What is Batch Close Variance in OPM?

Batch Close Variances can occur in the following situations when using Actual Costing,

If the batch was released in one cost period and the debit to WIP is valued at one cost, but the batch was completed in a later cost period when the credit to WIP for the same quantities is valued at a different cost.
This results in a left over balance WIP due to the cost change and must be cleared out.

Batch is released in one period and closed in the next period and has ingredient issues after last product yield and no product yield in next period.

When the Ingredient consumptions and product yields are recorded in a period, and in the next period the ingredient, resource, or byproduct consumptions for these batches are updated without any further product yields.

Ingredient issued in one period and returned back in next period with cost changes for ingredient across periods.
– Essentially Ingredient/By-product transactions should be posted prior to product transactions in general, and certainly at least prior to last of product transaction so that such transactions do not contribute to batch close variance.

Cost Allocation factors on the Formula are not same as Cost Allocation Factors on the Batch Material details which could happen when using Dynamic Cost Allocation factors (profile option – GMF: Cost Allocation Factor Calculation – set to “Dynamic”)
Any cost allocation factor change made after a Batch is released ( as it happens in case of dynamic cost allocation factors) would require re-layering.
Re-layering these Batches followed by running the Actual Cost Process, Cost Update and OPM-Preprocessor will eliminate the Batch Close Variances for these Batches.

The profile option – ‘GMF: Batch Actual Cost Calculation Basis’ is set to ‘Use Virtual Incremental Backflush Quantities’ for a situation where on a Batch all the Ingredients and Resources are not issued out Upfront.
Virtual Incremental Backflush is essentially designed to address a common situation in process industries where most or all ingredients are issued upfront and there are multiple product yields.
Without using the Virtual Incremental Backflush, the first yield would be posted at very high cost and subsequent yields would be posted at zero cost.
With Virtual Incremental Back flush, costs are apportioned based on the Formula setup even before transactions occur.
Thus if those transactions do not actually occur prior to batch close, Batch Close Variances would result.

Use of Virtual Incremental Backflush with consumption activity and cost changes for ingredients across periods.