Learn, Practice, and Improve with SAP C_TS422_2023 Practice Test Questions

Explanation:

In SAP S/4HANA Cloud Production Planning, the graphical planning table allows planners to insert, move, or adjust operations on work centers. When the planning direction is forward, operations are scheduled to start as early as possible while respecting constraints such as work center capacity, operation durations, and dependencies.

Why other options are incorrect:

A (insert before, dispatched stays):
Incorrect because forward scheduling cannot leave an overlapping operation unchanged; the system must adjust subsequent operations to prevent timing conflicts.

B (insert after, dispatched stays):
Incorrect since inserting after the dispatched operation would ignore the planner’s desired dispatching time and violate the requested schedule.

D (insert and move previous backward):
Incorrect because backward movement contradicts forward planning logic, where operations are always scheduled as early as possible. Backward shifting is only relevant in backward planning direction.

This mechanism ensures that production schedules remain feasible, minimizing manual adjustments and avoiding work center overloads. Proper understanding of this insertion behavior is essential for effective production planning and sequencing in SAP S/4HANA Cloud.

References:

SAP Help Portal: “In the graphical planning table, inserting an operation in forward planning shifts existing operations forward to avoid overlap and maintain sequence integrity.” SAP S/4HANA Cloud – Manufacturing Planning

Explanation:

When a production order operation is "Dispatched" (status DISP), it is considered "frozen" in the detailed schedule and actively consumes work center capacity. Direct rescheduling is no longer allowed via basic planning tools. The only permitted adjustments are through capacity-oriented, finite scheduling tools that respect existing capacity constraints to resolve bottlenecks or optimize sequences. In SAP S/4HANA PP, this is done in specialized applications:

C. Finite scheduling in a planning table (e.g., Transaction CM25 or the SAP S/4HANA Schedule Production Order app Fiori ID F2383). This allows interactive, drag-and-drop rescheduling where the system performs real-time capacity checks and leveling.

D. The Manage Work Center Capacity app (Fiori ID F2584). This app provides a graphical capacity view where dispatched operations can be moved to alternative time slots with finite capacity consideration.

Incorrect Options:

A (Lead time scheduling) and B (Infinite scheduling) are incorrect because they are infinite planning methods used for initial order date calculation or long-term planning. They ignore current capacity loads and cannot adjust operations already in a dispatched, "in-progress" state. Using them would create unrealistic schedules and potential capacity conflicts on the shop floor.

References:

SAP Help Portal: Production Order - Operation Statuses (describes the meaning of "DISP").
SAP Learning: C_TS422_2023 - Unit: "Detailed Scheduling and Capacity Planning".
SAP Fiori Apps Reference Library: Manage Work Center Capacity (F2584) and Schedule Production Order (F2383).

Explanation:

1. Use a specific MRP type (Option D)
The MRP Type (found in the MRP 1 view of the Material Master) determines the procedure used to plan a material.

2. Use a specific material status (Option B)
The Plant-Specific Material Status (MRP 1 view) or Cross-Plant Material Status (Basic Data 1 view) allows you to restrict how a material is used in various business processes.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect

A. Use a specific MRP list:
An MRP List is a result of the planning run (a static snapshot of the MD04 situation). It cannot be used as a filter or control parameter to prevent the MRP engine from planning a material in the first place.

C. Use a specific material group:
This field is used primarily for reporting, purchasing, and searching. It does not contain functional logic to influence the MRP planning engine or the planning file entries.

References

SAP Learning (Course S4210): Production Planning in SAP S/4HANA – Unit on MRP Master Data.
SAP Help Portal: "MRP Procedures" – Documentation on MRP Type ND and Planning File Entry logic.

Explanation:

A production version in SAP S/4HANA defines the combination of a bill of material (BOM) and routing/master recipe used for manufacturing a material. Each production version has specific validity periods and lot-size ranges. If the production order quantity falls outside the defined lot-size interval, the system cannot select that version. This makes option A correct because the lot-size mismatch directly prevents system determination of a valid version.

Similarly, if all production versions are locked or blocked, they are excluded from selection. A locked status indicates that the version is not available for planning or execution. In such cases, even though versions exist, none can be chosen, which validates option C.

Why the other options are not correct

B. No production lines are assigned:
Production line assignment is relevant in Repetitive Manufacturing scenarios, where rate routings are used. For discrete production orders, the absence of a production line does not prevent version selection. Hence, this is not a valid reason.

