Certification > CFPIM > APICS CFPIM Frequently Asked Questions
APICS CFPIM Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
EXAMINATIONS
PUBLISHED WORKS
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
PRESENTATIONS
VOLUNTEER AND PRACTITIONER ACTIVITIES
DOCUMENTATION
TRANSLATIONS
GENERAL
How soon after becoming an APICS CPIM designee can I begin the process of becoming APICS CFPIM designee?
You may begin the process immediately after becoming APICS CPIM. However, you can only claim points for activities that have occurred within the three years prior to your APICS CFPIM application, except for exams passed which are included for certification maintenance.
The application form and instructions indicate that I need to acquire a minimum 100 APICS CFPIM points across five areas. Can I claim points for something I did prior to earning the APICS CPIM designation?
You may claim activities completed prior to earning your APICS CPIM only if the activities occurred three years prior to your APICS CFPIM application submission.
Do my 100 APICS CFPIM points have to be earned within a certain time frame?
You may claim points for activities within the three years prior to your APICS CFPIM application date, except for exams passed which are subject to certification maintenance.
EXAMINATIONS
Candidates for APICS CFPIM status must have demonstrated their understanding of the APICS CPIM body of knowledge by passing examinations covering all of the requisite subject areas. Since September 1, 2000, this has been accomplished by passing the following five examinations.
- Basics of Supply Chain Management
- Master Planning of Resources
- Detailed Scheduling and Planning
- Execution and Control of Operations
- Strategic Management of Resources
Prior to September 1, 2000, it was possible to become certified without passing all of the available examinations. However, in order to be considered for APICS CFPIM status you must have taken exams covering all of the APICS CPIM body of knowledge.
I earned my APICS CPIM designation in March 1999 and I have passed following exams: Basics of Supply Chain Management, Master Planning, Material and Capacity Requirement Planning, Just in Time, Production Activity Control, Systems and Technologies. Have I fulfilled the exams passed requirement for APICS CFPIM designation?
In this instance, the exams taken cover everything except Inventory Management. It would be necessary to take the current examination that best covers that subject area (Detailed Scheduling and Planning) in order to be eligible for APICS CFPIM status.
How can I obtain my scores for individual exams I have taken?
APICS can provide this information for you upon request. Please send an email to pdadmin@apics.org with APICS CFPIM in the subject line. APICS will also verify all exams passed and scores received as part of the review of your application.
Is passing the APICS CSCP exam eligible for APICS CFPIM points?
No. The APICS CSCP exam is not eligible for APICS CFPIM points, nor would exams taken for other certification programs. Exams taken must cover the APICS CPIM body of knowledge.
PUBLISHED WORKS
Published works must relate directly to the APICS CPIM body of knowledge and must be authored by the applicant. Articles relating to production and inventory management that are specific to other countries are eligible, but if they are published in a language other than English, a translation must be provided. For larger published works such as a book, copies of the title page and table of contents in the original language as well as an English translation will suffice.
Is an industry analysis specific to a country eligible to qualify?
Yes. Published works must relate directly to the APICS CPIM body of knowledge and must be authored by the applicant. Articles, books, white papers, scholarly research, and other works relating to production and inventory management that are specific to other countries are eligible.
Is a work published in a language other than English eligible for APICS CFPIM points?
Yes. However, if a work is published in a language other than English, an English translation must be provided. For larger published works such as a book, copies of the title page and table of contents in both the original language as well as an English translation must be provided.
Is there any approved list of non-APICS publishers?
No. There is no approved list of non-APICS publishers.
Is a business newspaper article eligible for APICS CFPIM points?
Yes. However the article must demonstrate a contribution to helping others understand the APICS CPIM body of knowledge.
What if I am quoted in an article about the body of knowledge?
No. You may only consider the article for APICS CFPIM points if you are the author. If someone else wrote the article and you simply provided a quote, you may not include it.
I am the co-author of a book. Is that eligible under published works?
Yes. The book must be on a topic within in the APICS CPIM body of knowledge. However, these points are subject to the coauthor rules (see APICS CFPIM application).
In what sort of publication must an article appear?
The publication must be widely read. This means that a periodical with a small distribution, such as a chapter newsletter or an internal company bulletin, would not qualify. A magazine or journal with a large circulation and readership is an example of the type of publication that would acceptable.
How many APICS CFPIM points does a dissertation or thesis earn?
To be considered eligible, all published work must directly relate to the APICS CPIM body of knowledge and must be available or distributed nationally or internationally. Because the primary intent of a dissertation or thesis is to complete an individual’s degree requirements, they will only count for a maximum of 20 points and 10 points respectively towards the fellow designation if it directly relates to the APICS CPIM body of knowledge and is available or distributed nationally.
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
I am a faculty member in operations management. Can I claim points for this under Classroom Instruction?
