SAP PM Interview Questions and Answers

19-Jun-2023

The relevance of SAP PM ERP is increasingly growing among manufacturing plant owners, which has led to a surge in demand for qualified SAP PM consultants. Numerous big organizations now rely on SAP to streamline their business processes and attain optimal productivity and profitability. Becoming an SAP PM consultant demands a few things, such as skills and the prowess to handle the software. Apart from that getting through an interview is one crucial step. We have come up with the most relevant SAP PM Interview Questions and Answers to help professionals get a solid grasp of what they can expect in an interview.

We shall discuss at length the numerous SAP PM Interview Questions with sample answers to give you a comprehensive idea of how to respond to a particular question. We will categorize the SAP Plant Maintenance Questions based on experience level to give better clarity. 

If you are looking for sample SAP PM Interview Questions and Answers to better prepare yourself for a job interview, here is your comprehensive guide. Let's get on to it.

SAP PM Interview Questions and Answers for Beginners

Define SAP PM

The ERP SAP Plant Maintenance is the application component that provides the organization with a comprehensive software solution that concerns the organization's maintenance activities. This platform allows complete interconnectivity of all the functions and data of the maintenance procedure that are performed within a company. The PM Module is designed by integrating user-friendly- uniform graphical UI and several other features tailored to meet individual requirements. The SAP PM's openness feature allows the use of external systems integrated with the component like GIS ( Geographical Information Systems) CAD systems ( Computer-aided Design)and SCADA systems (supervisory control and data acquisition). The module is also intertwined with other SAP modules like  Sales and Delivery (SD), Production Planning, and Inventory (IC) Control.

What does Breakdown Maintenance mean in SAP PM?

Breakdown Maintenance in SAP PM is the process of solving a malfunction or a breakdown in some of the equipment that demands a reaction from repair service.  Breakdown Maintenance is significantly demanded in the following situation:

• When the equipment fails to function properly

• When technical equipment malfunctions affect production

• Creating an M2 malfunction notification, and PM02 order-type equipment is resolved at the site. Codes and catalogs in the notification are employed in breakdown maintenance. 

What is CATS used for in SAP PM?

CATS means Cross-Application Time sheet. It is a tool applied for monitoring working time and activities in Plant Management. The tool powers users to control all business processes regarding employee tasks such as paying the employees, tracking project progress and creating invoices, etc. 

Which of the equipment in SAP PM is assigned the service contract?

The Inventory component in SAP PM is assigned the service contract. The equipment material is determined by the equipment leader. However, 

it does not entail controlling of the equipment acquired from suppliers, where utility offering takes place instead of the operation.

Which of the platform is the functional location structure indicator Unique?

The functional location structure indicator is unique across clients and not across the system.

What step should you take when you have functional locations/ Assets with equivalent numbers in several plants?

In such an event, the plant reference number must be used as the first level of the structure of the functional location. 

Outline the menu path to display the structure of a functional location in list form and as a Graphic.

Plant maintenance->Technical Objects->Functional Location->Structural display

Can you name some examples of functional location structures?

• Chemical Process

•  Energy (power station)

•  Property Management

•  Transport

• Steelworks

•  Production line

Name the necessary step required to be defined in customizing for Alternative labeling.

The mandatory steps include:

• Activate alternative labeling

• Indicators for the primary labels

• A labeling system may be defined by creating a new structure indicator

What are the steps to defining your own view of an alternative label?

•  Activate alternative labeling

•  Define labeling systems for functional locations

• Enter label internal view

Outline the menu path for creating a user profile.

Plant maintenance->technical objects->functional location->labels->user profile.

What does the Functional Location encompass?

The functions determined by Functional Locations include:

• Change documents

• Status profile

• Asset, object information key

• Partner determination

• Measuring point category.

Define the activities of SAP PM (Plant Maintenance)

The core activities of SAP Plant Maintenance include:

• Inspection: for measuring and establishing the actual condition of a technical system

• Preventive Maintenance: For measuring and maintaining the technical system's ideal condition 

• Repair: For measuring and restoring the technical system's ideal state

Several other measures are also required in using the maintenance organization.

Other modules in SAP such as Material Management, Sales and Distribution, Personnel Management, Production, and Controlling, are in close integration with SAP PM.

SAP PM Interview Questions for Experienced Professional

We have discussed some of the most important SAP Plant Maintenance Questions for beginners. Let us now delve into SAP PM Interview Questions that are typically more suited for experienced professionals. 

Define Equipment Master

The equipment Master is concerned with one of the master data element within the Operations and Maintenance domain or - The SAP module of Plant Maintenance. 

Equipment is an individual business object that requires independent maintenance. This physical object is installable in a technical system or even in a part of a technical system. All sorts of devices can be managed as "piece of equipment", for instance- 

• Production utilities

• Transportation utilities

• Test equipment

• Production resources/tools

• Buildings

• PCs.

What are the required fields that need filling in for an Equipment Master record?

This depends on the Equipment. Essentially, the fields employed for maintenance in an Equipment master include:

• Equipment Category

• Construction type (serialized)

• Planning Plant

• Work center

• Plant

• Maintenance plant

• Location

Equipment can be attached to another by using a superior Equipment field.

What are the steps of system configuration to allow notification type change?

The Steps are:

• Maintenance and Service Processing

• Maintenance and Service Notification 

• Notification Creation

•  Notification types 

• Allowed change of notification type

What are the factors that determine the Workplace?