D. No BOMs are assigned:
Technically, a production version must reference both a BOM and a routing. If a BOM is missing, the version itself is incomplete and would not normally be created or saved as valid. The exam question focuses on reasons why an existing version cannot be selected, not why a version cannot exist. Therefore, this option is misleading in this context.

References:
SAP Help Portal – Production Version

Explanation:

In SAP S/4HANA Cloud, a Bill of Material (BOM) can have subitems, which are additional components linked to a main item to provide more detailed information. Subitems allow you to maintain data that is specific to the relationship between the main item and the component.

The key data you can maintain in BOM subitems includes:

Quantity (A):
Subitems can specify the exact quantity of a component needed for the assembly.
This allows for precise calculation of material requirements during MRP (Material Requirements Planning).

Installation point (C):
Subitems can define where the component is installed within the assembly (e.g., a subassembly or a particular location on a finished product).
This is useful for complex assemblies and ensures accurate documentation and assembly instructions.

Why other options are incorrect:

B. Status: Incorrect.
The status of a BOM or component (e.g., active or obsolete) is maintained at the BOM item level, not the subitem level. Subitems cannot define lifecycle status.

D. Scrap percentage: Incorrect.
Scrap percentages are maintained at the BOM item level, as they apply to the component as a whole, not to individual subitems.

References:

SAP Help Portal – Bill of Material in SAP S/4HANA Cloud:
“Subitems can be used to maintain quantities, installation points, and other assignment-specific details that apply to a component in the context of the main item.”

Explanation:

For Planning Strategy 40 (Planning with Final Assembly), the component consumption process is a key feature. In this strategy, planned independent requirements (PIR) are created to drive material procurement and production of components at a planning level before a specific customer demand exists. The prerequisite for these PIRs to be consumed (reduced) is the creation of a sales order item that matches the material and requirements date. The system automatically reduces the relevant PIR quantity by the sales order quantity, ensuring that production is triggered for the exact customer requirement and preventing double planning.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. MRP creates a dependent requirement:
This occurs during the MRP run for a material, but it is a result of a requirement (like a PIR or sales order). It is not the trigger for PIR consumption.

B. A sales order is delivered:
Delivery is a post-execution step that occurs long after the PIR has already been consumed and production/procurement has been triggered. Consumption happens at the time of sales order creation.

C. MRP creates a planned order:
This is an output of the MRP run based on net requirements calculation. The creation of a planned order does not itself consume a PIR; it is generated because the PIR (or the net requirement after consumption) exists.

References:

SAP Standard Training: C_TS422_2023 - Planning Strategies (Make-to-Order vs. Make-to-Stock).

SAP Help Portal: Planning Strategy 40 - Planning with Final Assembly. The documentation explicitly states that planned independent requirements are consumed by sales orders.

Explanation:

The demand planning cycle integrates quantitative data with qualitative insights to ensure the forecast is accurate. Here is why these three options are the pillars of the process:

1. Past sales order quantities (Option E)
Historical data is the primary quantitative foundation for any forecast. In SAP S/4HANA, the system analyzes past sales order quantities (often stored in the Sales Information System or integrated from SAP IBP) to identify patterns such as seasonality, trends, or constant demand. This serves as the "baseline" forecast.

2. Market intelligence (Option D)
Forecasts based purely on history are often insufficient. Market intelligence involves qualitative inputs from sales teams, industry reports, and economic indicators. For example, if a competitor is leaving the market, planners use this intelligence to manually adjust the forecast upward, as historical data wouldn't yet reflect this shift in market share.

3. One-off events (Option A)
Standard statistical models struggle with anomalies. One-off events—such as large-scale promotions, trade fairs, or specific marketing campaigns—create significant demand spikes that do not repeat regularly. In the demand planning cycle, these events are identified so their impact can be added to the baseline forecast or "cleaned" from historical data to prevent them from skewing future statistical predictions.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect

B. Past production planning quantities:
These represent what the company intended to build, not what the market actually demanded. Using production quantities would create a circular logic loop where the forecast is based on previous internal constraints rather than external market needs.

C. Past quotation quantities:
Quotations are inquiries and do not represent guaranteed demand. Including them would lead to an over-inflated forecast, as not all quotations convert into actual sales.

References:

SAP Learning (Course S4210): Demand Management and Planning Strategies – Section on Demand Planning inputs.
SAP Press: Production Planning with SAP S/4HANA – Chapter on Demand Management and PIR creation.