APICS Certified in

Production and
Inventory Management
CPIM Program

Overview

About APICS
Benefits of Membership
APICS CPIM Program
APICS CPIM Preparation Options
APICS CPIM Self-Study Resources
Benefits to Employees and Corporate

APICS Mission
APICS builds knowledge and skills in operations
management professionals to enhance and validate
abilities and accelerate careers.
APICS helps its members and their organizations to
successfully compete and to build a stronger global
economy.

About APICS
APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and
premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management, serving
nearly 40,000 members globally. APICS education and certification
programs are recognized worldwide as the standard of professional
competence in production and inventory management, operations
management, and supply chain management.
Join APICS to access local APICS chapters, networking opportunities,
exclusive research reports and publications, and educational programs and
products that create avenues for increased professional development and
career growth and help you meet the fast-changing demands of the
workplace. Join now at apics.org/join

The Value of APICS Certification

APICS world renowned certification programs APICS Certified Supply Chain
Professional (CSCP) and APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management
(CPIM) provide operations management professionals with relevant, essential
education that equips them for todays fast-changing market place.
Leadership: expertise that leads to greater confidence, recognition, and professional
success
Recognition: awareness of your credential which is a first step toward greater job
satisfaction and career enhancement
Knowledge: understanding of how to positively affect bottom-line profitability
For more information about APICS certification, visit the Certification section of
www.apics.org/certification or call an APICS Customer Support associate at 800-4442742 or 773-867-1777. You also can learn more about local opportunities at
www.apicscmn.org or by sending an email to VPEducation@apicscmn.org

The Benefits of APICS Membership

The APICS membership community of over 240 local chapters and 50 International representatives support nearly 40,000
members in 20,000 manufacturing and service industry companies worldwide. By joining APICS, professionals keep up
to date on industry best practices, new technologies, and proven techniques.
Benefits include:

APICS Magazine: features innovative ideas and real-world strategies on operations management and supply chain

APICS Dictionary: the standard terms and definitions used in operations management field

The APICS Operations Management Body of Knowledge (OMBOK) Framework: defining the scope of the
operations management field

Membership in your local chapter or APICS International Associate where available: an invaluable connection to
other professionals in your area and the opportunity to take advantage of local opportunities within the chapter

APICS Learning Communities: an online forum where members can share ideas, develop best practices, and find
solutions to everyday challenges in operations management

APICS Career Center: the online career destination for operations management professionals

Member savings: on courseware and certification exams

Partial APICS Client List

American Express
Avon
BASF
Becton, Dickinson & Company
Boeing
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Caterpillar
Clorox
Dow Chemical
Dow Corning
DuPont
ExxonMobil
Gulfstream
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals

IBM
Intel
Jockey International
Johnson & Johnson
Microsoft
Motorola
Nestle
PepsiCo
Pfizer
SC Johnson
Unilever
United States Army
Volkswagen

APICS CPIM

The APICS CPIM program takes an in-depth look at the production and inventory activities within the internal
operations of a company

The APICS CPIM program is divided into five process-oriented topic areas to provide participants with the best
possible educational assessment and knowledge base.

It focuses primarily on manufacturing and provides an in-depth view of materials management, master scheduling,
production planning, forecasting, and quality improvement within the confines of this operation

To earn the APICS CPIM designation, operations management professionals must successfully complete five
exams.

Obtaining an APICS certification shows a commitment to the profession that leads to a sense of accomplishment,
demonstrates value to the employer, enhances earning potential, and provides a path to career advancement

Since 1973, nearly 90,000 professionals worldwide have earned the APICS CPIM designation

The Value of the APICS CPIM designation

Professionals interested in expanding knowledge of production and inventory management concepts
can benefit from the APICS CPIM program
APICS CPIM education is appropriate for individuals working in:

Production and inventory management

Operations

Supply chain management

Procurement

Materials management

Purchasing

Finance and Accounting

Manufacturing Information Systems

The APICS CPIM has been organized into five modules. Below is the diagram that
shows how these modules relate to each other and how they will help you to
manage your business resources.

APICS CPIM Modules

Basics of Supply Chain Management

The basic concepts in managing the complete flow of materials in a supply chain from suppliers to customers are
covered in the Basics module. Supply chain concepts are introduced and basic terminology emphasized, as are
relationships among activities in the supply chain.

Master Planning of Resources

Explore the processes used to develop sales and operations plans and identify and assess internal and external
demand and forecasting requirements. The course focuses on the importance of producing achievable master
schedules that are consistent with business policies, objectives, and resource constraints.

Detailed Scheduling and Planning

Focus on the various techniques for material and capacity scheduling. Study detailed descriptions of material
requirements planning (MRP), capacity requirements planning (CRP), inventory management practices, and
procurement and supplier planning.

Execution and Control of Operations

Focus on the areas of prioritizing and sequencing work, executing work plans and implementing controls, reporting
activity results, and providing feedback on performance. The course explains techniques for scheduling and controlling
production processes, the execution of quality initiatives and continuous improvement plans, and the control and
handling of inventories.

Strategic Management of Resources

Explore the relationship of existing and emerging processes and technologies to manufacturing strategy and
supply chain-related functions. The course addresses three main topics: aligning resources with the strategic
plan, configuring and integrating operating processes to support the strategic plan, and implementing
change.

What people are Saying

With the help of the APICS professional network and certification programs, I have been able to achieve my
goals and have found happiness in my careerwhich I previously thought was unachievable.
Bill Annis, CPIM, CSCP, Forecast Manager, Avaya, Inc.

