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Microlesson · 5-min read

Batch Costing — Meaning & Application

## Batch Costing

Batch Costing is a form of specific order costing where articles are manufactured in predetermined lots called batches.

### Core idea

  • The cost object is the batch, not a single unit (as in unit costing).
  • A batch is a set number of units processed simultaneously through a manufacturing operation.
  • Inputs accumulate on the assembly line until they reach the minimum batch size, then production runs.
  • Per-unit cost = Total batch cost ÷ Number of units in the batch.

### Why batches?

Producing a single item of a design is uneconomical. For example, making one pen of a particular design to meet one customer's demand is far too costly; producing 10,000 pens of the same design spreads set-up and fixed costs and reduces cost per unit substantially.

Batch costing suits homogeneous products produced in lots — pharmaceuticals, components, garments, etc.

Worked example

### Example 1

Per-unit cost in a batch: If a batch of 10,000 pens incurs total cost ₹50,000, then cost per pen = ₹50,000 ÷ 10,000 = ₹5 per pen.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Treating the cost object as a single unit rather than the whole batch.
  • Confusing batch costing (homogeneous units in lots) with job costing (unique, customer-specific jobs).
  • Forgetting to divide total batch cost by the number of units to arrive at per-unit cost.
Reference:
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