In the short term, which of the following costs would be classified as uncontrollable

Revenue sources and expenses are critical components of company profitability. Two expense types are controllable costs and non-controllable costs. Controllable costs are those over which the company has full authority. Such expenses include marketing budgets and labor costs. By contrast, non-controllable costs are those that a company cannot change, such as rent and insurance. It is important for management to know the differences between these two cost types. We have listed three reasons for this importance below.

1. Efficient management. By focusing more on controllable costs, management can proactively – and more quickly – react to the information that financial statements disclose.

2. Effective cost monitoring. Although a financial statement does not present raw numbers, it is the organization’s financial scorecard. A financial statement that separates controllable costs from non-controllable costs gives management a clearer picture of the entity’s financial health. Such a statement also allows management to compare monthly or annual trends and quickly pinpoint any unusual patterns.

3. Incentive packages. In some industries, management is paid according to a profitability split. Therefore, keeping a manager accountable for controllable costs – and unpunished for what s/he cannot control – makes sense. If a company’s financial statements clearly define expenses and their impact on profitability, then team members can more easily understand the incentive packages.

CRI Can Help You Determine Your Controllable and Non-Controllable Costs

There are so many ways to evaluate your organization’s finances. Controllable costs and non-controllable costs are the two most integral pieces that are best for you to manage. Contact CRI to see how they can offer assistance in preparing your financial statements and/or creating a cost management plan.

Classify each of the following costs as fixed or​ variable:
a.
Cost of French fries used at a McDonald's restaurant

b.
Hourly wages paid to cashiers at The Home Depot

c.
Monthly sugar costs for The Hershey Company

d.
Cost of fuel used by Old Dominion Freight Line, a national trucking company

e.
Shipping costs at Amazon.com

f.
Monthly rent for Onyx Nail Bar, a nail salon in Dallas, Texas

g.
Sales commissions at Tampa Honda in Florida

h.
Monthly insurance costs for the building housing the administrative offices

of Panera Bread in St. Louis, Missouri

i.
Monthly depreciation of equipment used in the customer service department

at Klaben Ford Lincoln, a car dealership in Kent, Ohio

j.
Cost of rubber used to manufacturer L.L. Bean boots

k.
Cost of oranges sold at a Kroger's grocery store

l.
Monthly office lease costs for the Portland office of E&Y, a global audit firm

m.
Monthly cost of coffee at a Dunkin' Donuts store

n.
Property taxes for an Applebees' Neighborhood Grill & Bar

o.
Depreciation of exercise equipment at an LA Fitness club

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An uncontrollable cost is an expense over which a person has no direct control. The concept most commonly applies to the manager of a department, whose departmental expenses include several line items which he has no ability to alter. Uncontrollable costs can be a concern when a manager is being judged based on departmental expenses. For example, there is a scheduled increase in the rent payment to the landlord, and a portion of this expense is allocated to a department that occupies a portion of the rented property. The manager of that department appears to be managing his expenses poorly because of the rent expense increase, even though he was not responsible for the rent agreement.

Examples of Uncontrollable Costs

Examples of uncontrollable costs are rent expense, the corporation overhead allocation, the administrative overhead allocation, and depreciation expense.

What are uncontrollable costs?

An uncontrollable cost is an expense over which a person has no direct control. The concept most commonly applies to the manager of a department, whose departmental expenses include several line items which he has no ability to alter.

What is controllable and uncontrollable cost?

Controllable costs are those over which the company has full authority. Such expenses include marketing budgets and labor costs. By contrast, non-controllable costs are those that a company cannot change, such as rent and insurance. It is important for management to know the differences between these two cost types.

What is an example of a controllable cost?

Common examples of controllable costs are office supplies, advertising expenses, employee bonuses, and charitable donations. Controllable costs are categorized as short-term costs as they can be adjusted quickly.

What are the 4 types of costs?

Costs are broadly classified into four types: fixed cost, variable cost, direct cost, and indirect cost.