Internal Accounting

Machine Lease Agreement

An Analysis Made for the Internal Accounting Configuration
By Emanuel Schwarz
(January 31, 2000) – The implementation of Internal Accounting into companies and the structuring of a new Chart of Accounts for is the topic of much discussion and debate. If you are interested in past articles on this topic, they are available in the archives of the Pro2Net Web site.

This article reinforces the importance of creating dedicated accounts for internal management use, providing a framework for implementing a modern approach to Internal Lease Transactions in manufacturing operations.

Applying machine costs accurately to production while adhering to the Matching Principle requires a structured allocation method. A common approach is machine-hour rate costing, where machine costs—depreciation, maintenance, energy consumption, and labor—are divided by total expected machine hours to determine a cost per machine-hour. This rate is then applied to specific job orders based on actual machine usage.

For precise allocation:

  1. Calculate the total machine cost: Include depreciation, maintenance, power, and associated labor.
  2. Estimate total available machine hours: Based on expected usage during the accounting period.
  3. Determine machine-hour rate: Divide total cost by estimated machine hours.
  4. Apply machine costs to job orders: Multiply the machine-hour rate by the actual machine hours used for each production job.

This method ensures costs are proportionally assigned, reflecting actual resource consumption while maintaining financial accuracy. Implementing job-order costing alongside this approach enhances traceability and aligns with managerial reporting needs. Would you like additional refinements tailored to specific industry applications?

Depreciation on machine purchase costs can be calculated either on a monthly basis or per machine hour, with the latter offering a precise method for allocating costs to production. The depreciation cost per machine hour ensures that each product absorbs its fair share of equipment usage expenses, enhancing cost accuracy in manufacturing.

To determine this:

  1. Identify total depreciation costs – Based on purchase price, useful life, and salvage value.
  2. Estimate total machine hours – Expected usage across the asset’s lifespan.
  3. Calculate machine-hour depreciation rate – Divide total depreciation cost by estimated machine hours.
  4. Allocate costs to products – Apply this rate to actual machine hours utilized in production.

By following this approach, businesses achieve fair cost allocation, supporting a more refined Internal Accounting framework and accurate financial tracking. Would you like refinements based on industry-specific production models?

Indeed, the operating cost per hour of a machine extends beyond simple depreciation. Several additional cost elements must be considered for accurate allocation, including:

  • Energy consumption: Electricity or fuel costs required to run the machine.
  • Maintenance expenses: Regular servicing, preventive maintenance, and repairs to keep the equipment in optimal condition.
  • Labor costs: Operator wages and related expenses for handling the machine.
  • Tooling and consumables: Wear-and-tear items such as cutting tools, lubricants, and replacement parts.
  • Space and facility costs: The portion of rent, insurance, and utilities attributable to the machine’s operation.
  • Machine downtime: Costs incurred from idle time, setup, and transitions between production cycles.

By integrating these elements into an hourly operating cost model, companies can refine their cost allocation methods, ensuring more accurate pricing and financial control within an Internal Accounting framework. Would you like a structured formula to calculate machine cost per hour?

Essentially, This list, shows the need to structure some type of basic cost system to determine how much a machine actually costs per hour of its production time.

It is not difficult to establish how much electric power will cost per machine hour. The amount of insurance per month can be converted to find the insurance cost per hour of production. The same can be done with the space that the machine will occupy. Determine the square footage the machine will occupy, as well as working space and rental costs for this type of building.

Maintenance and repair costs are crucial yet complex to determine. The first step is defining the machine’s expected operational lifespan within the company. From there, maintenance needs must be estimated, including frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), labor hours required, and material costs. By compiling these figures, an annual maintenance cost can be calculated, ensuring accurate cost absorption into production accounting.

To refine this estimate:

  1. Determine lifespan – Number of years the machine will be in use.
  2. Establish maintenance frequency – Routine servicing schedule.
  3. Estimate material and labor costs – Cost per service event.
  4. Calculate total annual maintenance cost – Sum of all expected servicing expenses.

Integrating this structured approach into an Internal Accounting framework ensures maintenance costs are accurately reflected in machine-hour cost calculations, supporting financial transparency and optimized production expense allocation. 

This is not an easy question, especially for a company with little experience with a particular machine. The supplier may be able to assist in these estimations.
In same way the cost of repair of this machine must be assumed. Then, the maintenance and repair amounts must be converted to an amount per production hour of the machine.

Capital investment in the machine must also be factored into cost calculations. When combined with depreciation, maintenance, energy, labor, and overhead expenses, this produces a realistic machine cost per hour, ensuring precise financial control over production expenses.

With this structured cost model, an accounting transaction framework can be developed specifically for Internal Lease projects, aligning with Internal Accounting principles rather than External Financial Accounting. This distinction ensures that cost allocations reflect actual usage rather than standardized financial reporting metrics, optimizing decision-making for manufacturing operations.

This diagram illustrates the above points, and again emphasizes how important it is to separate Internal Accounting from External.
These transactions are created from Class 2 – Cost Elements. A Main Account is opened that we will call Internal Lease. This account can be created in Group 3 accounts and would correspond to Store Withdrawal. The Main Account could also be opened in Group 4.
The specific machine must be identified as a sub-account – in our example Machine #44. This sub-account will be credited with the lease value that must be charged to Production Cost in Class 5 – and identify the product and corresponding Job Order.
This transaction from Class 2 Internal Lease – Machine # 44 – will always be used when it is indicated that Machine # 44 worked so many hours for the production of this Job Order. This means that the account of this Job Order will be charged the amount of the pre-calculated lease cost multiplied by the amount of hours worked.
Next the actual cost of maintaining and repairing this machine must be evaluated. In Class 2 is a Group of Accounts referring to Store Withdrawal. All Spare Parts used in the company will be credited to the Main Account. In addition to being credited to the Main account, any Spare Part that will be used to maintain Machine #44, will be debited a corresponding account in Class 5-3-01-044, which was created to accumulate all maintenance amounts for this machine.
At the end of each month, the amounts recorded in Class 5 will be credited the same amounts in Class 6-3-01-044 or 6-4-01-04 and transferred to Class 7. Here we have opened a special account to show any difference between the calculated lease amounts and the actual cost for the month.

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