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Grady and Associates performs a variety of activities related to information sys

ID: 2580526 • Letter: G

Question

Grady and Associates performs a variety of activities related to information systems and e-commerce consulting in Toronto, Canada. The firm, which bills $125 per hour for services performed, is in a very tight local labor market and is having difficulty finding quality help for its overworked professional staff. The cost per hour for professional staff time is $45. Selected information follows.

- Billable hours to clients for the year totaled 5,000, consisting of information systems services, 3,100; e-commerce consulting, 1,900.

- Administrative cost of $342,000 was (and continues to be) allocated to both services based on billable hours. These costs consist of staff support, $180,000; in-house computing, $136,400; and miscellaneous office charges, $25,600.

A recent analysis of staff support costs found a correlation with the number of clients served. In-house computing and miscellaneous office charges varied directly with the number of computer hours logged and number of client transactions, respectively. A tabulation revealed the following data:

Required:

2. Assume that the firm uses traditional costing procedures, allocating total costs on the basis of billable hours. Determine the profitability of the firm’s information systems and e-commerce activities, expressing your answer both in dollars and as a percentage of activity revenue.

3. Assume that the firm uses activity-based costing. Determine the profitability of the firm’s e-commerce and information systems activities, expressing your answer both in dollars and as a percentage of activity revenue.

4. Jeffrey Grady, one of the firm’s partners, doesn’t care where his professionals spend their time because, as he notes, “many clients have come to expect both services and we need both to stay in business. Also, information systems and e-commerce professionals are paid the same hourly rate.” Should Grady’s attitude change?

Information Systems Services E-Commerce Consulting Total Number of clients 200 50 250 Number of computer hours 2,600 1,800 4,400 Number of client transactions 400 600 1,000

Explanation / Answer

Answer 2. Predetermined Overhead Rate = $342,000 / 5,000 Hrs                      68.40 Predetermined Overhead Rate = $68.40 per Billable hr. Statement Showing Profitability Under Traditional Costing System Information Systems Services E-Commerce Consulting Billable Hours 3100 1900 Billing Rate per Hour $125 $125 Revenues                         387,500                          237,500 Less: Staff Hours Costs                         139,500                            85,500 Less: Administrative Costs                         212,040                          129,960 Total Costs                         351,540                          215,460 Net Profit                           35,960                            22,040 Net Profit Margin 9.28% 9.28% Answer 3. Activity Overhead Cost Driver Quantity Activity Rate Staff support                         180,000                                  250 Clients Served                  720.00 per client served In-House Computing                         136,400                              4,400 Computer Hrs                    31.00 per computer hr Misc. Office Charges                           25,600                              1,000 Transactions                    25.60 per transaction Total Overhead                         342,000 Assigning Overhead Cost to Product Using ABC Method Activity Based Overhead Rate Information Systems Services E-Commerce Consulting Cost Driver Incurred OH Allocated Cost Driver Incurred OH Allocated Staff support                           720.00 per client served                       200 Clients Served                    144,000                    50 Clients Served              36,000 In-House Computing                              31.00 per computer hr                    2,600 Computer Hrs                      80,600              1,800 Computer Hrs              55,800 Misc. Office Charges                              25.60 per transaction                       400 Transactions                      10,240                  600 Transactions              15,360 Total Overhead Cost                    234,840            107,160 Statement Showing Profitability Under ABC Costing System Information Systems Services E-Commerce Consulting Billable Hours 3100 1900 Billing Rate per Hour $125 $125 Revenues                         387,500                          237,500 Less: Staff Hours Costs                         139,500                            85,500 Less: Administrative Costs: Staff support                         144,000                            36,000 In-House Computing                           80,600                            55,800 Misc. Office Charges                           10,240                            15,360 Total Costs                         374,340                          192,660 Net Profit                           13,160                            44,840 Net Profit Margin 3.40% 18.88% Answer 4. No, Grady's attitude should not be changed. Because, in both services the billable hour rate is same $125 per hour. So, whrever professionals spends their time, the revenue will be the same.