SAP APO Interview Questions and Answers

1. 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.

2. What is Release Profile? 

Release Profile is used to release timeseries data from DP to SNP/PPDS. You need to define the DP Planning Area and timeseries keyfigure 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).

3. 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 = 7×0.71 = 4.97 or 5 days from ptimizer 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.

4. What determines stock categories displayed in Stock on Hand keyfigure? 

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 keyfigure. Subsequent buckets are dynamically computed.

5. 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.

6. What is the report to execute MASSD? 

The report for executing MassD in background job is MASSBACK.

7. 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.

Remark: Can you check if this works – cos I think you need to use/SAPAPO/CHANGE_LOCTYPE

8. 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.

9. 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.

Remark: 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 also… if you dropdown on the toolbad under process chain you have a copy option… but this looks cool 

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. The following modules are available in SAP R/3 for a Professional User:

Advanced Planner and Optimizer.
b.  Strategic Enterprise Management (SEM).
c.  Information Warehouse (BIW).
d.  SAP Net.
e.  Business-to-Business Procurement (B2B).

Correct Answer

a, b

13. What is SAP APO? 

SAP APO  stands for Advanced Planner and Optimizer, which is one area of SCM and application component of MySAP product. It is designed to provide solutions for companies in Demand planning, network design, supply network planning, production planning and global available to promise, transportation and scheduling.

14. How is bank reconciliation handled in SAP? 

The following are the steps for BRS:

Create Bank Master Data – This can be created through T.Code FI01 or you can also create the house bank through IMG/FA/Bank accounting/Bank account

Define House Bank

Set up Bank selection payment programe- IMG/FA/ARAP/BT/AUTOIP/PM/Bank selection for payment prg.
setup all co codes for payment transaction – Customer and vendors
setup paying co codes for payment transactions
setup payment method per country
setup payment method per co code for payment transaction
setup bank determination for payment transaction

15. 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.

16. What is Release Profile? 

Release Profile is used to release timeseries data from DP to SNP/PPDS. You need to define the DP Planning Area and timeseries keyfigure 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).

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17. 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 = 7×0.71 = 4.97 or 5 days from ptimizer 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.

18. 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.

Remark: Can you check if this works – cos I think you need to use/SAPAPO/CHANGE_LOCTYPE

19. What determines stock categories displayed in Stock on Hand keyfigure? 

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 keyfigure. Subsequent buckets are dynamically computed.

20. Do 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.

21. What is the report to execute MASSD? 

The report for executing MassD in background job is MASSBACK.

22. 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.

 23. 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.

Remark: 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 also… if you dropdown on the toolbad under process chain you have a copy option… but this looks cool

24. 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.

25.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.

26.How do you configure electronic bank statement? [_private/tble_firefox.htm]

Following is the sequence of configuration to be done for Electronics Bank Statement(EBS):

Create Transaction types (which helps you group all the house baks with same External transaction code).

Assign them to house banks.

Create and define posting rule keys.

Assign them to external transaction codes.

External transaction codes are bank specific codes for buisness tranactions(which it issues in each EBS) each one for each type of payment. eg. transfer order, foreign transfer,bill of exchange etc.

Define posting specification for G/L posting as well as subledger posting

Define account symbols (which determines the G/L account to be posted to) and assign them to posting keys.

27.What is the difference between profit center accounting and Profitability analysis? 

Profit center accounting is basicaly done for internal controlling purposes. It lets you determine the profit and loss using the cost of sale approach or period accounting approach. Here you can find the profit from an “area of reponsibility or pserson” point of view.this is accound based costing

Whereas in Profitability analysis, market segments based on product , cutomer,order aor any comobination of these are studied to find wots the profit. PA provides information to the marketing,sales and planning department so that they can make decisions. PA has two forms account based and CO based.

28.What is Ranking order in automatic payment program? 

It’s the priority assigned to each house bank which helps Automatic Payment program choose the house bank for payment in case there are more than one bank satisfying the payment program.

If a payment program ends up selecting more than one (say 4) bank for payment, the ranking of the banks helps it select one bank from the list of (say 4) selected banks.