SAP APO interview Questions
How can a planning version be frozen and unfrozen ?
A Planning Version can be frozen and unfrozen using Function Module /SAPAPO/TS_PAREA_VERSIO_FREEZE so that no further changes to the planning version can be done.
What is Release Profile ?
Release Profile is used to release time series data from DP to SNP/PPDS. You need to define the DP Planning Area and time series key figure the data in which is released and the SNP Category Type (typically FA) to which data is released. You may maintain a Daily Buckets Profile it will define the number of working days (working days determined based on Shipping Calendar maintained for the location master) starting on and from the From Date if released online/ interactively or that many workdays of the planning horizon when release is carried out in background. The Period Split (blank, 1 and 2) field in the SNP2 tab of location-product master determines how demand plan is released to SNP from DP (how bucketed data is disaggregated to the workdays).
What is the usage of Period Factor?
- Period Factor maintained in the SNP PPM or Transportation Lane determines the Availability Date of a Receipt element within a time bucket (period). The system determines the exact availability date/time of the receipt elements within a period, by adding a time interval (that it gets by multiplying the period factor with the period length) to the start time of the period. You can enter a factor between 0 and 1, where 0 is the start of the period, 0.5 the middle, and 1 the end of the period. When calculating the availability date/time, the system takes into consideration all weekdays, meaning that it does not take into consideration any days that have been defined as non-workdays in the calendars.
- Period Factor used is .71 = 7x0.71 = 4.97 or 5 days from optimizer of weekly bucket resulting in a Friday.
- If Period Factor is not maintained in PPM or Transportation Lane then the User Period Factor indicator and the Period Factor value maintained in the Lot Size tab of the location-product combination is used. If this is not maintained a default value of 0.5 is used.
What determines stock categories displayed in Stock on Hand key figure ?
The categories defined in Category Group ST1 (can be maintained in table /SAPAPO/APOCGC) determine the stock categories that are displayed in the Initial bucket in the Stock on Hand key figure. Subsequent buckets are dynamically computed.
Does dynamic alerts show up in Alert Monitor ?
Dynamic Alerts do not show up in the stand-alone alert monitor. Network alerts are to show pegging relationships.
What is the report to execute MASSD ?
The report for executing MassD in background job is MASSBACK.
What is the shortcut to change location type in APO ?
Report /SAPAPO/CHECK_LOCATION_TYPE can be used to change location type (say from 1001 to 1002 or vice-versa) of existing locations in APO. The table to refer is /SAPAPO/LOCMAP. SAP does not recommend this process.
How can a transaction be executed even when no authorization ?
SE93 - Transaction code for Transaction Code E.g. CRC1 Create Resource has txn code CRAH. So if you do not have authorization to create resource you can use SE93 and enter txn CRAH and then Test F8 button to go to the txn.
How to copy a Process Chain ?
To copy a process chain to another process chain, goto the Process Chain you want to copy and then type copy in the tool tar and hit enter. It will allow you to copy the Process Chain to another Process Chain that can be modified as per user's requirement, saved, activated and used.
What is the process to copy planning versions in R/3 ?
Use OLIX to first delete previous MRP planning versions. Then use MCB& to create the new MRP planning versions by choosing the appropriate version you want to create as ICO Version. The info structure in this case is S094.
How to use create planning book with two tables ?
To use two tables on one screen of Planning Book/Data View - select indicator next to second page title and give name. Additional tab page is displayed in Planning Book Maintenance wizard to define the keyfigures for the second table.
What is Master Data in DP ?
Master Data in Demand Planning primarily is Charcateristic Value Combinations commonly termed CVCs. CVCs are the planning combinations against which data is stored in keyfigures.
What is the behaviour of Procurement Type X ?
Procurement Type X - source selection is based on matching due date then priority then cost. If both In-house Production and External Procuremnet is possible then In-house Production (PPM) is chosen as source of supply.
What is PPDS Fixing Horizon ?
PP/DS fixing Horizon defines the PP/DS time Fence - within that period if heuristic is run no orders get changed.
What is the reuse mode in Product Heuristic ?
Reuse mode in Product Heuristic - makes the system to reuse orders already present in the heuristic run i.e. orders are not deleted and recreated.
What is Planning Procedure ?
Planning Procedure in Product Master (PP/DS) defines that when you convert a planned order to process order it is in Deallocated state and not Scheduled state and more.
Which are the components of the new mySAP SCM Solution ?
SAP SCM 4.1 is the new available Supply Chain Management Solution offered by SAP. The SAP SCM 4.1 System includes SAP APO 4.1 (Advanced Planning and Optimization), SAP ICH 4.1 (Inventory Collaboration Hub) and SAP EM 4.1 (Event Management).
How about the architecture of SAP SCM 4.1 ?
SAP SCM 4.1 is based on the SAP Web Application Server 6.40. All SAP SCM 4.1 Architecture Components can be installed on one hardware server, as long as this server is sized for all used application components.
What does APO mean ?
SAP APO stands for SAP Advanced Planning and Optimization and is the planning component within the mySAP SCM solution.
Can SAP APO be used as a stand-alone solution ?
No, SAP APO always requires a backend ERP system for execution functions. In most cases, the backend system is an SAP R/3 system.
Can SAP APO and SAP R/3 be installed on the same server and use the same database ?
No, SAP APO requires a separate server. The actual size of the SAP APO system may vary and depends on the data volume to be processed. You can find more details on this subject under the alias /sizing on the SAP Service Marketplace (//http:/service.sap.com).
How does SAP R/3 communicate with SAP APO ?
Through the APO Core Interface (CIF) which supplies SAP APO with master and transaction data in real time. CIF is delivered through the R/3 Plug-In, which is something you have to install in your SAP R/3 system. This is the same Plug-In that you need for connecting a BW or a CRM system.
What about the exchange of data between the two systems ?
With SAP APO you have a real-time integration to SAP R/3. The minute you change something in one system, it is immediately being transferred to the other and vice versa. And that goes for all data, be it a sales order, a production order or a purchase order. You do not have to perform any batch jobs for transferring data between the systems.
Do I have to maintain the master data twice ?
No. You create and change master data exclusively in SAP R/3. If you want to work with SAP APO, you need to transfer the master data from the SAP R/3 system. Depending on the scenario you want to use in SAP APO, you may have to enhance the transferred data with SAP APO specific settings, which are not relevant to SAP R/3.
What is an easy, cost efficient way of installing some standard SAP APO scenarios ?
The answer is: SAP Best Practices for Supply Chain Management. Choose one or more of the mySAP SCM business scenarios that SAP Best Practices for SCM provide.
