Collecting Data
The management accept that a cost sampling or snapshot approach is the best way to identify ley activities and their costs This technique helps the department to develop estimates of how much time is devoted to different Then by using an average hourly rate for all staff managers will be able to estimate the total annual cost of an activity. The decision to use an average h rate for all staff will save time.
Managers decided that between 4 to 8 activities should to be identified by each team. The possibility of identifying 20-30 activities was considered but this was rejected because there was very little time to do the work. For the whole exercise it was felt that the information must not take too long to collect and interpret
Most of the managers involved with the new teams have little experience of collecting data regarding activities and cost drivers. With some activities several cost drivers were discussed. This confused some managers who felt unclear why a cost driver was rejected or accepted. The management accountants believed these problems would not affect the accuracy of the data.