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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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Nov 2025 & Feb 2026 · SumTrix: showing 60 of 65 sub-tasks.

Ski manufacturing · 60 sub-tasks shown

  • V1 · Task 1(a)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Initial and later measurement of a lease of production equipment, this year and in future years.

    Leases

  • V1 · Task 1(b)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Explaining a limiting-factor production plan and two factors to consider before adopting it.

    Limiting factors and production plans

  • V1 · Task 1(c)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    How much it is worth paying for extra machine hours to meet full demand.

    Limiting factors and production plans

  • V1 · Task 2(a)Core activity F: Working capital

    Comparing two suppliers' working capital approaches and what that means for the business.

    Working capital policy

  • V1 · Task 2(b)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Expected values, standard deviations and coefficients of variation for an order-size choice, risk-averse and risk-seeking.

    Decisions under risk

  • 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(a)Core activity A: Costing

    Working out a cost per app download, and the difficulties.

    Digital costing and app costs

  • V1 · Task 3(b)Core activity B: Budgeting

    Using activity-based budgeting to set a department's skilled labour budget.

    Budgets and budgetary control

  • V1 · Task 4(a)Core activity C: Performance

    Meaning and likely causes of a set of sales variances.

    Variance analysis

  • V1 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance

    Whether planning and operational variances would help assess each regional sales head.

    Variance analysis

  • V1 · Task 4(c)Core activity C: Performance

    Three KPIs for how well the website generates sales.

    KPIs and performance

  • 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 1(b)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Three statistical measures and the discount level each attitude to risk would choose.

    Decisions under risk

  • V2 · Task 1(c)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Limitations of the what-if figures and of using expected value for the decision.

    Decisions under risk

  • V2 · Task 2(a)Core activity F: Working capital

    Explaining inventory data, the assumptions behind EOQ and whether it suits accessories.

    Inventory and EOQ

  • V2 · Task 2(b)Core activity A: Costing

    Features of a digital costing system and how it helps purchasing and costing.

    Digital costing and app costs

  • 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

  • V2 · Task 3(b)Core activity C: Performance

    What KPIs show about customer use of a newsletter, videos and a promotional discount.

    KPIs and performance

  • V2 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Treatment, and effect on profit, of several items in the year-end financial statements.

    Inventory, events and other IFRS

  • V2 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance

    Meaning and possible causes of a set of variances.

    Variance analysis

  • 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

  • V3 · Task 2(a)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Using a decision tree, on a risk-neutral basis, to choose a sales agent.

    Decisions under risk

  • V3 · Task 2(b)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Limitations of the decision tree approach for choosing the agent.

    Decisions under risk

  • V3 · Task 2(c)Core activity F: Working capital

    Factors in setting finished goods stock levels to support overseas sales.

    Inventory and EOQ

  • V3 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance

    Four fixed production overhead variances and their likely causes.

    Variance analysis

  • V3 · Task 3(b)Core activity C: Performance

    How useful fixed overhead variances are for managing those costs.

    Variance analysis

  • V3 · Task 3(c)Core activity A: Costing

    The activity cost hierarchy, with production overhead examples at each level.

    Costing methods

  • V3 · Task 4(a)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Effect on next year's accounts of adopting a property revaluation policy.

    Property, plant and equipment

  • V3 · Task 4(b)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Depreciation period for computer equipment and how to handle a change in useful life.

    Property, plant and equipment

  • V3 · Task 4(c)Core activity C: Performance

    Three KPIs for an overseas distribution centre manager.

    KPIs and performance

  • V4 · Task 1(a)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Treatment of an old machine that is to be sold.

    Property, plant and equipment

  • V4 · Task 1(b)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Which costs of a new machine are capitalised this year.

    Property, plant and equipment

  • 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 2(a)Core activity C: Performance

    Two KPIs for each of two new coordinator roles.

    KPIs and performance

  • V4 · Task 2(b)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Choosing which bought-in part to buy on short-term decision principles, plus two implications.

    Relevant costs and short-term decisions

  • V4 · Task 3(a)Core activity C: Performance

    Meaning and likely causes of a set of variances.

    Variance analysis

  • V4 · Task 3(b)Core activity A: Costing

    How ABC differs from the current overhead method and how to apply it to a new range.

    Costing methods

  • V4 · Task 4(a)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Why a minimum price differs from total cost, and which costs belong in a bid.

    Relevant costs and short-term decisions

  • V4 · Task 4(b)Core activity F: Working capital

    Factors in granting credit and setting a credit limit for a new retailer.

    Credit control

  • V4 · Task 4(c)Core activity B: Budgeting

    Rolling budgets and how they could improve motivation and control.

    Budgets and budgetary control

  • V5 · Task 1(a)Core activity A: Costing

    Benefits of integrated systems and automated outside links in a digital costing system.

    Digital costing and app costs

  • V5 · Task 1(b)Core activity D: Reporting, ethics and tax

    Accounting for a property lease: lease liability and right-of-use asset, initially and later.

    Leases

  • 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 2(b)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Choosing a contract under risk-neutral, risk-seeking and risk-averse approaches.

    Decisions under risk

  • V5 · Task 2(c)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Limitations of those approaches and of the data behind them.

    Decisions under risk

  • V5 · Task 2(d)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Factors in deciding whether to pay for perfect information.

    Decisions under risk

  • 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

  • V5 · Task 3(c)Core activity F: Working capital

    What an inventory chart shows and whether EOQ suits several product lines.

    Inventory and EOQ

  • V5 · Task 4(a)Core activity C: Performance

    Meaning and possible causes of a set of variances.

    Variance analysis

  • V5 · Task 4(b)Core activity C: Performance

    Whether to split a sales price variance into planning and operational parts, and the problems.

    Variance analysis

  • V5 · Task 4(c)Core activity C: Performance

    Three KPIs for the success of digital marketing.

    KPIs and performance

  • V6 · Task 1(a)Core activity C: Performance

    Meaning and possible causes of variances, using a manager's explanations.

    Variance analysis

  • V6 · Task 1(b)Core activity C: Performance

    Why each dashboard KPI is tracked and what it shows about a department's performance.

    KPIs and performance

  • V6 · Task 2(a)Core activity A: Costing

    Explaining under-absorbed overhead and how the profit statement would look under marginal costing.

    Costing methods

  • V6 · Task 2(b)Core activity A: Costing

    For and against marginal costing instead of absorption costing.

    Costing methods

  • V6 · Task 2(c)Core activity E: Short-term decisions

    Applying relevant costing to the costs of a live event, and the extra information needed.

    Relevant costs and short-term decisions

  • V6 · Task 3(a)Core activity B: Budgeting

    Using ZBB and decision packages to budget an extra promotional campaign.

    Budgets and budgetary control

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