C_TS422_2022 SAP Certified Application Associate - SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Questions and Answers

• You can use mass processing to set production orders to technically complete. Mass processing allows you to perform the same action for multiple production orders at once, such as changing the status, printing, or confirming. You can use the Set to Technically Complete action to close the production orders that are finished and do not require any further processing. This action updates the order status to TECO and prevents any further changes to the order12.
• You can use trigger points to automatically create rework orders via confirmation. Trigger points are predefined events that occur during the execution of a production order, such as reaching a certain operation or quantity. You can assign actions to trigger points, such as creating a notification, a rework order, or a quality inspection. For example, you can use a trigger point to automatically create a rework order for defective goods when you confirm an operation. The rework order is linked to the original order and inherits the relevant data from it3 .

References:

• 1: SAP Help Portal: Mass Processing
• 2: SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide, Chapter 7: Process Orders
• 3: SAP Help Portal: Trigger Points
• : SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide, Chapter 6: Production Orders

Mode selection is a feature that allows the system to choose the best mode for an activity based on the mode priority and the available capacity of the resources. A mode is a combination of a resource and a formula that determines the duration and quantity of an activity. An operation can have multiple activities, each with multiple modes. Mode selection can be used when an operation contains several activities, each of which is assigned several modes for different resources, and the system needs to determine which resource to use for each activity. Mode selection can also be used when an activity hasseveral modes for the same resource, and the system needs to determine which formula to use for the activity. Mode selection can be performed during the planning explosion or during the interactive planning. References: Mode Selection | SAP Help Portal, Mode Selection | SAP Help Portal

The duration of an operation for production is determined by the combination of data maintained in the routing and the work center. The routing defines the sequence of operations, the work centers, and the standard values for each operation, such as setup time, processing time, and teardown time. The work center defines the capacity, the formulas, and the scheduling parameters for each operation, such as base quantity, operation rate, and queue time. The system calculates the duration of an operation by multiplying the standard values from the routing by the factors from the work center formulas and adding the scheduling parameters from the work center. For example, if the routing specifies a processing time of 10 minutes per unit and the work center formula is processing time = (processing time / base quantity) * operation quantity, and the base quantity is 100 units, then the duration of the operation for 50 units is (10 / 100) * 50 = 5 minutes.

The bill of material (BOM) © and the material master (D) are not data objects that determine the duration of an operation for production. The BOM defines the components and the quantities that are required for producing a material. The material master defines the general and specific attributes of a material, such as the material type, the unit of measure,the MRP data, and the production data. These data objects are relevant for planning the material requirements and the production costs, but not the operation duration. References:

https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_S4HANA_ON-PREMISE/c00ad2cac7be4ef29a4461ba114e4f91/051ebf53d25ab64ce10000000a174cb4.html

https://learning.sap.com/learning-journeys/manage-production-orders-in-sap-s-4hana-manufacturing/scheduling-production-orders_cc390d5f-b87c-4c4d-9472-8bb10ea4f476

You can exclude a material from the MRP run by using a specific material status or a specific MRP type. A material status is a user-defined indicator that can be assigned to a material master record to control the procurement and planning activities for the material. For example, you can define a material status that blocks the material from being planned by MRP. An MRP type is a parameter that defines how a material is planned by MRP. For example, you can use the MRP type ND (No Planning) to exclude the material from the MRP run.

References: [SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide], page 87; [SAP Help Portal: Material Status] and [SAP Help Portal: MRP Type].

When you assign a planned order to a production line manually, using the planning table in repetitive manufacturing, the system generates capacity requirements for the planned order. The capacity requirements are calculated based on the production line, the quantity, and the production rate of the planned order. The system also checks the availability of the production line and displays any capacity overload or underload. The planned order is not converted to a production order, nor is the component availability or the picking list affected by the manual assignment. References: SAP Help Portal - Assigning Planned Orders to Production Lines, SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide - Chapter 7: Repetitive Manufacturing

 To identify all affected finished goods stocks that contain a deviated raw material batch, you can use the following tools:

• The Batch Information Cockpit (BIC) is a central tool that provides an overview of all relevant information and documents related to a batch. You can use the BIC to display the batch genealogy, which shows the hierarchical relationships between batches along the production and distribution process. You can also use the BIC to display the batch traceability, which shows the chronological sequence of events and transactions that affect a batch. The BIC allows you to analyze the batch history and the batch usage across different plants and systems.
• The batch where-used list is a tool that determines how a batch is created and used in Production Planning (PP) through various stages of production and displays the result in a list. You can use the batch where-used list to find out in which other batches a batch was used and from which other batches a batch was created. This is important in the case of complaints and questions about product safety if the composition of semi-finished and finished products has to be documented across all production levels.

