APICS CPIM
The APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) program is a comprehensive course for operations managers to develop their professional skills in the following subjects:
- Production management
- Inventory management
- Supply Chain Management
- Planning
- Demand management
- Quality control
- Strategy development from a business perspective
This course helps prepare for the APICS certification exams to become CPIM certified.
Students to pursue their APICS CPIM designation join a group of highly sought-after Supply chain professionals within the field of production and inventory management. If you follow this course, you become a leader in supply chain management and know-how to collaborate with companies around the world through the supply chain.
Test your CPIM knowledge with our 10 practice questions
About APICS & ASCM
An APICS certification is the standard for training in operations management & production logistics. All over the world, APICS is regarded as the go-to training for Supply chain professionals working in operations and supply chain management. Association for Supply Chain Management is the full name of ASCM and aims to help supply chain managers by enabling them with information and courses. Members of the association for supply chain management receive special benefits, such as discounts on APICS exams and access to additional information. ASCM connects the world through supply chain management education.
Visie Partners collaborates with ASCM as a Premier Training Partner and authorized ASCM consulting partner. We work together with companies around the world towards supply chain excellence. We do this by using supply chain organizational transformation and innovation.
Benefits of a CPIM Certification
APICS CPIM brings many benefits to the Operations professional and the employer.
Benefits Operations professional:
- Improve and update your knowledge of production management and inventory control
- Make more accurate result forecasts
- Gain recognition from your peers and within your industry
Employer benefits:
- Increase the efficiency of processes in your organization and supply chain
- Streamline business activities by effectively designing the information system
- Higher profitability by optimizing inventory levels
- Optimization of the return on investment for business systems and technologies
Suitable for
The APICS CPIM course is for professionals wanting to develop their knowledge about production management and inventory management. Most industry experts have their APICS certification.
The course is of great value for:
- Management team members involved in sales and operations planning
- Material managers responsible for the planning of available material
- Sales employees who are partially responsible for forecasting and/or demand management
- Operations managers who want to manage their organization based on clearly defined rules
- Master planners responsible for the production planning
- Project managers responsible for projects to improve information and/or optimization of a production function
- Application Administrators responsible for the implementation and/or the functional management of ERP systems
Is the APICS CPIM certification difficult?
To follow the APICS CPIM course, we advise students to have sufficient skills in reading English. This level is needed to understand the classes and course materials and the exam, which are all in English. We also advise students to have one of the following to make sure they have the required level.
vocational education with several years of experience in operations management
The main focus of the course is production and inventory management, When you have the apics certification exams compared, you'll see that CPIM has an internal focus. The focus is mainly on manufacturing and planning. on our APICS page, you can find a comparison between the different fields in which each course specializes.
Contents & structure for Certified Production and Inventory Management
The APICS CPIM course consists of 16 sessions or 8 full days. There are also opportunities to follow this route as a daytime course. There is a practice exam during the last session or the last half of a full-day course. Below is a brief description of the eight modules covered with APICS CPIM.
Module 1: Strategy
The strategy module covers the inputs, processes, and outputs of organizational strategy development and the alignment with operations strategy. Some of the topics in this module are:
- Supply Chains, the Environment, and Strategy
- Strategic Scope and Objectives
- Developing and Managing Organizational Strategy
- Functional and Operational Strategies
- Environments, Types, and Layouts
- Performance Monitoring and KPIs
- Supply chain Risk Management
- Capital Equipment and Facilities
- Sustainability Strategies
Module 2: Sales and Operations Planning
Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is about tactical planning to determine what to produce and check the feasibility of the demand and the production plan. Some of the topics covered in this module are:
- Purpose of S&OP in achieving customer service and efficiency goals
- S&OP roles and process steps
- Aggregate demand, supply, and inventory management plans
- Reconciling S&OP plans across the functions involved
Module 3: Demand planning
Demand is about influencing and managing demand using customer relations management (CRM) tools. The module covers the processes to fulfill demand, configure and produce products, and measure customer-focused performance. Some of the topics covered are:
- Demand management and its components
- Customer segmentation, customer communication, and customer service
- Marketing, product management, and product design impacts
- Sources and types of demand
- Forecasting techniques and forecasting performance
Module 4: Supply