No. If the instruction you provided was done as part of your employment, you may not claim points for it. Classroom instruction, for the purpose of APICS CFPIM, must meet the standard of going above and beyond a candidate’s professional duties. . However, if the teaching was conducted in the course of employment as an academician, whether as full-time or visiting faculty, that would not be eligible. If the instruction was conducted outside what you normally do for a living, then it would be eligible. The principle is that a APICS CFPIM must go beyond what they do as part of their job to share the APICS body of knowledge.
Is visiting faculty status considered classroom instruction?
No. Whether one is full-time, visiting, adjunct, or some other faculty status, the teaching must be performed outside of one’s professional duties.
What are APICS-sponsored courses?
APICS-sponsored courses use teaching materials provided by APICS. A non-APICS course is one that is not based on APICS teaching materials. The APICS courses to which this section refers are those for which the instructional and student materials were created by APICS. These include APICS CPIM certification review courses as well as workshops including inventory management, lean manufacturing, and theory of constraints. The complete list of APICS course materials can be viewed in the APICS bookstore at www.apics.org
Must the classroom instruction be offered free of charge?
No. Whether or not a fee is charged for the instruction does not matter. What is important is that the instruction covers the APICS CPIM body of knowledge and contributes to others’ understanding of such.
Do I need to send the original certificate/letters supporting my classroom teaching activity or is a copy of these certificate/letters sufficient?
No. Copies are sufficient provided they provide adequate information about where and when you taught, what it was you taught, and for whom (See “Documentation” section below).
PRESENTATIONS
I have been providing presentations on the APICS CPIM body of knowledge to my colleagues at work. It is not a part of my regular work duties; I simply wanted to share my knowledge about APICS CPIM. Is this eligible for APICS CFPIM points?
Yes. These presentations may be claimed either as a presentation or as a volunteer activity. The key aspects are that this was not part of your job, it was above and beyond your work responsibilities, and the presentations covered the APICS CPIM body of knowledge. This is an example of contributing to others’ understanding of the APICS CPIM body of knowledge. Depending on the circumstances, this might better qualify for Classroom Instruction.
Is conducting a webinar eligible for APICS CFPIM points?
Yes. Conducting a webinar is considered a presentation. If the presentation is an online class rather than a webinar, it may be claimed under Classroom Instruction.
Are presentations I conduct as a consultant or as a part of my employment eligible for APICS CFPIM points?
No. As a general rule, activities that one does as part of their job or for hire are not eligible. The primary exception is for teaching APICS CPIM certification review courses for which most instructors receive some stipend.
VOLUNTEER AND PRACTITIONER ACTIVITIES
What are volunteer and practitioner activities?
Volunteer and practitioner activities are activities in which the applicant has participated as a volunteer and contributed to others’ understanding of the APICS CPIM body of knowledge.
Is it true that serving as a board member for my chapter or region is not eligible toward my APICS CFPIM designation?
Yes. The only eligible leadership positions are those directly related to sharing or expanding the APICS CPIM body of knowledge (e.g, Vice President of Education, acting as a mentor at the international conference). It is important to note that all these leadership positions are eligible for certification maintenance points.
If I am from outside North America, what possible avenues are there for volunteer and practitioner activities?
In North America, where there are APICS chapters, there are many volunteer opportunities, such as item writing for the APICS examinations, serving on an APICS examination committee, participating in a pilot program, serving as a subject matter expert for an APICS project, or serving as a mentor at the APICS conference. In other countries, activities in this category might include participation in a professional organization whose purpose is to advance education in production and inventory control or related subject areas. The activities claimed must be voluntary and must contribute to others’ understanding of the APICS CPIM body of knowledge.
What does “administrative” mean in the context of my APICS CFPIM application? “Administrative” in the context of the APICS CFPIM application refers to presentations or publications addressing APICS chapter management, APICS certification procedures, or other subjects that do not advance the production and inventory body of knowledge. For example, a presentation on what candidates should study in order to prepare for the APICS CPIM exams is administrative in nature – it does not contribute to the production and inventory body of knowledge or their understanding of that body of knowledge; it is telling them the steps they should follow. Membership on an APICS chapter or region staff, in and of it self, does not qualify for points. By contrast, a presentation on the use of forecasting techniques to manage inventory in a specific industry would be allowed for APICS CFPIM consideration.
DOCUMENTATION
What kind of documentation is required for the various categories in APICS CFPIM? Examples of acceptable documentation are provided below.
For Presentations
- A copy of an original announcement including topic, date and location of presentation, and name of presenter
- A letter affirming your presentation written on company letterhead and signed by the appropriate official.
- A copy of a paper from a published presentation
For Classroom Teaching
- A copy of an announcement brochure including the number of hours taught,
date(s), course title, and name of the instructor
- A letter from a manager (or Chapter President if it was an APICS-sponsored class), written on company letterhead, including hours taught, date(s), course title, and name of the instructor
For Published Works
- A copy of the article or published work
- If a book, then a copy of the cover, table of contents
For Volunteer and Practitioner Activities
- Letter or certificate of participation
TRANSLATIONS
Please note that if the documentation provided is not in English, translations must be provided along with copies of the original documents.