Batch derivation and batch determination are not tools to identify affected finished goods stocks, but rather tools to assign batches to production orders or sales orders based on certain criteria. Batch derivation is a process of transferring characteristics or values from one batch to another, while batch determination is a process of finding suitable batches for a requirement based on predefined conditions. References: Batch Information Cockpit | SAP Help Portal, Batch Where-Used List | SAP Help Portal.

You can model goods receipt processing time in detailed scheduling by using one or more of the following options:

• Model a handling resource in the location master: A handling resource is a special type of resource that represents the capacity required for goods movements within a location, such as loading, unloading, or staging. You can assign a handling resource to a location and define its availability and utilization. You can also specify the handling time per unit of material for each handling resource. The system will then calculate the goods receipt processing time based on the handling time and the quantity of the material.
• Model a transportation lane and carrier selection in the location master: A transportation lane is a master data object that defines the relationship between two locations in terms of transportation modes, means of transport, transit times, and costs. You can assign a transportation lane to a location and define the transportation mode, such as truck, rail, or air. You can also specify the carrier selection, which is a rule that determines the preferred carrier for each transportation mode. The system will then calculate the goods receipt processing time based on the transit time and the carrier selection.
• Model a goods receipt time in the material master: A goods receipt time is a parameter that defines the time required to post the goods receipt for a material after it arrives at the location. You can specify the goods receipt time in the material master record for each material and location combination. The system will then add the goods receipt time to the goods receipt processing time.

You cannot model goods receipt processing time in detailed scheduling by using the following options:

• Model a separate resource in the production data structure: A resource is a master data object that represents the capacity required for production activities, such as machines, labor, or tools. You can assign a resource to a production data structure, such as a bill of material, a routing, or a production version. However, a resource cannot be used to model goods receipt processing time, as it is not related to goods movements.
• Model a separate inbound resource in the location master: An inbound resource is a parameter that defines the maximum number of inbound deliveries that can be processed at a location at the same time. You can specify the inbound resource in the location master record for each location. However, an inbound resource cannot be used to model goods receipt processing time, as it is only a constraint for the number of deliveries, not the duration of the processing.

References: [SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide], pages 103-104; [SAP Help Portal: Goods Receipt Processing Time].

The planning strategy Finite Scheduling with Reverse allows you to schedule production orders backwards from the requested delivery date, taking into account the available capacity and material constraints. To allow scheduling the past, you need to specify a negative offset time in the strategy profile. The offset time defines how far in the past the system can schedule the production order start date. For example, if you specify an offset time of -5 days, the system can schedule the production order start date up to 5 days before the current date. This can help you to avoid late deliveries and reduce lead times.

References: [SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide], page 97; [SAP Help Portal: Finite Scheduling with Reverse]

A material availability check can be triggered automatically for a production order by the following methods:

• By mass processing: You can use the mass processing function to execute material availability checks for multiple production orders at once. You can use the Manage Production Orders app or the transaction COHV to perform mass processing. You can define the selection criteria and the scope of check for the orders to be checked. The system updates the availability status and the committed quantities for the checked orders.
• By order release: You can configure the system to trigger a material availability check automatically when a production order is released. You can use the Customizing activity Define Checking Control to define the checking rule and the scope of check for the order release. The system updates the availability status and the committed quantities for the released order. References: Executing Material Availability Checks; [SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide], page 83.

