Branch Accounting

INTRODUCTION

A branch of an organization whether business or non-business can be defined as a part of the organization operating with some degree of independence. For example, a business concern may have its head office situated in one city with several branches in different parts of the country. Thus, a branch is created where a section of a business is segregated physically from the main section. In other words, if the location of activities is separated from the main place or operation, a relationship is created between the branches and the head office.

The method of accounting for branch essentially depends on the dealings and transaction between the head office and the branches. A branch may be a small retail shop managed by a single person, selling only goods sent by the head office, or it may be a foreign branch located thousands of kilometers away from the head office, purchasing the required materials, manufacturing and distributing the products in its area, with its activities controlled only in a very small degree by the head office.

Divisions of Branches

For accounting purposes, branches may be divided into the following three classes:

• Branches for which the whole of the accounting records are kept by the head office
• Branches which maintain separate accounting records
• Foreign branches

Methods of Accounting for Branches

Where the Head Office Keeps the Accounts

This method is used basically when the branches are regarded as sales department, receiving all goods they deal in from the head office which the branch manager must account for. In this methods, the head office does all the buying and the branch only sells. The branches receive goods from the head office at selling price and the branches must as a necessity produce the cash or stock to cover the value of goods received. Managers at the branches are put on check through preparation and forwarding of reports giving the details of goods received and returned to the head office, cash sales, credit sales, cash received from debtors, stock, expenses and debtors at regular intervals.

Pricing Method

There are three different pricing methods which a head office can use to charge goods to the branches as follows:

1. Cost price
2. Cost plus a percentage
3. Selling price

Cost Price Method

The cost price method can be used where goods are perishable in nature or where the selling prices are difficult to determine due to fluctuations. The method charge out goods sent to branch at cost price and the opening and closing stocks also taken at cost price.

This method has the major disadvantage of lacking the check imposed on trading activities of the branch by the selling price method.

Cost Plus a Percentage Pricing Method

This is regarded as the most effective method of charging goods to the branch. Goods are sent to branches at cost plus a fixed percentage. The head office will keep accounts which will disclose the gross profit or loss of the branch, in a situation where cost plus a percentage at which the goods are charged is equivalent to selling price, the head office will also have stock control. Hence the total goods received by branch from head office must be equal to sales plus returns to head office plus the branch closing stock.

Under cost plus method, the head office keeps:

1. Branch stock accounts.
2. Goods sent to branch account.
3. Branch stock adjustment account.

Basically, there are two methods used in recording and presenting accounting entries under the cost plus percentage method. These are as follows:

1. Branch stock adjustment method.
2. Memorandum or double column method.

Branch stock adjustment method

Using this method, the following accounts are prepared.

• Branch stock account: This account records goods sent to branch by head office at the involved price.
• Branch stock adjustment account: This account is used to record the amount of loading added to the cost of the goods sent to the branch. The account is used to ascertain the actual gross profit of the branch.
• Goods sent to branch account: This account is recorded at the cost price of the good sent.
• Debtors account: This account records transactions of the debtors.

Accounting Entries

At the end of the period, the goods sent to branch account will be closed by transferring the balance to the head office purchases account. This transfer relieves the head office trading account to charge for these goods, since they have been fully accounted in the branch stock account and the branch stock adjustment account.

The balance on the adjustment account will be transferred to profit and loss account.

Selling Price Pricing Method

Sometimes goods are sent to the branches by the head office at selling prices, i.e. the goods are sent to branches at actual prices at which they are to be sold by the branches.

Most goods which are proprietary goods are charged and sent to branches using this method.

The aim of this method is to provide adequate check on the branch managers and staff to ensure that all goods sent to them are fully accounted for.

The head office would maintain the following accounts in respect of the branch:

• Branch stock account
• Goods sent to branch account
• Total debtors account
• Expenses account

At balancing time, the balance on the branch stock account represents the closing stock of the branch at selling prices.

