Cycle count is an inventory management technique that involves counting a subset of inventory items on a regular basis, usually based on some sampling criteria1. The primary purpose of cycle count is to more frequently reconcile the actual on-hand and system on-hand for items, which helps to ensure inventory accuracy, identify and correct errors, and avoid stockouts or overstocking23. Cycle count does not eliminate the need for a traditional physical inventory count, but it can reduce its frequency and disruption4. Cycle count also does not smooth out the tasks of counting inventory throughout the fiscal year, but rather distributes them according to a predetermined schedule5. Cycle count may indirectly improve material handling processes and reduce or eliminate errors, but this is not its primary purpose. References:
*What is cycle count in inventory management?
*Inventory Cycle Counting 101: Best Practices & Benefits
*Understanding The Cycle Count In Inventory Management
*What is Inventory Cycle Counting?: A 2023 Guide
*Cycle Count: Everything A Warehouse Manager Should Know
*[CPIM Part 2 Exam Content Manual], p. 40

The probability of stocking out is the likelihood that the demand for an item will exceed the available inventory during a given period. It is one of the criteria used to determine safety stock in a distribution center (DC), as safety stock is inventory that is carried to protect against forecast errors and fluctuations in demand or supply. The higher the probability of stocking out, the more safety stock is needed to avoid customer dissatisfaction and lost sales. The other criteria are not directly related to safety stock. Economic order quantity (EOQ) is the order quantity that minimizes the total inventory holding and ordering costs. Seasonal index value is a measure of how demand varies according to different seasons or periods. Alpha factor level is a parameter used in exponential smoothing to adjust the forecast based on the error between the actual and forecasted demand. References: Safety Stock: A Contingency Plan to Keep Supply Chains Flying High, APICS CPIM 8 Planning and Inventory Management | ASCM

Periodic review is a system that determines the order quantity and reorder point for an item based on the inventory position at fixed intervals. This system is suitable for inventory management of low value items, as it reduces the ordering and holding costs, simplifies the ordering process, and allows for grouping orders.
Therefore, option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because order point is a system that triggers an order when the inventory level falls below a predetermined level. This system requires continuous monitoring of inventory levels, which may not be cost-efficient for low value items. Option B is incorrect because material requirements planning (MRP) is a system that calculates the requirements for components and materials based on the demand for end items. This system is more appropriate for items with dependent demand, rather than independent demand. Option D is incorrect because economic order quantity (EOQ) is a system that determines the optimal order quantity that minimizes the total ordering and holding costs. This system assumes constant and known demand and lead time, which may not be realistic for some items. References:
CPIM Part 2 Exam Content Manual, Version 8.0, Section E: Plan and Manage Inventory, Subsection E.2:
Inventory Management Methods, p. 53.

Available-to-promise (ATP) is the uncommitted portion of a company's inventory and planned production maintained in the master schedule to support customer-order promising. ATP is calculated by subtracting the customer orders and forecast from the projected on-hand inventory. The projected on-hand inventory is calculated by adding the beginning inventory and the master production schedule (MPS) and subtracting the customer orders.The largest customer order that could be accepted for delivery at the end of week 3 without making changes to the MPS is the ATP at the end of week 3. To calculate the ATP, we need to fill in the projected on-hand inventory for each week using the given information:
Table
Week
Forecast
Customer Orders
MPS
Projected On-Hand Inventory
ATP
1
20
22
0
43 + 0 - 22 = 21
21 - 20 = 1
2
20
17
0
21 + 0 - 17 = 4
4 - 20 = -16
3
20
10
80
4 + 80 - 10 = 74
74 - 20 = 54
The ATP at the end of week 3 is 54, which means that the company can promise 54 units of inventory to customers without changing the MPS. However, the question asks for the largest customer order that could be accepted, which means that we need to consider the existing customer orders as well. The customer orders for week 3 are 10, which means that the company has already committed 10 units of inventory to customers.
Therefore, the largest customer order that could be accepted for delivery at the end of week 3 is 54 + 10 = 64 units. However, this is not one of the options given in the question. The closest option that is less than or equal to 64 is 61, which is option C12 References: 1: CPIM Part 1 - Section A - Module 1 - Session 4 - Master Scheduling 2: CPIM Part 1 - Section A - Module 1 - Session 5 - Available to Promise

A reduction in purchased lot sizes means ordering smaller quantities of materials more frequently. This reduces the average inventory level and the carrying cost of inventory. However, it also increases the frequency of orders and the ordering cost. The reorder point (ROP) is the level of inventory that triggers a new order, and it depends on the demand rate, the lead time, and the safety stock. The ROP is not affected by the lot size, unless the demand or the lead time changes. The setup time is the time required to prepare a machine or a process for production, and it is not related to the purchased lot size. References: EXAM CONTENT MANUAL PREVIEW, page 14, section 6.1.2. Manufacturing Planning and Control for Supply Chain Management: The CPIM Reference, Second Edition, page 433, section 12.4.