The Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM) Exam Preparation Course is designed to develop the technical knowledge and practical competencies required for effective supply chain planning and inventory management. The programme covers supply chain strategy, sales and operations planning, demand forecasting, internal and external supply planning, inventory control, detailed scheduling, distribution, quality management, and continuous improvement.
Participants will explore planning methodologies, operational calculations, business scenarios, and examination-style questions to strengthen their understanding of the CPIM body of knowledge. Through structured learning, case studies, practical exercises, and mock examinations, the course prepares candidates to approach the certification examination confidently while improving their professional supply chain capabilities.
Course Objectives
The objective of this course is to prepare participants for the ASCM Certified in Planning and Inventory Management (CPIM) examination by developing a comprehensive understanding of modern supply chain planning principles and practices. The programme aims to strengthen knowledge of strategic alignment, sales and operations planning, demand forecasting, internal production planning, external supply management, inventory optimisation, detailed scheduling, distribution, quality, and continuous improvement.
Participants will learn to interpret planning data, evaluate operational alternatives, apply relevant calculations, identify supply-demand imbalances, and make informed decisions that support customer service and business profitability. The course also develops examination techniques through structured revision, practice questions, scenario-based learning, progress assessments, and mock tests aligned with the current CPIM exam content framework.
Target Audience
This course is suitable for supply chain professionals, production planners, inventory controllers, demand planners, materials managers, procurement specialists, manufacturing supervisors, operations managers, and distribution professionals seeking to enhance their planning expertise and prepare for the CPIM certification examination. It is particularly beneficial for professionals responsible for demand forecasting, material requirements planning, production scheduling, capacity utilisation, inventory optimisation, and supply chain performance improvement.
Supply chain analysts, ERP users, business improvement specialists, and consultants can also benefit from the programme. Graduates and early-career professionals aspiring to build careers in supply chain planning and operations are welcome. Participants with experience in purchasing, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, or inventory management may find their existing knowledge especially useful when applying course concepts to practical business scenarios.
Learning Objectives
By the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Explain supply chain structures, business strategy, and the relationship between operational plans and corporate objectives.
- Understand the purpose and processes of sales and operations planning (S&OP).
- Apply demand forecasting principles and evaluate forecast accuracy.
- Develop an understanding of internal supply planning and production resource requirements.
- Evaluate external supply sources and supplier-related planning considerations.
- Apply inventory management principles to balance availability, cost, and risk.
- Understand master scheduling, material requirements planning, and detailed production scheduling.
- Analyse capacity requirements, production constraints, and resource utilisation.
- Understand distribution planning, replenishment, and inventory deployment.
- Explain quality management, continuous improvement, and their contribution to operational performance.
- Interpret planning metrics, quantitative problems, and supply chain scenarios relevant to CPIM.
- Develop an effective examination preparation strategy using practice questions, revision activities, and mock assessments.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be able to:
- Analyse how supply chain decisions support organisational strategy and customer requirements.
- Contribute to an integrated S&OP process using demand, supply, and financial information.
- Calculate and interpret forecasts, forecast errors, and demand variability.
- Evaluate internal production plans against material, labour, equipment, and capacity constraints.
- Assess supplier options and understand how external supply decisions influence operational plans.
- Apply inventory concepts such as reorder points, safety stock, service levels, and replenishment policies.
- Interpret master production schedules and material requirements planning outputs.
- Identify scheduling bottlenecks and evaluate practical capacity and sequencing alternatives.
- Explain distribution requirements planning and replenishment decisions across a supply network.
- Recommend quality improvement and process improvement approaches based on operational evidence.
- Solve representative planning problems and interpret the implications of alternative decisions.
- Demonstrate examination readiness through timed practice assessments, topic reviews, and a structured revision plan.
Course Syllabus:
Module 1: Align the Supply Chain to Support the Business Strategy: Supply chain fundamentals, business alignment, strategic positioning, and performance objectives.
Module 2: Conduct Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) to Support Strategy: Demand-supply balancing, integrated planning, resource alignment, and S&OP execution.
Module 3: Plan and Manage Demand: Demand forecasting, demand shaping, forecast evaluation, and demand management.
Module 4: Plan and Manage Internal Supply Sources: Production planning, capacity management, manufacturing resources, and internal supply decisions.
Module 5: Plan and Manage External Supply Sources: Supplier planning, external sourcing, purchasing coordination, and inbound supply management.
Module 6: Plan and Manage Inventory: Inventory policies, replenishment, safety stock, inventory accuracy, and optimization.
Module 7: Plan, Manage, and Execute Detailed Schedules: Master scheduling, material requirements planning, capacity scheduling, and execution control.
Module 8: Plan and Manage Distribution: Distribution requirements planning, network replenishment, deployment, and distribution performance.
Module 9: Manage Quality, Continuous Improvement, and Technology: Quality systems, process improvement, performance measurement, and planning technologies.