the relationship of costs to cost objects should be exploited to increase the accuracy of cost assignments. costs are directly associated with cost object. indirect costs are cost that cannot be easily and accurately traced to a cost object. easily traced means that the costs can be assigned in an economically feasible way while accurately traced means that the costs can be assigned using a cause and effect relationship. thus traceability is simply the ability to assign a cost to a cost object in an economically feasible way by means of a cause and effect relationship. the more cost that can be traced to the object. the greater the accuracy of the cost assignments. Establishing traceability is fundamental in building accurate cost assignments.
it is possible for a particular cost item to be classified as both a direct cost and an indirect cost. management accounting system typically deal with many cost objects. it all depends on which cost object is point of reference. for example, if a hospital is the cost object, then the cost of heating and cooling the hospital is a direct cost. however if the cost object is a surgical procedure perform in the hospital, then this utility cost is an indirect cost