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What is FIFO and how is it used for stock cost accounting?

by Intuit•4• Updated 4 weeks ago

First In, First Out (FIFO) is a concept used by businesses that track stock. As the name implies, QuickBooks Online will always consider the first units purchased (First In) to be the first units sold (First Out) and will adjust your assets and Cost of Sales (COS) accordingly whenever sales of stock items are entered.

Here are sample scenarios to help you understand the concept of FIFO in QuickBooks Online.

Scenario 1: You purchased 20 widgets for ÂŁ6 apiece. While they remain in stock, the widgets are considered assets and are valued at cost. (Since you haven't sold any widgets yet, your COS for widgets is ÂŁ0.)
  • Current Stock: 20 units at ÂŁ6 each
  • Total Widget Assets: ÂŁ120
  • Total Widget COS: ÂŁ0
Scenario 2: Your customers show great interest in widgets, and you realise you don't have enough. You order 30 more widgets, but the price from your wholesaler has gone up to ÂŁ7 apiece since your last purchase. When you record the purchase, QuickBooks Online adds ÂŁ210 to your assets.
  • Current Stock: 20 units at ÂŁ6 each; 30 units at ÂŁ7 each
  • Total Widget Assets: ÂŁ330
  • Total Widget COS: ÂŁ0
Scenario 3: A customer purchases 15 widgets. Because the ÂŁ6 units entered your stock before the ÂŁ7 units, QuickBooks Online applies the FIFO rule and values all 15 units in this order at ÂŁ6 apiece. When you record the sale, the asset total for widgets is decreased by ÂŁ90, and the COS for widgets is increased by ÂŁ90.
  • Current Stock: 5 units at ÂŁ6 each; 30 units at ÂŁ7 each
  • Total Widget Assets: ÂŁ240
  • Total Widget COS: ÂŁ90
Scenario 4: Another customer purchases 20 widgets. When you record the sale, QuickBooks Online applies the FIFO rule and adds the ÂŁ6 units first. Since you only have five ÂŁ6 units in your stock, the other 15 units for this order are valued at ÂŁ7 apiece. Your widget assets are reduced by ÂŁ135 (5x6 + 15x7), and your COS is increased by ÂŁ135.
  • Current Stock: 15 units at ÂŁ7 each
  • Total Widget Assets: ÂŁ105
  • Total Widget COS: ÂŁ225

As you can see, if you then sell more widgets from your current stock to a third customer, they will all be valued at ÂŁ7 apiece. Remember that FIFO has a consequence for reports that can be confusing unless you know to expect it. When you run a transaction report that includes a transaction on which two different rates occurred for the same stock item, that transaction will have separate lines on the report for each COS or asset amount.

For example, if you recorded an invoice for the second customer in the scenario above, the transaction report would show two line items for that invoice: one with a ÂŁ30 change in COS and/or assets, and another with a ÂŁ105 change in COS and/or assets. This is intended behaviour, and the report totals and subtotals will be correct.

Modify the cost and initial quantity of an item

Entering the incorrect cost and initial quantity of the item during the initial set up will result in an incorrect value in the stock asset account. To correct this:

  1. Go to Settings âš™ and select Products and Services.
  2. Highlight the item, then select Edit from the Action column.
  3. Select Starting Value.
  4. Select Got it.
  5. Enter the item's correct quantity and cost.
  6. Select Save and Close.

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