The APICS body of knowledge helped empower our employees to make strategic decisions that support
the companys overall success, increasing on-time delivery by nearly 50 percent.
Kristie Huntress, Global Business Process
Manager, Dow Corning

APICS CPIM Preparation Options

Personalize your APICS CPIM curriculum. Match these methods to your individual learning style

APICS CPIM Review Courses: Take advantage of review classes in your local area and learn valuable
techniques to become a leader in your field. Experienced instructors will lead you through interactive
discussions, case studies, and strategic problem-solving exercises to help you prepare for your next
certification exam.

Online CPIM Review Courses: Prepare for exams from the convenience of your home in an instructorled or independent study online format. If a demanding schedule makes moving forward with your APICS
CPIM a challenge, online APICS CPIM review courses may be the perfect solution. The program can be
offered in a self-directed or instructor-led format at your facility

APICS Public Workshops: Accelerated APICS CPIM review workshops are offered as required by your local
education providers as Public or in-house courses. During the three to five-day class, an instructor leads
you through interactive discussions about the material to help you prepare for the APICS CPIM exam.

APICS CPIM Self-Study: Extensive self-study resources will help you uncover testing insights, improve
your performance, and strengthen your knowledge base.

APICS CPIM Self-Study Resources

APICS has the best educational resources available to help you build your knowledge of industry practices and to support
your certification exam preparation

CPIM Exam Content Manual

The CPIM Exam Content Manual is an essential document for all CPIM candidates. It provides an overview of each
module, an outline of its body of knowledge, and references. A list of key terminology for each area is included, along
with illustrative questions for each module. (Stock # 09051N)

CPIM Practice Questions Booklet & CD

Practice questions offer candidates the opportunity to answer questions similar to those that may be found on the
exam. This product contains practice questions, answer keys, and a list of text references for additional study are
available as a booklet or on CD-ROM. Available as a series and for each modules.

APICS Dictionary

APICS Dictionary is a primary reference for all five APICS CPIM Modules and the standard for defining terms used in
the operations management field. (Stock # 01102)

APICS CPIM Self-Study Resources

CPIM Study Notes

Study notes are concise and detailed in an easy-to-read, conversational format. Author Brian Wilcox,
CFPIM,CIRM,CSCP, draws on more than 30 years of practical experience in materials management
to present information in an easy-to-understand, conversational format. Available as a series and for
each module.

Datachem Study Aids

APICS offers an electronic study aid that has helped thousands of professionals achieve certification.
Designed by Datachem Software Inc. these products can help you prepare for certification exams with
practice questions and answers and technical explanations of production and inventory management
topics. Available as a series and for each module.

MGI Home Study Course

These home-study correspondence courses provide you with a solid, professional-level understanding
of the manufacturing field. The courses are designed to help you develop your knowledge and skills
in the essential areas of materials management and integrated resource management. Each APICS
home-study course requires approximately 25 to 30 hours to complete. Available as a series and for
individual modules.

Benefit to Employee

Improve efficiency across the processes of your organizations supply chain

Increase profitability by optimizing your organizations inventory investment

Maximize ROI on systems and technologies

Predict outcomes more accurately

Amplify functional knowledge of production and inventory management

Achieve greater confidence and industry recognition

Accelerated career development and better employment opportunities

Earn CPIM certification maintenance points

Benefits to the Corporation

Create a common understanding, vocabulary, processes, and frameworks

within their entity to address their supply chain challenges and opportunities
The proven knowledge and organizational skills to strategically streamline
operations
The tools to effectively manage global supply chain activities where suppliers,
plants, distributors and customers are located around the world.

The ability to interact with existing resources and your ERP system to increase
the efficiency of the workplace environment

Boost productivity, collaboration, and innovation

The skills to create consistency and foster collaboration through best practices, common
terminology, and corporate-wide communication.

APICS CPIM Certification Exam

Duration of the exam: 3 hours

The Basics exam has 105 questions with 80 that are actually scored and 25 pretest.

The other exams have 75 questions with 60 actually scored and 15 that are pretest.

Candidates must pass an exam for each of the five modules to successfully complete
the APICS CPIM program

Certificate and credentials provided upon successful completion of the fifth

certification exam

The CPIM designation has a maintenance requirement every 5 years

Refer to www.apics.org/cpim for details

APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management CPIM Courses and Fees
Basics of Supply Chain Management
Where:

Alexandria Extrusion Alexandria, MN

When:

5:00PM starting October 11, 2010

Costs:

APICS Members, $300, Non-Member: $400, Students:$200

Detail Scheduling and Planning

Where:

Alexandria Extrusion Alexandria, MN

When:

5:00PM starting January 4, 2011

Costs:

APICS Members, $300, Non-Member: $400, Students:$200

Strategic Management of Resources

Where:

New Flyer St. Cloud, MN

When:

5:30PM starting January 19, 2011

Costs:

APICS Members, $325, Non-Member: $425, Students:$275

Execution and Control of Operations

Where:

Alexandria Extrusion Alexandria, MN

When:

5:00PM starting April 5, 2011

Costs:

APICS Members, $300, Non-Member: $400, Students:$200

Strategic Management of Resources

Where:

Alexandria Extrusion Alexandria, MN

When:

5:00PM starting September 6, 2011

Costs:

APICS Members, $300, Non-Member: $400, Students:$200

Questions

If you have additional questions about the APICS

CPIM Certification program or have questions about
courses before you register contact us at
VPEducation@apicscmn.org
For more course offerings check our Calendar of
Events by visiting our website at www.apicscmn.org
and click on the calendar of events page.