Appraisal costs are incurred from measuring and monitoring activities to ensure quality, such as inspections, testing, and audits. Conducting quality audits is a classic appraisal activity aimed at identifying defects before reaching the customer.

“Appraisal costs are associated with measuring, evaluating, or auditing products or services to assure conformance to quality standards and performance requirements.”

— APICS Dictionary; CPIM SMR Study Guide

Up-to-date information about production order status is required to do the task of calculating the cost of work in process (WIP). WIP is the inventory of partially finished goods that are still undergoing production. The cost of WIP is the sum of the material, labor, and overhead costs that have been incurred for the unfinished products. To calculate the cost of WIP, the production order status is needed to determine the quantity and stage of completion of each product in the production process. The production order status can also indicate the actual costs and variances from the planned costs for each production order. By having up-to-date information about production order status, the cost of WIP can be calculated more accurately and timely, which can help to monitor and control the production performance and profitability. References := CPIM Part 2 Exam Content Manual, Version 8.0, ASCM, 2021, p. 28. CPIM Part 2 Learning System, Version 8.0, Module 3, Section B, Topic 1. Production order lifecycle overview. How to Make a Production Order for Manufacturing.

A push system is a production system that relies on forecasts and schedules to plan the production and distribution of goods and services. A pull system is a production system that responds to actual customer demand and signals to trigger the production and distribution of goods and services. A transition from a push system to a pull system requires a change in the mindset and the processes of the organization, as well as the adoption of new tools and techniques to enable a demand-driven production system12.

One of the tools that is commonly used in a pull system is kanban, which is a visual signal that indicates the need for replenishment of materials or products. Kanban cards are attached to standardized containers that hold a fixed amount of inventory. When a container is empty, the kanban card is sent back to the upstream process as a signal to produce more. This way, the inventory level is controlled by the actual consumption of the downstream process, and the production is synchronized with the demand13.

One of the actions that hinders the transition from a push system to a pull system is using work orders as a backup. Work orders are documents that authorize the production of a certain quantity of a product or a service, based on a forecast or a schedule. Work orders are typical of a push system, as they are not triggered by the actual customer demand, but by the planned production. Using work orders as a backup means that the organization is not fully committed to the pull system, and still relies on the push system to ensure the availability of inventory. This can create confusion, inconsistency, and inefficiency in the production system, as well as increase the inventory holding costs and the risk of obsolescence1 .

Therefore, using work orders as a backup is the correct answer, as it is an action that hinders the transition from a push system to a pull system. The other options are actions that support the transition, as they are aligned with the principles and practices of a pull system.

Planning BOMs are typically used when a product family has multiple configurations. A high frequency of new product in troductions makes it difficult to maintain accurate planning BOMs, as they require regular updates to reflect structural and component changes.

“High product innovation frequency undermines the usefulness of planning BOMs, as they cannot represent rapidly evolving product structures.”

— CPIM MRP and ECO Modules – BOM Accuracy and Change Control Sections

Transportation cost and delivery time are two of the trade-offs that should be evaluated when determining where to place inventory in a multi-echelon supply chain network. A multi-echelon supply chain network consists of multiple levels of distribution, such as factories, warehouses, distribution centers, and retailers. Placing inventory closer to the customers can reduce the delivery time and improve the service level, but it can also increase the transportation cost and the inventory holding cost. Placing inventory farther from the customers can reduce the transportation cost and the inventory holding cost, but it can also increase the delivery time and the risk of stockouts. Therefore, the optimal inventory placement depends on balancing these trade-offs and finding the lowest total cost for the desired service level. The other trade-offs are not directly related to inventory placement in a multi-echelon supply chain network. Production cost and lot size quantity are more related to inventory replenishment policies and economies of scale. Purchase cost and shrinkage rates are more related to inventory sourcing and quality control. Customer price and order quantity are more related to demand management and pricing strategies. References: Network Design and Safety Stock Placement for a Multi-Echelon Supply Chain, APICS CPIM 8 Planning and Inventory Management | ASCM