Assume you have just taken a position as controller for a new company that manufactures and sells wrought iron wall hangings. Although the founder of the company who is the president and CEO is a great artisan she has very limited knowledge of accounting.
Instructions
To help your new boss better understand accounting for a manufacturing organization prepare a response to her in which you: (1) identify (2) describe and (3) provide examples of the three manufacturing costs and the three inventory accounts used in accounting for a manufacturing company.

The three manufacturing costs are: direct materials direct labor and manufacturing overhead. Raw materials that can be physically and directly associated with the finished product during the manufacturing process are called direct materials. The iron used in making the wall hangings is an example of direct materials. The work of factory employees that can be physically and directly associated with converting raw materials to finished goods is considered direct labor. Manufacturing overhead consists of costs that are indirectly associated with the manufacture of the finished product. These costs may also be manufacturing costs that cannot be classified as direct materials or direct labor. Manufacturing overhead includes indirect materials indirect labor and depreciation on factory buildings and machinery utilities insurance taxes and maintenance on factory facilities.
The three inventory accounts are: raw materials work in process and finished goods. Raw materials inventory represents the cost of the materials and parts that are to be used in the manufacturing process. The iron purchased to make the wall hangings would be considered raw materials until the time it was put into production. Work in process is the cost applicable to units that have been started into production but are only partially complete. Wall hangings on the assembly line that are in various stages of completion would be work in process. The finished goods inventory represents the cost of completed goods that have not been sold. The cost of wall hangings that are completed but have not been sold would be finished goods.