Accounting for Branches Which Keep Separate

Account Records

At times, it is considered expedient for a branch to keep complete financial records at the branch. This may be due to:

• The branch being located far from the headquarters
• The nature of activities of the branch
• Where the size of the branch makes it economical for the account to be so prepared

To record the transactions, efforts are made to show the connection between the branch and the head office through the following accounts:

• Head office current account or head office account
• Branch current account or branch account

At any time, the branch account in the head office will show the indebtedness of the branch to the head office. The relationship between the head office and branch is that of debtor  and creditor. This is evidenced by debit balance of the branch account in the head office books, and also a corresponding credit balance of the head office account in the branch books.

The current accounts are used for all transactions that are concerned with supplying of resources of the branch as well as transactions involving withdrawals of resources from the branch.

It is noteworthy to emphasise that whatever profit is earned by the branch does not belong to the branch, it should therefore be credited to the head office current account and any loss debited to the account ultimately, the head office will debit the branch current account and credit the profit and loss account.

Foreign Branches

Foreign branches occur whenever a business has parts of its trading and manufacturing activities carried out by one or more of its branches located in other countries. In such a situation separate accounting records are maintained at the branch. The branch will thus maintain separate accounting records as described earlier.

The following are the features of the foreign branch:

• The branch account in the head office books is ruled with two columns; one column maintained in foreign currency and the other in local currency (i.e. Naira).
• The entries in the foreign currency are memoranda in nature and necessary for reconciliation with head office account.
• The branch will forward copy of its trading and profit and loss account, its balance sheet and detail copy of head office account to the head office.
• The branch assets, liabilities and revenue items will be converted at the applicable rate between the country of  the branch and the head office.

Summary

• The branch account is the through which the business and economic transactions of various small units of a business organization operating with some degree of independence is accounted for.
• The branch account has the objectives of (1) ascertaining the profit or loss of each branch of an organization and (2) exercising proper control over the branches sine the branches are usually situated at a distance from the head office.
• The system of accounting employed by business concern having branches largely depends upon the nature of the trade carried on and the form of organization of the business.
• However, the principal aim is to impose effective control over the branches in order to safeguard goods and cash passing through the branches, and to ensure adequate recording of all transactions and exchanges between the head office and its various branches.

Class Work

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Goods in transit means a situation where
2. The manager of a branch of a business concern has stolen the goods.
3. The goods sent to a branch of an organization have not arrived to the branch.
4. The goods have been sold, but then money embezzled.
5. The goods have been damaged.
6. Under the memorandum method, the entries n the invoiced price is necessary
7. To provide a check on the stock.
8. To determine profit or loss of the branch.
9. To determine the loss sustained by the head office.
10. To record the amount of cash taking.
11. Which of the following is correct?
12. Profit = Mark-up x Cost price
13. Profit = Margin x Cost price
14. Profit = Mark-up – Cost price
15. Profit = Mark-up + Cost price
16. Under the branch stock adjustment method of accounting, the percentage of profit added to cost of goods sent to branch is recorded in
17. Branch stock account
18. Goods sent to branch account
19. Branch stock adjustment account
20. Profit and loss account
21. The nature of transaction between a head office and the branches of a business concern can be said to be
22. Debtor and creditor
23. Debtor and donor
24. Creditor and donor
25. Customer and supplier

Short Answer Questions (SAQs)

1. A branch of  a business concern located in another country responsible for its production and distribution of goods is called………………
2. Where goods are sent by a head office to its branches at cost plus a fixed percentage added, it is called…………………..,

What is the name of accounts to be debited in the following instances:

• When goods are returned to the head office by the branch?
• When goods are transferred by Branch A to Branch B of the same business organisation?
• To what account will the balance on the goods sent to the branches be transferred at the end of the accounting year?

Essay Questions

1. (a)        List and briefly discuss the three methods of pricing goods sent by a head office to its branches.
2. MKO Limited, a business concern having its head office in Victoria Island, has a branch in Ikeja. The head office is responsible for the purchase of all goods which are subsequently sent to the branch. The head office maintains the whole books of the organization.

Required: Prepare

1. Branch stock account
2. Branch stock adjustment account
3. Goods sent to the branch account
4. Branch total debtors account