Supply is about creating and maintaining a valid plan for producing products and components using master scheduling. Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) is the process of planning and maintaining the flow of materials from the production and external suppliers. This module will pay attention to product life cycle management and supply disruption. Some of the topics covered are:
- Create, maintain and use the master schedule
- Rough Cut Capacity Planning to plan for an achievable master schedule
- Creating and maintaining Materials Requirement Planning (MRP)
- Purchasing processes and supplier monitoring and evaluation
- Changes and supply disruptions in supply chains
- Changes and Product Life Cycle Management
Module 5: Detailed schedules
Detailed schedules is about planning the flow of goods using MRP, Lean, and TOC-based scheduling focused on managing lead times and work in process. Detailed schedules use defined capacity to make optimal use of resources while achieving targeted customer service levels. The master production schedule is the basis for the detailed schedule Some of the topics in this module are:
- Planning detailed schedules by managing lead times and priority
- Scheduling and PAC methods for MRP, Lean, and TOC
- Production schedules by balancing the need for capacity and available capacity
- Using detailed production process schedules and measuring performance
Module 6: Inventory
Inventory is about classification as well as functions and cost of inventory. These are dependent methods of ordering and storing inventory. The module covers auditing inventory management accuracy and reverse logistics. Some of the topics covered are:
- Inventory planning by function
- Inventory management and use of safety stock
- Inventory system costs, value, and metrics
- Waste hierarchy and reverse logistics
- Warehouse management
- Inventory control
Module 7: Distribution
Distribution is about managing the flow of goods toward the customer by using different distribution channels and storage locations connected by modes of transportation. Distribution requirements planning is used for inventory management levels. Some of the topics covered in this module are:
- Planning distribution
- Replenishment, order management, and distribution performance
- Waste Hierarchy and Reverse Logistics. and Reverse logistics
Module 8: Quality and Continuous Improvement
This module covers different ways to look at quality from the perspective of goals, capability, tools, required information, and performance management systems, like LEAN and Six Sigma. Some of the topics covered are:
- Quality planning, cost, and tools
- Planning, control, and improvement of quality
- Continuous improvement tools and techniques
Study options
Besides the classroom courses, it is also possible to follow the course as e-learning, self-study or in-company.
- Class: APICS CPIM courses are given as day or evening courses. The course always takes place at the same location and day of the week. In the course, an APICS trained instructor teaches his knowledge using practical examples (from students and instructor). The instructor has followed a specific training that taught how they can transfer their knowledge in the best way. Because of the interactive approach with their fellow students and the by APICS recommended number of study hours Visie Partners ensures informative course evenings. The students also have access to the Visie Partners online learning system. All of this results in a high passing rate.
- Online classroom: We also offer APICS CPIM as instructor supported online classes. The same quality as in a physical class, but you can participate from everywhere like, the office, home or on a business trip. More information about “online classrooms”.
- E-learning (blended learning): you can determine your own schedule and the contact moments are personally guided with one of our experienced and recognized teachers. Contact can be established using e-mail, web conference software, or a phone. You can start and finish your course at your preferred time and recieve instructor support when needed.
- Self-study: with self-study, you study the available learning materials and you have access to the online learning environment. You will study all the material by yourself. You can start at any time.
- In-company: When a company has a sufficient number of participants, it is also possible to take this course as in-company training. This saves time and travel costs and we can also offer an in-company course at a reduced price per participant. Special emphasis can be placed on elements of the training that are important to the company. You can contact us for a tailor-made offer.
Course approach
The participant studies the subject prior to the session and can make questions in the online learning environment. Through the learning environment, the teacher can monitor the progress of the participants. Insights from practice are used in the preparation of the course, in addition to the course material. There is plenty of room for personal input and discussion. The course is given in English and ends with an exam training.
Customer care
Students that take their course through Visie Partners, can call us as the first point of contact. We contact ascm customer relations on your behalf when you have any problems or questions. We offer additional instructor support to make sure that the course is delivered to you at a high level of service.
Course material
During the course, we use the most recent version of the official APICS learning system and APICS CPIM student slides. The materials are all in English.
APICS online learning system:
- Online exam questions and module-specific tests
- Online Glossary
- Concept tests (e-flashcards)
- Online study guide
- APICS CPIM practice exams and reports to be able to analyze the results
- Download course books for e-reader or tablet
- Study planning tool based on a knowledge test
- App: online dictionary
Online learning environment Visie Partners.
