CPIM

Certified in Production & Inventory Management

The CPIM programme has been in existance since 1973 and in that time more than 93 000 manufacturing professions around the world have been educated on essential terminology, concepts and strategies related to demand management, procurement and supplier planning, material requirements planning, capacity requirements planning, sales and operations planning, master scheduling, performance measurements, supplier relations, quality control and continuous improvement.

Who should pursue the CPIM designation?

A CPIM is essential for professionals involved in the following fields:

• Production & Inventory Management
• Operations
• Supply chain Management
• Procurement
• Materials Management

Benefits of the CPIM Program

A CPIM education can help you to:

• Increase your functional knowledge of production and inventory management
• Improve efficiency across the processes of your organisation's supply chain
• Streamline operations through accurate forecasting
• Predict outcomes more accurately
• Maximise customer satisfaction by delivering products and services Just-in-Time
• Increase profitability by optimising your organisation's inventory investment
• Enhance your credibility among peers, employers, and customers

Certification is comprised of the following modules:

The CPIM program is divided into 5 process-oriented topic modules to provide participants with the best possible educational assessment and knowledge base.

Basics of Supply Chain Management
Topics include:

• Elements of the Supply Chain
• Just-in-Time (JIT)
• Total Quality Management (TQM)
• Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRP II)
• Demand Planning
• Capacity Management.

Master Planning of Resources
Topics include:

• Demand Management
• Sales and Operations Planning
• Master Scheduling
• Measuring Business Performance

Detailed Scheduling and Planning
Topics include:

• Recognising Techniques and Practices of Inventory Management
• Mechanics of the Detailed Material Planning Process
• Planning Operations to Support the Priority Plan
• Planning Procurement and External Sources of Supply

Execution and Control of Operations
Topics include:

• Prioritising and Sequencing Work
• Executing Plans and Implementing Controls
• Authorising and Reporting Activities for Push and Pull Systems
• Evaluating Performance and Providing Feedback

Strategic Management of Resources
Topics include:

• Competitive Market Issues
• Choices Affecting Facilities, Supply Chain, Information Technology, and Organisational Design
• Configuring and Integrating Internal Processes
• Evaluating and Managing Projects

Duration:

Dependant on the method of study chosen. Instructor led courses are 30 hours in duration.

Delivery Method:

• Classroom based, Lecturer Led
• Self Study

Eligibility:

To be eligible to study the CPIM programme you must have one of the following:

• Successful completion of the APICS FMOM or SAPICS PPIM
• Have passed the eligibility test provided by SAPICS

Maintenance:

In order to keep your CPIM Designation you are required to maintain it. The maintenance cycles are explained below.

Certification maintenance cycles run in five-year intervals, commencing from the date of initial certification and ending on the last day of the month that initial certification was received. (5 years later)

If you became certified on or after January 1, 1999, you may begin accumulating points once you have passed your last certification exam or are notified that your CFPIM application is approved.

For instance, if you initially became CPIM on April 21, 2000, you may begin accumulating your 75 points as of April 21, 2000. Your first certification maintenance deadline would be April 30, 2005. If you miss this deadline or fail to earn the required points, your certification would be suspended as of May 1, 2005.

To reinstate your certification, you would be required to earn the 75 core points plus an additional 15 points each year for every year that your certification maintenance lapses. In other words, if you do not apply by April 30, 2005, you then would be required to earn 90 points by April 30, 2006. If you do not apply by April 30, 2006, you would be required to earn 105 points by April 30, 2007, and so on. If your certification status continues to lapse for five years past your suspension date (10 years after completion of your CPIM certification) and you have not applied for certification maintenance by April 30, 2010, you must take and pass the required certification exams again. (Click here for the Maintenance forms)

Exams and Assessments

You will sit an APICS international examination which assesses you by a series of multiple choice questions. (Click here for more information). The exam scores are based on Scored Scales and more information regarding this can be found here. (Click here for more information on scored scales)

Please click here for the CPIM Exam registration form