APICS CPIM Part 2 - Master Planning of Resources Practice Test

The CPIM Part 2 certification prepares you for advanced roles centered on tactical and operational planning. Typical positions include Master Scheduler, Materials Manager, Production Planner, Demand Planner, and Supply Chain Planning Manager. It provides the specific technical knowledge required to own and optimize the integrated planning processes (MPS, MRP, CRP) that are central to manufacturing and distribution operations, positioning you for leadership within planning departments.

Master Scheduling is the process of developing a plan for specific, significant end items or product families to meet customer demand and the Sales and Operations Plan. It operates at a higher, more aggregated level. Material Requirements Planning is the subsequent, detailed calculation that explodes the MPS into a time-phased schedule for all subordinate raw materials, components, and subassemblies required to build the master scheduled items. The MPS drives the MRP process.

An MRP output generates a material plan, but it does not validate if the production resources (work centers, labor, machinery) have the available capacity to execute that plan on time. CRP translates the planned order releases from MRP into detailed load profiles for each work center. This allows planners to identify capacity bottlenecks, underloads, or overloads in advance, enabling proactive adjustments through overtime, shifting orders, or altering the MPS to create a realistic and feasible production schedule.

DRP extends the principles of MRP to the distribution network. It is a time-phased planning technique for determining the replenishment needs and schedules for field warehouses and distribution centers. DRP calculates net requirements at each node, generates planned orders, and consolidates demand upstream, providing visibility into future needs for the central supply source. This enables more efficient inventory deployment, improved customer service, and better input to the master production schedule.

Demand Management is the function of recognizing and managing all sources of demand for products, including independent demand (customer orders, forecasts) and dependent demand. It transforms a demand forecast into a demand plan, which is a primary input to the Sales and Operations Planning process. The consensus demand plan, once approved in S&OP, becomes the key driver for creating the Master Production Schedule, making effective Demand Management foundational to an accurate and achievable master plan.