A reporting point confirmation is a function that allows you to backflush the material components and activities that have been consumed and performed at a specific operation in a repetitive manufacturing process. It also reduces the dependent requirements for the planned orders. You can use reporting point confirmation for the following purposes:

• To determine the work in progress (WIP) along the production line, by posting the quantity that is on the production line at each reporting point. This helps you to calculate the volume and value of unfinished products.
• To provide timely updates of inventory management for the staged components, by recording the withdrawal of components at a time that is close to the time of the operation in which they are used. This helps you to avoid discrepancies between the actual and planned consumption of materials. References: Reporting Point Confirmation, Repetitive Manufacturing Confirmation

Backward scheduling is a method of determining the order dates for components from dependent requirements by starting from the requirement date of the finished product and working backwards through the production structure. Backward scheduling considers the following time elements:

• Operation duration: This is the time required to perform an operation on a resource, such as a work center or a machine. Operation duration is influenced by various factors, such as the quantity, the lot size, the setup time, the processing time, the teardown time, and the operation scrap. Operation duration is subtracted from the requirement date of the finished product to determine the start date of the operation.
• In-house production time: This is the time required to produce a material in-house, from the start of the first operation to the end of the last operation. In-house production time is influenced by various factors, such as the routing, the work center, the production version,and the scheduling margin key. In-house production time is subtracted from the start date of the first operation to determine the order start date of the material.

Backward scheduling does not consider the following time elements:

• Total replenishment lead time: This is the time required to procure a material externally, from the creation of the purchase requisition to the receipt of the goods. Total replenishment lead time is influenced by various factors, such as the planned delivery time, the goods receipt processing time, the release time, and the scheduling margin key. Total replenishment lead time is used in forward scheduling, not backward scheduling, to determine the order dates for externally procured materials.
• Planned delivery time: This is the time required to deliver a material from the vendor to the receiving plant. Planned delivery time is maintained in the purchasing info record or the material master record. Planned delivery time is a component of the total replenishment lead time, which is used in forward scheduling, not backward scheduling, to determine the order dates for externally procured materials. References: Backward Scheduling | SAP Help Portal, Scheduling | SAP Help Portal, SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide, page 77-78.

Forecasting is the process of predicting future demand for products or services based on historical data, market trends, and other factors. Forecasting is an essential component of supply chain planning, which aims to optimize the flow of materials, information, andmoney across the supply chain network. SAP offers various applications that can be used for forecasting in supply chain planning, such as:

• Integration Business Planning (IBP): IBP is a cloud-based solution that provides end-to-end visibility and integration of planning processes across different business functions, such as sales, finance, operations, and logistics. IBP enables collaborative and real-time forecasting, scenario analysis, and decision making based on advanced analytics and machine learning. IBP supports various forecasting methods, such as statistical, causal, and demand sensing, and allows users to adjust and refine forecasts based on changing market conditions and business priorities12.
• Supply Chain Management (SCM): SCM is an on-premise solution that covers the entire supply chain process, from demand planning to delivery and invoicing. SCM includes various modules, such as Advanced Planning and Optimization (APO), Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), and Transportation Management ™, that enable efficient and flexible planning and execution of supply chain activities. SCM supports various forecasting techniques, such as exponential smoothing, trend analysis, and seasonal adjustment, and allows users to monitor and control forecast accuracy and performance34.

The other two options are not SAP applications, but rather concepts or processes related to supply chain planning:

• Capacity Requirement Planning (CRP): CRP is the process of determining the available and required capacity of resources, such as machines, labor, and materials, to meet the production plan. CRP helps to identify and resolve capacity bottlenecks, optimize resource utilization, and balance supply and demand. CRP can be performed using various SAP applications, such as MRP, Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling (PP/DS), or IBP5 .
• Material Requirement Planning (MRP): MRP is the process of calculating the quantity and timing of materials needed to fulfill the production plan. MRP helps to optimize inventory levels, reduce costs, and improve customer service. MRP can be performed using various SAP applications, such as ERP, SCM, or IBP . References: SAP Integrated Business Planning | SAP, Forecasting | SAP Help Portal, SAP Supply Chain Management | SAP, Forecasting | SAP Help Portal, Capacity Requirements Planning (PP-CRP) | SAP Help Portal, [Capacity Planning | SAP Help Portal], [Material Requirements Planning (PP-MRP) | SAP Help Portal], [Material Requirements Planning | SAP Help Portal]

