrap and the shop floor scraps more or less.
Prerequisites and tools
- A variance key must be on the order; it comes from the costing view of the material master or a plant default. Without it, no variances are calculated.
- A variance variant decides which categories are reported.
- The order must be DLV or TECO for product cost by order.
- In SAP GUI, variance calculation is commonly run per order (
KKS2) or collectively (KKS1); calculation stores the result, and settlement posts it.
What would you do?
A variance report shows a large lot size variance on several Chicago orders. Planned quantity was 500, delivered 250. What is the most useful next step?
- Total variance (version 0) = actual costs − goods receipt credits for finished orders; it is the version settled.
- Versions 1 to 3 compare against order plan or alternative estimates for analysis only.
- Input side: price, quantity, resource-usage, remaining input. Output side: lot size, output price, mixed price.
- Variance key on the order and DLV or TECO status are prerequisites.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. Which target cost version is settled to financial accounting?
2. Fastener kits valued at moving average were issued above the estimate's price. Which category shows this?
3. What must be on an order for variances to be calculated?
4. Delivered quantity is half the planned quantity and setup cost is fixed. Which variance appears?