Sales Volume Variance
Sales volume variance is the change in revenue or profit caused by the difference between actual and budgeted sales units. In other words, whether more or less than budgeted units have been sold. It is calculated using two varying approaches as discussed below.
In order to reconcile actual and budgeted revenue, sales volume variance is calculated as a product of:
- standard price per unit, and
- difference of actual and budgeted sales units
However, if the intention is to reconcile actual and budgeted profit, sales volume variance is calculated as a product of:
- standard profit per unit, and
- difference of actual and budgeted sales units
In case of marginal costing we use standard contribution per unit in place of standard profit per unit.
Formulas
For revenue reconciliation:
Sales Volume Variance
= (Actual Sales Units – Budgeted Sales Units) × Standard Unit Price
For profit reconciliation (absorption costing):
Sales Volume Variance
= (Actual Sales Units – Budgeted Sales Units) × Standard Unit Profit
For profit reconciliation (marginal costing):
Sales Volume Variance
= (Actual Sales Units – Budgeted Sales Units) × Standard Unit Contribution
Analysis
Sales volume variance is favorable when actual units sold exceed the budgeted unit sales and it is unfavorable or adverse if units sold are less than the budgeted unit sales.
Sales volume variance if calculated using the above formulas is favorable if the result value obtained is positive and vice versa.
Possible causes of unfavorable sales volume variance include stiff competition from outsiders or from another product by the company itself, poor quality product, higher sales price variance, unrealistic budgeted sales units etc.
Example
Calculate sales volume variance using the following information:
Product | x | y | z |
---|---|---|---|
Actual Sales Units | 651,009 | 419,945 | 873,344 |
Budgeted Sales Units | 650,000 | 410,000 | 875,000 |
Standard Unit Profit | 4.00 | 1.00 | 9.00 |
Solution
Product | x | y | z |
---|---|---|---|
Actual Sales Units | 651,009 | 419,945 | 873,344 |
– Budgeted Sales Units | 650,000 | 410,000 | 875,000 |
Difference in Units | 1,009 | 9,945 | -1,656 |
× Standard Unit Profit | 4.00 | 1.00 | 9.00 |
Sales Volume Variance | 4,036 | 9,945 | -14,904 |
Total Sales Price Variance | -923 |
by Irfanullah Jan, ACCA and last modified on