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Microlesson · 5-min read

Direct Material Cost

# Direct Material Cost

## What is Direct Material?

Direct Material is the cost of physical commodities which are used to make the final product and can be directly attributable to it.

Example: Handle, Net, Wheels used in a CHAIR.

## How to Identify Direct Material

Use this simple test:

  • If the physical product is used only for one single product, then it is direct material.
  • Otherwise, it is not direct material (it would be indirect material).

## How to Calculate Cost of Direct Material

ParticularsAmount (₹)
Opening stock of Raw materialxx
Add: Cost of material purchasedxx
Add: Freight Inwardsxx
Add: Insurance and other direct expensesxx
Add: Any tax (not eligible for ITC)xx
Less: Trade discount(xx)
Less: Abnormal loss(xx)
Less: Sale amount of scrap of RM(xx)
Less: Closing stock of Raw material(xx)
DIRECT MATERIAL COSTxxx

## Key Points to Remember

  • Freight inwards (carriage on purchases) is added; freight outwards is NOT.
  • Trade discount is deducted before arriving at material cost.
  • Abnormal loss is excluded from cost (treated as a loss in P&L).
  • Scrap from raw material reduces material cost.

Worked example

### Example 1

Example: Compute Direct Material Cost from the following:

  • Opening RM stock: ₹50,000
  • Purchases: ₹2,00,000
  • Freight Inwards: ₹10,000
  • Trade discount received: ₹5,000
  • Abnormal loss of RM: ₹3,000
  • Scrap sale of RM: ₹2,000
  • Closing RM stock: ₹40,000

Solution:

Particulars
Opening RM50,000
Add: Purchases2,00,000
Add: Freight Inwards10,000
Less: Trade Discount(5,000)
Less: Abnormal Loss(3,000)
Less: Scrap of RM(2,000)
Less: Closing RM(40,000)
Direct Material Cost2,10,000

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Including freight outwards in direct material cost (it belongs to distribution OH).
  • Forgetting to deduct trade discount from purchases.
  • Including abnormal losses in cost (they must be excluded and charged to costing P&L).
  • Not deducting scrap value of raw material.
  • Confusing indirect material (used across products) with direct material.
Reference:
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