In the context of manager accounting, what does the term 'applied MOH' refer to?

Applied manufacturing overhead (MOH) refers to the amount of overhead that is allocated to products based on a predetermined rate. This predetermined rate is established before the accounting period begins, often based on estimates of total overhead costs and expected activity levels, such as machine hours or labor hours.

When manufacturing costs are assigned to products, applied MOH is included as it represents a systematic approach to distributing indirect manufacturing costs (like utilities, maintenance, and depreciation) across units produced. This process enables better costing of products and provides insights into profitability by ensuring that all incurred costs, not just direct materials and direct labor, are appropriately matched with the revenue generated from the sale of those products.

This method is particularly useful for businesses to control costs and evaluate operational efficiency, thus facilitating managerial decision-making.