Achieving the right strategic balance in inventory at the beginning of a new business is not easy. Manufacturing businesses aim to minimize their work to maximize their profitability. Simultaneously, they also look for alternative routes to minimize their production and post-production costs as much as possible to increase their yearly profits. Finding the correct WIP costs is hard for small businesses, such as a bakery, since you cannot anticipate exact labor and overhead costs where ingredients are easily transformed from raw material to a finished product. You can easily calculate WIP through accounting and bookkeeping knowledge with wisdom for big setups.
Here are the differences between work in process and work in progress.
Work In Process
These terms are often used interchangeably because WIP is perceived as the same thing. However, there is a slight difference between these two terms, mainly in the context. Work in process refers to partially completed goods’ production costs, which means the manufacturer’s inventory is not yet completed. It includes different costs like raw materials, labor, and overheads that need to be known to determine the per-unit cost of goods manufactured.
It indicates that work in process speaks more of the inventory side, whereas work in progress involves constructing long–term costs. To lower work-in-process costs, manufacturers must play smart and purchase raw materials from the most affordable vendors.
Also, they need to hire labor for the production shifts at competitive rates and minimize overhead costs as much as possible. The final per-unit price can only be determined if manufacturers know the exact output level from the resources applied.
In short, whatever is consumed on the factory floor for the production of goods, such as the direct cost of raw material, direct costs of labor, and factory overheads for the production period. It will give an exact per-unit cost. The formula for calculating work in process is:
Work in Process = (operating inventory goods in Process + raw material used + direct labor during the period + factory overhead for the period) – ending inventory
Work In Progress
Work in progress involves constructing long-term assets that will be used to produce goods that are not yet completed. Until construction work is completed and the facility starts to manufacture goods, the amount spent on partially completed construction of long-term assets would fall under work in progress.
The amount spent will be treated as long-term assets under the balance sheet’s plant and equipment section. Construction will no longer be treated as a work in progress when construction wraps up. Depreciation of long-term assets starts as soon as the whole building and infrastructure are operational and produce goods.
Cost Saving Benefits
The key cost-saving benefits of work in process and work in progress are efficiency, accuracy, traceability, and productivity. Every production house strives to minimize the process’s work due to a lack of production or manufacturing knowledge and awareness.
Businesses can’t survive for long if the per-unit price of goods is only based on vague assumptions and mere guesses. Knowing the manufactured product’s actual price is essential for setting the product’s correct price with markup.
For example, if you can determine the exact per-unit price of the product to be $5 and if you expect to sell the product directly to the retailers for $7, which means a markup of $2, you will know exactly how much profit you are earning by selling each unit.
Work In Progress—Done Right!
You may be proficient at manufacturing goods in your production facility, but not cost. For ideal costing, you need to hire an in-house accounting expert to determine and reveal the exact per-unit cost of production. Based on manufacturing and bookkeeping records, the expert will help you place the correct production order for optimal results.
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