Operational level · OCS

CIMA OCS past questions by sitting

Every sub-task from recent Operational Case Study pre-seens, summarised in our own words and sorted by core activity. One sitting at a time, with the number of matching sub-tasks on each.

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All sittings: showing 41 of 41 sub-tasks that match your filters (200 in all OCS sittings). Clear filters

May & Aug 2026 · SoPa

CIMA's post-exam materials for May & Aug 2026

Restaurants · 14 sub-tasks shown

OCS past questions, May & Aug 2026 (SoPa): task, core activity, topic and our summary
Task	Core activity	Topic	What was asked (our summary)
V1 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Why production budgets help a new production unit plan, co-ordinate and control.
V1 · Task 2(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	How to build the production, materials usage and materials purchases budgets from the data given.
V2 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Whether time series analysis of past sales would give a usable sales forecast.
V2 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	How AI and big data could improve sales forecasts.
V2 · Task 4(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Likely effects on the budgets of replacing serving staff with an automated system.
V3 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Applying flexible budgeting to one restaurant's budget for the year.
V3 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Benefits of big data analytics and AI for forecasting restaurant sales.
V4 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Problems setting objectives and finding the principal budget factor for a pop-up restaurant.
V4 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	How data-gathering technology can inform the pop-up restaurant's budgets.
V4 · Task 1(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	How zero-based budgeting works and how to use it for front-of-house labour.
V5 · Task 4(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Technology and data sources for forecasting outside demand for a crop.
V5 · Task 4(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Cash budget factors when expanding production for outside customers.
V6 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Effect of three sales ideas on budgeted revenue, variable cost, contribution and profit for a delivery service.
V6 · Task 2(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Whether the budget assumptions are reasonable.

V1 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Why production budgets help a new production unit plan, co-ordinate and control.
Budgets and budgetary control
V1 · Task 2(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
How to build the production, materials usage and materials purchases budgets from the data given.
Budgets and budgetary control
V2 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Whether time series analysis of past sales would give a usable sales forecast.
Forecasting and big data
V2 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
How AI and big data could improve sales forecasts.
Forecasting and big data
V2 · Task 4(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Likely effects on the budgets of replacing serving staff with an automated system.
Budgets and budgetary control
V3 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Applying flexible budgeting to one restaurant's budget for the year.
Budgets and budgetary control
V3 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Benefits of big data analytics and AI for forecasting restaurant sales.
Forecasting and big data
V4 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Problems setting objectives and finding the principal budget factor for a pop-up restaurant.
Budgets and budgetary control
V4 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
How data-gathering technology can inform the pop-up restaurant's budgets.
Forecasting and big data
V4 · Task 1(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
How zero-based budgeting works and how to use it for front-of-house labour.
Budgets and budgetary control
V5 · Task 4(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Technology and data sources for forecasting outside demand for a crop.
Forecasting and big data
V5 · Task 4(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
Cash budget factors when expanding production for outside customers.
Budgets and budgetary control
V6 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Effect of three sales ideas on budgeted revenue, variable cost, contribution and profit for a delivery service.
Budgets and budgetary control
V6 · Task 2(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Whether the budget assumptions are reasonable.
Budgets and budgetary control

Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 · SumTrix

CIMA's post-exam materials for Nov 2025 & Feb 2026

Ski manufacturing · 14 sub-tasks shown

OCS past questions, Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 (SumTrix): task, core activity, topic and our summary
Task	Core activity	Topic	What was asked (our summary)
V1 · Task 2(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Sources and types of big data for a product range's sales budget.
V1 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Using activity-based budgeting to set a department's skilled labour budget.
V2 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Explaining a what-if analysis of discounts, volumes and unit cost on budgeted profit.
V2 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Features and benefits of beyond budgeting for production departments, including quality and sustainability.
V3 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Using trend lines and seasonal variations to forecast sales in a new overseas market.
V3 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Factors that limit the accuracy of that forecast.
V3 · Task 1(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Benefits of big data and analytics for forecasting overseas sales revenue.
V4 · Task 1(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	What market data says about demand for a new range and whether it supports a sales forecast.
V4 · Task 4(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Rolling budgets and how they could improve motivation and control.
V5 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Why budgets matter for a new distribution centre and how they help its manager.
V5 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Effect of two options on budgeted revenue, contribution and profit for a product range.
V5 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Factors to check before relying on the what-if analysis.
V6 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Using ZBB and decision packages to budget an extra promotional campaign.
V6 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Benefits and challenges of ZBB for support activity costs.

