Operation costing is a hybrid costing system for products and services that uses:

Definition: The two main costing methods that cost accountants and managers use to measure production costs are process costing and job costing. Process costing looks at the cost of mass-producing identical units. Since the jobs are the same, process costing looks at actual cost of each manufacturing step. Job costing, on the other hand, is used for unique and custom products that are produced at low volumes.

What Does Hybrid Costing System Mean?

Ideally, every manufactured product would fall into one of these two cost systems. Sometimes this isn’t the case. Some products are mass-produced and can be customized to order. In this case, cost accountants use a hybrid costing system.

A hybrid costing system uses elements of both the process costing and job costing systems to analyze the cost of producing a product. Take a Harley Davidson motorcycle for example. The motorcycle model itself is mass-produced. This makes the bike a likely candidate for the process costing system. The only problem is that each Harley Davidson motorcycle can be completely customized with hundreds of different parts and paint schemes. Since each bike is custom order, the job costing system can also be used.

In this case, cost accountants and managers would most likely use a hybrid costing system to track the manufacturing expenses of producing a motorcycle. Process costing systems would be used for the mass produced parts like the bike frames. Where as, job costing systems would be used for the customized parts and custom assembly processes on each motorcycle.


Operation costing is a hybrid costing system for products and services that uses:

Operation costing is a hybrid system that employs aspects of both job-order and process costing. Products are typicallyprocessed in batches when operation costing is used, with each batch charged for its own specific materials. In thissense, operation costing is similar to job-order costing. However, labor and overhead costs are accumulated by operationor by department, and these costs are assigned to units as in process costing.Examples of other products for which operation costing may be used include electronic equipment (such assemiconductors), textiles, clothing, and jewelry (such as rings, bracelets, and medallions). Products of this type aretypically produced in batches, but they can vary considerably from model to model or from style to style in terms of thecost of materials.LO6: compute the equivalent units of production using FIFO method (p.168)First, the “units transferred out” is divided into two parts. One part consists of the units from the beginning inventory thatwere completed and transferred out, and the other part consists of the units that were bothstartedandcompletedduringthe current period.Second, full consideration is given to the amount of work expended during the current period on units inthebeginningwork in process inventory as well as on units in the ending inventory.Thus, under the FIFO method, both beginning and ending inventories are converted to an equivalent units basis.For the beginning inventory, the equivalent units represent the work done tocompletethe units; for the endinginventory, the equivalent units represent the work done to bring the units to a stage of partial completion at theend of the period (the same as with the weighted-average method).FIFO method removes the equivalent units that were already in beginning inventory from the equivalent units as definedusing the weighted-average method. Thus, the FIFO method isolates the equivalent units that are due to work performedduring the current period. The weighted-average method blends together the equivalent units already in beginninginventory with the equivalent units that are due to work performed in the current period.

A hybrid costing system is a cost accountingsystem that includes features of both a jobcosting and process costing system. A hybridcosting system is useful when a productionfacility handles groups of products in batches andcharges the cost of materials to those batches (asis the case in a job costing environment), whilealso accumulating labor and overhead costs atthe departmental or work center level andallocating these costs at the individual unit level

What Is Operation CostingOperating costing is a hybridcosting system that uses jobcosting to assign direct materialscosts to jobs and a departmentalapproach to assign conversioncosts to product or services.

Also known as Service CostingA product initially uses different rawmaterials, and is then finished usinga common process that is the same

Why is operation costing referred to as a hybrid system?

A hybrid costing system is a system used by businesses that combines job order activities as well as process costing activities. Hybrid costing often refers to operation costing which is used in the production of goods.

What is an operational costing system?

Operation costing is an accounting method professionals use to calculate product costs using process and job expenses. This includes the prices of materials, labor and facility upkeep. Businesses often use process costing for simple production models in which products follow the same process every time.

Who uses a hybrid costing system?

Some products are mass-produced and can be customized to order. In this case, cost accountants use a hybrid costing system.

What is hybrid costing system accounting?

What is a Hybrid Costing System? A hybrid costing system is a cost accounting system that includes features of both a job costing and process costing system.