MRP Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield MRP facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. How does the MRP body of knowledge relate to daily professional practice? → It provides the foundational framework guiding decision-making and standard practices
2. Why is inventory accuracy critical for MRP? → To ensure accurate planning
3. What is change management in system implementation? → Facilitating user adaptation
4. An MRP analyst is reviewing pegging data. What does pegging allow the analyst to determine? → The source demand driving a specific planned order
5. What is finite capacity scheduling? → Scheduling within capacity constraints
6. Which of the following is a characteristic of a BACKWARD scheduling approach? → It starts from the due date and works backward to determine the start date
7. Which capacity planning technique provides the MOST detailed analysis of work center loads? → Capacity Requirements Planning (CRP)
8. What is the primary purpose of a 'time fence' in MRP planning? → To define a period within which changes to the master production schedule are restricted
9. Which scheduling approach is most suitable for a high-volume, repetitive manufacturing environment with stable demand? → Rate-based scheduling using a level production strategy
10. What is capacity planning? → Estimating resources to meet production
11. Which inventory control technique involves counting a small subset of inventory items each day on a rotating schedule throughout the year? → Cycle counting
12. A 'phantom' assembly in a BOM is characterized by: → A transient assembly that passes through inventory without being stocked
13. In a vendor-managed inventory (VMI) arrangement, who is responsible for replenishment decisions? → The supplier/vendor
14. A MRP certified professional is asked to provide services outside their scope of competence. The CORRECT ethical response is to: → Decline and refer to a qualified professional
15. When a MRP professional faces pressure to compromise professional standards, the BEST response is to: → Document the pressure and uphold professional standards
16. What challenge does MRP help to address in manufacturing? → Managing inventory & schedules
17. In MRP-driven procurement, what document formally authorizes a supplier to deliver materials at a specified time and quantity? → Purchase order
18. A MRP professional discovers a conflict of interest in a current assignment. What is the MOST ethical course of action? → Disclose the conflict immediately and recuse if necessary
19. Why is testing important before full system implementation? → To detect and correct problems
20. How does the MRP body of knowledge relate to daily professional practice? → It provides the foundational framework guiding decision-making and standard practices
21. Which MRP output is used by purchasing to create purchase orders? → Planned order releases for purchased items
22. In MRP systems, what is the 'planning horizon'? → The time period covered by the production and procurement plan
23. Input/output control in production scheduling is used primarily to: → Monitor and regulate the flow of work into and out of work centers to control queue levels
24. Why is capacity planning important for business growth? → To prepare for demand growth
25. In finite capacity scheduling, what happens when a work center is fully loaded for a given time period? → Additional orders are queued to the next available period
26. What problem does 'nervousness' describe in an MRP system? → Frequent and disruptive changes to planned orders caused by small demand fluctuations
27. What is the PRIMARY purpose of obtaining MRP certification in MRP Certified Agents? → To demonstrate verified competency and adherence to professional standards
28. Which MRP processing method recalculates requirements only for items affected by changes since the last MRP run? → Net change MRP
29. A manufacturer is using constraint-based scheduling. Which resource should receive the most scheduling attention? → The bottleneck resource limiting overall throughput
30. When the same component appears at multiple levels of a BOM, the correct approach in MRP is to: → Consolidate all demand at its lowest-level code before planning