 In make-to-order production, the production planning is initiated only when a sales order is received. The system does not perform a net requirements calculation between individual sales orders or with the make-to-stock warehouse stock1. Therefore, option B is correct. Additionally, production orders are created with sales order reference, which means that the costs and revenues of the sales order are settled at the end of the production process2. Therefore, option E is also correct. The other options are not valid for make-to-order production. Storage location MRP areas are not required for sales-order-specific stock, as the stock is managed at the sales order level3. The reduction of make-to-order stock and requirements does not occur on delivery, but on goods issue to the sales order1. Sales orders do not have to be ATP-confirmed to be saved, as the availability check is optional and can be performed later. References: 1: Strategies for Make-to-Order (MTO) Production | SAP Help Portal(https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_S4HANA_CLOUD/2bba750d1e124e1ea2a039bb1cd9b6c5/3b24bf53d25ab64ce10000000a174cb4.html) 2: Outlining Make-to-Order Production - SAP Learning(https://learning.sap.com/learning-journeys/discovering-the-basics-of-sap-s-4hana-manufacturing/outlining-make-to-order-production_be788c36-6fd4-4f1e-b054-635435247918) 3: Storage Location MRP Areas | SAP Help Portal. : Availability Check and Requirements in Sales and Distribution Processing | SAP Help Portal.

When you create a product master in SAP S/4HANA, you need to enter values for mandatory fields such as product number, product type, base unit of measure, and description. The product type determines the category of the product, such as material, service, or article. The base unit of measure defines the unit in which you manage the product in all business transactions. The selection screen for views and plants are optional fields that allow you to choose which views and plants you want to maintain for the product master. References: Creating Products, Understanding the Concept of Master Data

 If the operation of a production order is dispatched, the DSPT Dispatched status is set for the operation. This means that the operation has been assigned to a resource and scheduled with a start and end date and time. The options to reschedule the operation are as follows:

• You can reschedule the operation using finite scheduling in a planning table. Finite scheduling considers the capacity availability of the resources and the dependencies between the operations. You can use the planning table to manually drag and drop the operation to a different time slot or resource, or use the automatic dispatching function to optimize the scheduling of the operation. Finite scheduling updates the DSPT status and the dates and times of the operation.
• You can reschedule the operation in the Manage Production Operations app. This app allows you to view and edit the production orders and operations in SAP S/4HANA. You can change the start and end date and time of the operation, as well as the resource, in the app. However, the app does not check the capacity availability of the resources or the dependencies between the operations. Therefore, you need to ensure that the changes are feasible and consistent. The app updates the DSPT status and the dates and times of the operation. References: Identifying the Basic Principles and Tools of Capacity Planning; SAP Help Portal

You can limit the validity of a BOM by plant and by period. The plant determines the organizational area of validity for the BOM, and you can assign the same BOM to different or further plants if the prerequisites are met. The period of validity for a BOM is restricted by the valid-from date and the valid-to date in the BOM header and item, which determine when the BOM becomes effective and when it ends. References: Validity of Bills of Material, BOM Item Validity

 A production version is a master data object that links a bill of material (BOM) and a routing or a production process model (PPM) for a material. A production version is required for creating a production order in SAP S/4HANA, as it determines the components, operations, and resources that are needed for producing the material. You can create a production version manually or automatically using the CS_BOM_PRODVER_MIGRATION02 report1.

If you are trying to create a production order and no valid production version can be selected, it could be because of the following reasons:

• No bills of material (BOMs) are assigned to the production versions (A): A BOM is a master data object that defines the components and the quantities that are required for producing a material. A production version must have a valid BOM assigned to it, otherwise it cannot be used for creating a production order. You can assign a BOM to a production version on the MRP 4 tab page of the material master2.
• The order lot size is not within the validity range of a production version ©: A production version has a validity range that defines the period and the lot size interval in which it can be used for production planning. The validity range is maintained on the MRP 4 tab page of the material master2. If the order lot size (the quantity of the material to be produced) is not within the lot size interval of any production version, then no valid production version can be selected for creating a production order.

The other options are not valid reasons for not being able to select a production version for creating a production order:

• All production versions for the material are locked (B): A production version can have a status that indicates whether it is active or locked. A locked production version cannot be used for production planning, but it can still be selected for creating a production order. However, the system will issue a warning message that the production version is locked and ask for confirmation before proceeding with the order creation3.
• No production lines are assigned to the production versions (D): A production line is an organizational unit that represents a group of resources that are used for producing a material. A production line can be assigned to a production version on the MRP 4 tab page of the material master2. However, this assignment is optional and not mandatory for creating a production order. A production line can be used for grouping production versions for reporting or analysis purposes, but it does not affect the selection of a production version for creating a production order4.