V1 · Task 2(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
Sources and types of big data for a product range's sales budget.
Forecasting and big data
V1 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Using activity-based budgeting to set a department's skilled labour budget.
Budgets and budgetary control
V2 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Explaining a what-if analysis of discounts, volumes and unit cost on budgeted profit.
Budgets and budgetary control
V2 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Features and benefits of beyond budgeting for production departments, including quality and sustainability.
Budgets and budgetary control
V3 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Using trend lines and seasonal variations to forecast sales in a new overseas market.
Forecasting and big data
V3 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Factors that limit the accuracy of that forecast.
Forecasting and big data
V3 · Task 1(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
Benefits of big data and analytics for forecasting overseas sales revenue.
Forecasting and big data
V4 · Task 1(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
What market data says about demand for a new range and whether it supports a sales forecast.
Forecasting and big data
V4 · Task 4(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
Rolling budgets and how they could improve motivation and control.
Budgets and budgetary control
V5 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Why budgets matter for a new distribution centre and how they help its manager.
Budgets and budgetary control
V5 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Effect of two options on budgeted revenue, contribution and profit for a product range.
Budgets and budgetary control
V5 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Factors to check before relying on the what-if analysis.
Budgets and budgetary control
V6 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Using ZBB and decision packages to budget an extra promotional campaign.
Budgets and budgetary control
V6 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Benefits and challenges of ZBB for support activity costs.
Budgets and budgetary control

May & Aug 2025 · Halfpenny

CIMA's post-exam materials for May & Aug 2025

Bakery · 13 sub-tasks shown

OCS past questions, May & Aug 2025 (Halfpenny): task, core activity, topic and our summary
Task	Core activity	Topic	What was asked (our summary)
V1 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	What a what-if analysis shows about changes in volume, price and fixed cost on budgeted profit.
V1 · Task 2(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Limitations of the what-if analysis.
V1 · Task 2(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	How rolling budgets would work for production, with benefits and drawbacks.
V2 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	What a sales chart shows and how to find a trend line and seasonal variations.
V2 · Task 1(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	How far a forecast for a new range can rely on that trend and seasonality.
V3 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Sensitivity of budgeted contribution and profit to separate adverse changes in price, material cost and volume.
V3 · Task 2(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Using big data and AI to plan and control a key material cost in the budget.
V4 · Task 2(c)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Benefits of big data and AI when setting sales budgets.
V4 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Feedback versus feedforward control, and how feedforward reports could help.
V5 · Task 3(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Using ZBB and decision packages for a staff training budget.
V5 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Benefits and challenges of ZBB for support activity costs.
V6 · Task 1(a)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Budgets and budgetary control	Benefits of beyond budgeting when demand varies and margins are thin.
V6 · Task 3(b)	Core activity B: Budgeting	Forecasting and big data	Using big data and analytics for planning and control in sales budgets.

V1 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
What a what-if analysis shows about changes in volume, price and fixed cost on budgeted profit.
Budgets and budgetary control
V1 · Task 2(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Limitations of the what-if analysis.
Budgets and budgetary control
V1 · Task 2(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
How rolling budgets would work for production, with benefits and drawbacks.
Budgets and budgetary control
V2 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
What a sales chart shows and how to find a trend line and seasonal variations.
Forecasting and big data
V2 · Task 1(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
How far a forecast for a new range can rely on that trend and seasonality.
Forecasting and big data
V3 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Sensitivity of budgeted contribution and profit to separate adverse changes in price, material cost and volume.
Budgets and budgetary control
V3 · Task 2(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Using big data and AI to plan and control a key material cost in the budget.
Forecasting and big data
V4 · Task 2(c)Core activity B: Budgeting
Benefits of big data and AI when setting sales budgets.
Forecasting and big data
V4 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Feedback versus feedforward control, and how feedforward reports could help.
Budgets and budgetary control
V5 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Using ZBB and decision packages for a staff training budget.
Budgets and budgetary control
V5 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Benefits and challenges of ZBB for support activity costs.
Budgets and budgetary control
V6 · Task 1(a)Core activity B: Budgeting
Benefits of beyond budgeting when demand varies and margins are thin.
Budgets and budgetary control
V6 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting
Using big data and analytics for planning and control in sales budgets.
Forecasting and big data

See how we'd mark three OCS past questions