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Microlesson · 5-min read

Administrative Overheads

# Administrative Overheads

## Definition

Admin OH refers to expenditures incurred in the office, which may or may not be related to production.

## Two Types of Admin OH

### A. Admin OH Related to Production

If the question specifies any of these phrases, treat Admin OH as production-related:

  • "Admin OH is related to production"
  • "Admin OH is linked to production"
  • "Admin OH is given on basis of ₹ per unit produced"
  • "Admin OH is given separately" (i.e., separately listed for production)

Treatment: Included while calculating Cost of Production.

### B. Admin OH NOT Related to Production (General Admin OH)

These are office expenses not directly related to the production process.

If the question says "Admin OH is ₹ per unit SOLD" → it is General Admin OHNOT included in Cost of Production → included in Cost of Sales.

## Examples of Admin OH

#Item#Item
(i)Depreciation of Office Building/Furniture(ii)Salary of Admin employees / Directors
(iii)Office Rates, Tax, Light(iv)Remuneration, Commission
(v)Legal charges(vi)Director's Sitting Fees
(vii)Office Stationery(viii)Meeting Expenses
(ix)Company's Income Tax(x)Audit Fees

## Quick Decision Rule

Wording in questionTreatment
Per unit producedProduction Admin OH → in Cost of Production
Per unit soldGeneral Admin OH → in Cost of Sales
"Related to production"Production Admin OH
Just "Admin OH"General → in Cost of Sales

Worked example

### Example 1

Example 1: Question states "Admin OH ₹5 per unit produced." 10,000 units produced, 8,000 sold.

→ Admin OH = 10,000 × 5 = ₹50,000 added to Cost of Production.

Example 2: Question states "Admin OH ₹4 per unit sold." 10,000 units produced, 8,000 sold.

→ Admin OH = 8,000 × 4 = ₹32,000 added to Cost of Sales (not COP).

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Always adding admin OH to Cost of Production without checking the wording in the question.
  • Using units sold for production-related admin OH or vice versa.
  • Treating Income Tax of the company as a cost element.
  • Including audit fees in Factory OH — they are Admin OH.
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