References:

 A line hierarchy in repetitive manufacturing represents the structure of a production line that consists of multiple work centers. A line hierarchy is a master data object that defines the sequence and the relationship of the work centers that are involved in producing a material. A line hierarchy can be split into different levels, such as line segments, processing stations, or takt areas, to reflect the complexity and the variability of the production line. A line hierarchy can be used for planning and scheduling operations, controlling material flow, and monitoring production performance12.

The other options are not correct for the following reasons:

• A production line with prioritized work centers (B): This is not correct. A line hierarchy does not define the priority of the work centers, but the order and the dependency of the work centers. The priority of the work centers can be determined by other factors, such as the capacity availability, the production rate, or the scheduling parameters.
• A production line with a parallel sequence in the routing ©: This is not correct. A line hierarchy does not represent the parallel sequence in the routing, but the linear sequence of the work centers. A parallel sequence in the routing means that two or more operations can be performed simultaneously on different work centers for the same material. A parallel sequence in the routing can be modeled by using alternative sequences or parallel sequences in the line hierarchy3.
• A production line with an alternative sequence in the routing (D): This is not correct. A line hierarchy does not represent the alternative sequence in the routing, but the main sequence of the work centers. An alternative sequence in the routing means that there are different options for performing an operation on different work centers for the samematerial. An alternative sequence in the routing can be modeled by using alternative sequences or parallel sequences in the line hierarchy3.

References:https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_S4HANA_ON-PREMISE/48b24fbadbee4e0b9dae0e2b72762e68/db8151ba8ca14106bf037a1546cde6a9.html

https://help.sap.com/docs/SAP_S4HANA_ON-PREMISE/f899ce30af9044299d573ea30b533f1c/9231f9504a62eb5ee10000000a44538d.html

You can achieve planning only for specific resources in Advanced Planning (PP/DS) by using a resource group. A resource group is a collection of resources that share the same characteristics and can be used interchangeably for production. You can assign a resource group to a product or a production version, and then use the resource group as a selection criterion in the planning board or the product view. This way, you can restrict the planning to only those resources that belong to the resource group. References: SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing for Planning & Scheduling - Implementation Guide, page 25; [SAP S/4HANA Production Planning and Manufacturing Certification Guide], page 79.

The subitems of a bill of material (BOM) are the components that make up the product or assembly. You can maintain the following data for each subitem:

• Quantity: This is the number of units of the component that are required for one unit of the product or assembly. You can specify the quantity in different units of measure, such as base unit, order unit, or alternative unit. You can also use variable quantities, such as percentages or formulas, to calculate the quantity dynamically based on the product or assembly characteristics.
• Scrap percentage: This is the percentage of the component that is expected to be wasted or lost during the production or assembly process. You can specify the scrap percentage for each component to adjust the quantity accordingly. For example, if the quantity of a component is 10 and the scrap percentage is 5%, the system will increase the quantity by 0.5 to account for the scrap.

The installation point (A) and the item type (B) are not data that you can maintain in the subitems of a BOM. The installation point is a field in the equipment master record that indicates where the equipment is installed. The item type is a field in the sales document item that determines the processing and pricing of the item. These fields are not relevant for the BOM subitems. References:

https://sapstack.com/pp/bom-in-sap-bill-of-material/

https://skillstek.com/bill-of-material-in-sap/

Material numbering is the process of assigning unique identifiers to materials in the system. Material numbering is defined at the client level, which means that the same material number can be used for different materials in different clients. However, within a client, the material number must be unique for each material. The material number can be either external or internal. External material numbers are entered manually by the user, while internal material numbers are generated automatically by the system. The maximum material number length is 40 characters for external numbers and 18 characters for internal numbers. The material number length can be customized in the configuration app Define Material Number Lengths1. The material number can also be formatted with prefixes, suffixes, and templates in the configuration app Define Material Number Formats2. References: Define Material Number Lengths | SAP Help Portal, Define Material Number Formats | SAP Help Portal