Visie Partners has its own self-developed online learning environment. With this platform, Visie Partners distinguishes itself by offering online study opportunities in the form of background information and practice questions. Our learning environment contains hundreds of practice questions for the CTSC course. These additional exercises provide both participants and instructors with insight into study progress. This online learning environment is available to both e-learning students and those attending classroom sessions.
Study load and duration
The study time of APICS CPIM will be between 200 and 240 hours. The study time varies on the experience and training of each candidate. The study effort will consist of the following:
- Day course (+/- 6.5 hours) or evening course (3 hours).
- Preparation course meeting (+/- 5 hours)
- Exam preparation
The cost of an APICS CPIM course
The expenses for the CPIM course are mentioned below and include are; course materials, online learning environments, exam training, and coffee/tea. When you attend a daytime course, we provide lunch.
Below is an overview of the various study options for CPIM course.
Online lessons
€ 3.645
incl. ASCM membership
excl. VAT and exam
APICS CPIM learning system
Highest pass rates
Interactive quizzes
Best for remote workers
CPIM: 16 online sessions
On-site lessons
€ 4.125
incl. ASCM membership
excl. VAT and exam
APICS CPIM learning system
Highest pass rates
Lots of examples
CPIM: 16 sessions or 8 days
Self-study
€ 1.467
incl. ASCM membership
excl. VAT and exam
€ 2.442
incl. ASCM membership and Exam Bundle , excl. VAT
APICS CPIM learning system
upgrade possible to e-learning
upgrade possible to online or traditional classes
Guided E-learning
€ 2.970
incl. ASCM membership
excl. VAT and exam
APICS CPIM learning system
Full CPIM:
6 coaching sessions
Part 2
5 coaching sessions
Questions by e-mail
Upgrade possible to online or traditional classes
All prices mentioned are exclusive of VAT and exam fees unless otherwise stated. VAT is calculated according to the rules of the country where the purchase is made. For companies outside the Netherlands with a valid VAT number, we can invoice VAT-free.
The following is included in the price of our products:
- One 1-year ASCM membership includes a certification upgrade (individual price €200,-). The benefits of membership can be found on our ASCM membership page.
- Current Page Name Learning System with additional online material such as quizzes and flashcards. Access is valid for 1 year.
- Support from Visie Partners in accessing the course material.
- Shipping costs of the material to an address within the European Union or the United Kingdom, excluding Greece, Cyprus, and Malta.
If you wish to order the materials in Greece, Cyprus, Malta, or outside the EU, please get in touch with us for options. If you do not wish to receive physical books, please let us know via our contact form before registration.
Please note that the membership automatically ends after 1 year. If you are already an ASCM member with a Certification Upgrade, you will receive a €200 discount. You will receive a €100 discount if you are a Base Member. If you wish to renew your membership immediately, please indicate this via our contact form!
It is possible to book an Individual online exam training of approximately 3 hours for € 250 excl. VAT
To purchase an exam, you can go to our exam portal apics-exam.eu. On this page, you can also see the current exam pricing. When the exam request form has been filled, it is possible to plan your exam from your ascm account after three working days. ASCM Members receive a discount on the exam and recieve additional benefits.
An ASCM membership is valid for 1 year and is requested immediately before the exam. This allows you to benefit from the exam discount for a year and access other member benefits. The membership ends automatically.
We reserve the right to adjust exam and course prices if no agreement has been reached. The prices mentioned excluding VAT.
Exam and maintenance
After passing the APICS CPIM exam, you receive the official certificate and are officially certified for 5 years. After completion, you can use the course name as a title. The certificate can be extended by 5 years if the student maintains the acquired knowledge. Examples to do this are organizing or attending supply chain related activities or participating in courses.
We offer certified professionals that have obtained their certificate via Visie Partners the opportunity to earn maintenance points for maintaining their title. Customers of Visie Partners have the opportunity to take part in company visits and network meetings related to operations- or supply chain management. No membership is required for this.
Participants can register for the exam via www.apics-exam.eu. On this website, all exam prices and information about the exam registration procedure can be found.
After you've finished the course and choose not to take the exam, we can hand out a participation certificate.
