Cooper Ltd manufactures agricultural machinery. The management accountant is currently preparing the following report in preparation for a staff meeting to discuss the direct labour variances for 2020:

Cooper Ltd Direct Labour Variance Report
	Direct labour rate variance		Direct labour efficiency variance
Month	Amount	Percentage of standard direct labour cost	Amount	Percentage of standard direct labour cost
January	$800 F	0.16 %	$5000 U	1.00 %
February	4900 F	0.98 %	7500 U	1.50 %
March	100 U	0.02 %	9700 U	1.94 %
April	2000 U	0.40 %	12800 U	2.56 %
May	3800F	0.76 %	20100 U	4.02 %
June	3900 F	0.78 %	17000 U	3.40 %
July	4200 F	0.84 %	28500 U	5.70 %
August	5100 F	1.02 %	38000 U	7.60 %
September	4800 F		37000 U
October	5700 F		42000 U
November	4200 F		60000 U
December	4300 F		52000 U

The standard direct labour cost during each of these months was $500,000. Cooper Ltds management accountant uses the following rule of thumb: investigate all variances equal to or greater than $30 000, or 6 per cent of standard cost.

REQUIRED

1. The management accountant has to attend an urgent meeting and has asked you to complete the report by calculating the percentage of standard direct labour cost for direct labour rate and direct labour efficiency variances for the months of September to December.

(4 marks)

2. After completing the report, which variances would have been investigated during the year?

Your answer should be provided in the following table format with the following headings.

Variance Type

Month

Amount

Percentage of standard direct labour cost

(5 marks)

3. What characteristics of variance pattern shown in the report should draw the accountants attention, regardless of the usual investigation rule? Explain. Given these considerations, which variances would you have investigated? Why? (6 marks)

4. Is it important to follow up on favorable variances, such as those shown in the report? Explain your answer. (5 marks)