Byproduct definition — AccountingTools (2024)

What is a Byproduct?

A byproduct is an incidental product that is created by a manufacturing process that creates multiple products. The other products created by the process are considered to be the primary output of the system. It may be possible to sell byproducts; alternatively, any revenues to be gained from byproducts are so minor that they are simply discarded as waste.

When there are multiple products created from a production process, the byproducts can be discerned by seeing which ones have a minor resale value in comparison to the value of the other products. If there is no clear differentiation between primary products and byproducts, treat them all as primary products.

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Examples of Byproducts

Examples of byproducts are manure from a feedlot operation, sawdust at a sawmill, salt from a desalination plant, and straw from a grain harvesting operation.

Accounting for Byproducts

The typical accounting for any revenues generated from byproducts is to offset them against the cost of goods sold for the primary products that are generated from the manufacturing system. It is also acceptable to record these revenues as miscellaneous revenue. Either approach will result in the same net profit figure. However, recording the sale of byproducts as miscellaneous revenue will result in a minor increase in the amount of reported sales. You do not need to assign any material cost or overhead cost to byproducts; instead, it is easier to assign all production costs to the primary products that are being manufactured.

There are other, more complicated methods available for accounting for the cost of byproducts, such as the sales value at split-off method and the net realizable value method, but they introduce considerable complexity to the accounting process, and so should generally be avoided.

Byproduct definition —  AccountingTools (2024)

FAQs

Byproduct definition — AccountingTools? ›

A byproduct is an incidental product that is created by a manufacturing process that creates multiple products. The other products created by the process are considered to be the primary output of the system.

What is the definition of byproducts? ›

Meaning of by-product in English

something that is produced as a result of making something else, or something unexpected that happens as a result of something: Buttermilk is a by-product of making butter.

What is an example of a byproduct in accounting? ›

Sawdust is a byproduct of the lumber industry, and feathers are a byproduct of poultry processing. In each of these cases, the byproduct is important and useful, but secondary to the initial product.

What are byproducts in business? ›

By-products, sometimes called byproducts, are secondary products that result incidentally from the manufacturing of a main product. Create professional invoices for free with SumUp Invoices. Whilst by-products are often not intended products, they're an inevitable result of many production processes.

What is a byproduct and give an example? ›

A by-product can be useful and marketable or it can be considered waste: for example, bran, which is a byproduct of the milling of wheat into refined flour, is sometimes composted or burned for disposal, but in other cases, it can be used as a nutritious ingredient in human food or animal feed.

What is a byproduct quizlet? ›

What are byproducts? Byproducts are the low-value products that occur naturally in the process of producing higher value products. They are, in a sense, accidental results of the production process.

What are three categories of byproducts? ›

That is why animal by-products are sorted into three categories:
  • the highest risk material is Category 1 (Cat 1)
  • intermediate risk material is category 2 (Cat 2)
  • material with a low risk is Category 3 (Cat 3)

What is an example of a by-product in costing? ›

In this example, the cost allocated to the main products (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel) and byproducts (asphalt, lubricants, and petroleum co*ke) reflects their proportion of the total sales value. This allocation helps determine the production cost of each product more accurately.

What are the two major methods to account for byproducts? ›

The two methods to account for by-products are as follows. 1) The production method recognizes by-products in the financial statements at the time production is completed. 2) The sales method delays recognition of by-products until the time of sale.

Which method of accounting recognizes byproducts in the financial statements? ›

The production method recognizes the byproduct in the financial statements when it's produced. The production method deducts the byproduct revenue from cost of sales at the time of production.

How is by-products treated in cost accounting? ›

The sales value of the by-products may be credited to the Costing Profit and Loss Account and no credit be given in the Cost Accounts. The credit to the Costing Profit and Loss Account here is treated either as miscellaneous income or as additional sales revenue.

What is the difference between by-product and byproduct? ›

Both are orthographically correct. Major dictionaries list the word as by-product, and some dictionaries list byproduct as an alternative form.

What is the best meaning of the word byproducts? ›

a secondary or incidental product, as in a process of manufacture. the result of another action, often unforeseen or unintended.

What is the purpose of by products? ›

In many cases, byproducts can be used as inputs for other industries, contributing to the efficient use of resources and minimizing waste. By recognizing the value of byproducts, companies can potentially lower their overall production costs by selling these byproducts and generating additional revenue.

What is an example of a by product in manufacturing? ›

By-product is a sub-material generated at the time of production. Example: I produced a steel plate and any leftovers that have generated a sub-item that can be used again or even be in the process of selling a product.

What is a byproduct of respiration? ›

Cellular respiration converts oxygen and glucose into water and carbon dioxide. Water and carbon dioxide are by- products and ATP is energy that is transformed from the process.

What is the definition of byproduct food? ›

Byproducts are generally secondary products derived from primary agro-food production processes and represent an interesting and cheaper source of potentially functional ingredients, such as peptides, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, thus promoting a circular economy concept.

What is another word for byproduct? ›

consequence offshoot repercussion result. Weak matches. aftereffect fallout side effect spinoff.

Which of the following is the best definition of a by-product? ›

Answer and Explanation:

A by-product is a product created along with the main product whose sales value does not cover its cost of production.

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