• Program's Technical guidelines

• Company of the Maintenance Division

• Task Category

• Employee performance and expertise

How is the purchasing information copied to the equipment from MM when it is created?

The process does not involve the standard system. It can be carried out by employing ABAP batch jobs. 

Is there a possibility of getting the assembly maintenance history when there is the maintenance of an assembly in a Piece of Equipment? Is it a necessity to create it as a piece of equipment?

Maintenance history is only traceable at the level where the maintenance orders are created for FL/Equipment only and not at the assembly level. Assemblies are simply the structuring of devices to make spare parts linked to equipment structurally. However, in Plant Management orders, the assembly can be mentioned along with the FL/Eq. As per the reporting needs, ABAPer can use the PM assembly field in Plant management orders.

What is the field "Standing Order" used for? What sort of Order is it?

"Standing order" is used to execute ongoing maintenance jobs and settle them by month-end regularly and do away with continuously creating fresh Plant Maintenance orders. By employing order hierarchies, sub-orders could be attached to the standing order and settled to the standing order to attain a more precise recording of the maintenance cost at the sub-order level along with budget monitoring at the standing order level.

Define the point where PM and MM/FICO integrate during the PM configuration.

The following list is some of the integration points 

Integration with MM:

• Batch Managed material as Equipment -Material master record 

• Maintenance order- Reservations and Goods Issue

• Material valuation class or types for refurbishment materials as equipment

• Triggering PR from Maintenance Order

Integration with FICO:

• Equipment Master Data Asset/Sub-Asset numbering 

• Activity-based costing for Operations run via Maintenance Order

• Maintenance Order Settlement of accrued costs to G/L Account, Cost Center, Asset, etc.,

Who do you think gains higher benefits from SAP MM?

Although industries vary, there are four distinct user groups that benefit the most from SAP PM. They are:

• Operation and maintenance managers: SAP MM is highly useful in theri task of monitoring and tracking equipment performance and maintenance requests

• Maintenance technicians: Massively support in improving maintenance efficiency. 

• Production line employees: Significantly helps them in proactively tracking maintenance issues to prevent them from impacting production.

• Purchasing departments: PM is highly useful in purchasing spares and scheduling services, which ultimately reduces downtime proactively.

Define a milestone confirmation.

Milestone confirmation is one of the four special confirmations SAP PM uses for documenting the processing status of orders, operations, and capacities. The other three are progress, summary, and standard.

In a Milestone confirmation, one order or operation causes automatic confirmation of other corresponding suboperations. For Instance, If Operation A's control key is marked as a Milestone operation, Operation B- a suboperation of A results in automatic confirmation along with A's confirmation.

Identify the advantages of structuring.

Structuring aids in organizing systems based on the available objects. 

This is one of the most common SAP PM interview questions checking to assess your knowledge of the benefits of Structiring and its optimal application. The right structuration entails minimizing the time required for managing technical objects.  It also helps in simplifying maintenance processing and the requisite time for spending on it. Lastly, an optimal structure facilitates quicker and more thorough maintenance data evaluation.

Is there a possibility of changing the equipment category in SAP PM once you create it?

This is another top SAP PM interview question raised to evaluate the candidate's working knowledge of the varied features of SAP PM. Yes, the equipment category is changeable. The first step required to do is Run "t code IE02", followed by entering the corresponding equipment number. Upon the loading of the equipment's main screen, the user can navigate to the edit menu and choose "change category." Then, the user may enter the new category and click refresh to complete the action.

Differentiate between corrective, preventive, and breakdown maintenance.

This is among the top asked SAP Plant Maintenance Interview questions to assess a candidate's in-depth knowledge. Candidates can simply frame their answer by explaining each maintenance type feature and also highlighting the variations between them stating examples.  

Corrective Maintenance: This enhances the equipment's or machine's working condition. For instance, A technician identifies a malfunction during a routine check-up, and to rectify it, corrective work is executed. 

Preventive maintenance entails the team performing routine checks to guarantee that the equipment works in conformation with the required parameters. The order type for this is PM01.

Breakdown Maintenance: It entails technicians executing breakdown maintenance in the event of equipment not working or malfunctioning or a breakdown. The order type is PM02

Technicians execute a breakdown maintenance order after the equipment has a breakdown and is not working. Its order type is PM03.

Define multiple counter plans. Explain if you have experience using it.

This SAP PM interview question needs candidates to respond in two -parts. First giving the key definition that validates your knowledge of several counter plans. The other part is to give a straightforward explanation of your experience using it. 

Essentially Multiple counter plans are utilized in performance-based maintenance tasks.  Several maintenance cycles can be created and allocated functional positions or equipment counters with varying dimensions for each cycle. 

In response to the second part of the question, you may begin by explaining the role you held and the industry you worked for. Explain which aspect of the industry demanded multiple counter plans and explain the process you integrated into accomplishing the task. 

Explain the steps involved in the Refurbishment process.

Refurbishment entails repairing spares and moving them to the warehouse. During the refurbishment period, the damaged equipment can be uninstalled and moved to the warehouse by applying order movement type 101. 

The steps involved in the process of Refurbishment are:

• Uninstalling the damaged part out of the maintenance plant

• Use Movement type 101 for moving the damaged equipment to the warehouse

• Creating a refurbishment order for calculating  refurbishment cost

• Once complete, the material transforms to refurbished from Damaged

• Reinstalling the equipment in the maintenance plant

That's about it on the top SAP PM Interview Questions and Answers that candidates might find useful in their upcoming interviews. You may find this article as a comprehensive guide to preparing for your SAP PM interview.

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