CSOWM study plan

Map the end-to-end supply chain network for a product you know well, labeling nodes, flows, and cost drivers at each tier

Distinguish the five primary facility-role archetypes (raw material, component, finished goods, cross-dock, forward-hold) and write a one-paragraph definition of each

Compute inventory turnover, days of supply, fill rate, and cycle service level from a sample dataset and explain how each metric responds to demand variability

Explain the relationship between safety stock, lead time variability, and target service level using a worked numerical example

Compare push, pull, and postponement strategies and identify which fits a stated product profile

Apply the economic order quantity model to three SKUs with different cost structures and interpret the sensitivity of the answer to order cost and holding cost assumptions

Evaluate ABC and XYZ classification jointly and defend the resulting stocking policy for each of the nine cells

Explain how total landed cost, including freight, duties, and carrying cost, changes a sourcing location decision

Describe how network design choices (number, location, and mission of facilities) trade off against transportation cost and service level

Identify the drivers of the bullwhip effect and propose a specific mitigation for each

Build a weighted supplier scorecard covering quality, delivery, cost, and responsiveness, and apply it to three fictional suppliers

Distinguish strategic, bottleneck, leverage, and non-critical purchases and match a sourcing tactic to each category

Explain the stages of a sourcing cycle from need identification through contract award and supplier onboarding

Compare qualitative, time-series, and causal forecasting methods and select an appropriate method for a stated data pattern

Calculate moving average, exponential smoothing, and mean absolute percentage error by hand on a short dataset

Explain the role of S&OP and how the demand plan feeds supply, financial, and inventory plans

Describe collaborative forecasting with key customers and the data quality prerequisites for it

Outline supplier relationship management activities across the lifecycle, including development, performance review, and exit

Explain how contracts, service level agreements, and key performance indicators enforce supplier accountability

Diagnose forecast bias versus random error and state the corrective action for each

Compare warehouse layout patterns (U-flow, through-flow, modular) and justify a choice for a stated throughput and footprint

Explain slotting principles based on velocity, cube, and affinity, and compute a slotting improvement for a sample pick profile

Describe receiving, putaway, picking, packing, and shipping workflows and the handoffs between them

Select storage and handling equipment (selective rack, flow rack, shelving, pallet truck, reach truck, conveyor) for stated unit loads and volumes

Calculate labor requirements for a picking operation from lines per order, picks per hour, and volume

Explain the trade-offs among the major transport modes and intermodal options on cost, speed, capacity, and accessibility

Distinguish full truckload, less-than-truckload, parcel, and dedicated contract carriage and match each to a shipment profile

Calculate freight cost per unit and per hundredweight, and interpret fuel surcharges and accessorial charges

Describe carrier selection, routing and scheduling, and freight audit and payment processes

Explain how cross-docking and consolidation reduce handling and cost in a distribution network

Identify the core systems in a logistics technology stack (WMS, TMS, ERP, yard management) and the data each owns

Explain how barcode, RFID, and IoT data capture feed inventory accuracy and visibility

Define data governance and master data quality requirements for reliable logistics analytics

Build a risk register covering supplier, transport, facility, and demand risks with likelihood, impact, and mitigation

Summarize safety and compliance obligations in warehouse and transport operations, including hazardous materials handling and recordkeeping

Describe sustainability levers such as load consolidation, mode shift, packaging reduction, and reverse logistics, and their cost implications

Re-derive the highest-weight formulas (EOQ, safety stock, turnover, fill rate, labor productivity) from memory without notes

Complete a timed 60-question mixed practice set spanning all nine domains and log every miss by domain and error type

Re-teach the three weakest subtopics from memory in writing, then verify against source material

Integrate the weekly deliverables into a single review binder organized by domain for rapid pre-exam reference