PM*** ACCA Paper PM June 2019 Exam was.. Instant Poll and comments ***

@ak2401 said: I had a very fair paper all in all. Section C was a lot of writing tho with ZBB & scorecard. Did anyone get the question with the current ratio in section A. It was 1.6:1 and then they said 30% was inventory and half was sold at 100% markup what was the new ratio? And it mentioned something else i cant remember. I put 1.84 but wasnt sure if that was right? Anyone else know what they put?

i put like 2.07 based on 160/100= 145 (30 half sold=15 )/70(15 at 100% mark up =30 to reduce liabilities) 145/70 not sure if right anyone else get this q?

any one else had the material yield/mix question and performance based on variances?, i had it too section c but it was a weak area of mine. i feel this exam was tougher than expected as i scored a solid 70% over the whole bpp revision kit so i feel they arent really adequate to prepare for this 1.also time pressure was an issue for me too i had to guess 1 in section a at the end and got cut off trying to write a bit more in section c, maybe i dwelled too much on some 2 mark questions but some were numerous calculation types

What did you get as the margin of safety?

Idk I found the paper okayy, not that bad, I had alot of theory in my section C, I got ZBB and zero based budgeting and a 20marks question for assessing financial and non financial performance.

I agree Time wasn't enough I noticed the 15minutes were removed the exam is 3hrs

Hello can you please tell me a more about the incremental budgeting question I mean like how was it ? and 20 marks allocated for it ?

@mehtabwattoo said: One Otq was based on absorption costing + ABC costing + Environmental Costing. second Otq was based on variances and last OTq was based on Risk and Uncertainty.Whereas first CRQ was on the topic of tranfer Pricing and Second was based on incremental budgeting + Zero Based Budgeting. Overall the paper was fine but it was my first CBE attempt and the typing noise was a concentration distraction. I guess high low method was required in the transfer pricing calculations for both Divisons as the selling and admin costs icnluded both fixed and variable.Let's wait for the results and hope for best Insha Allah.

There was a question on ABC costing in OTQ section where it said to calculate by ABC and there was written that there were environmental costs as well. Do we include environmental cost when calculating ABC? Thanks !

It shouldn’t have been too bad. Always a few tricky questions, but if you read the examiners article, one of my questions came from it, exactly (hint! Always read the examiners articles) Sec B scenario based question for concert tickets on CVP analysis threw me off and got so mixed up Section C was writing only, minimal calculations, on incremental budgeting vs ZBB and balance scorecard. 15 mins to go and I realised I needed to explain why I chose the specific performance measures. All in all, not as disastrous as expected, but will see what the results come back with.

Exam was easy. Time managment was an issue but I think a little practice would have resolved it. What I think is open tuition notes are relevant, for exams, students should also other books as well for better results.

@fahad198803 said: Exam was easy. Time managment was an issue but I think a little practice would have resolved it. What I think is open tuition notes are relevant, for exams, students should also other books as well for better results.

We do make it very clear that the notes are just lecture notes and that there is no point in using them unless you also watch the lectures that work through the notes. We also stress that it essential to buy a Revision Kit from one of the ACCA approved publishers because practice at past exam and other exam-standard questions is vital to passing the exam.

@nimmonen said: It shouldn’t have been too bad. Always a few tricky questions, but if you read the examiners article, one of my questions came from it, exactly (hint! Always read the examiners articles) Sec B scenario based question for concert tickets on CVP analysis threw me off and got so mixed up Section C was writing only, minimal calculations, on incremental budgeting vs ZBB and balance scorecard. 15 mins to go and I realised I needed to explain why I chose the specific performance measures. All in all, not as disastrous as expected, but will see what the results come back with.

I too had that CVP concert ticket question and that was hell lot difficult.There was just too much detail in one question.I was happy that throughput accounting question did not come in section B which is my weak point but that CVP analysis question surpassed TA difficulty.

Well, I did all 4 mock tests ( 2 from BPP and 2 Kaplan, free with ACCA passwords). can tell you that it depends, what is in the test. I finished one on time, two half an hour faster and one couldn't finish on time. In real test I was short of time. I guess if I had one calculation and one blarb (balance scorecard, ZBB) I would finish on time. With two calculation tasks in part C it is just not doable, hopefully, this still be enough to pass. I didn't attempt question worth 9 marks, and half finished calculation in b). So, one 20 mark question would bring me 4-7 marks at the best(part a)). The second hopefully 15-20.

The exam was relatively good for me, but take what I have to say with a grain of salt as I got really lucky. It started off with surprisingly difficult sec-a and sec-b questions, and this is coming from someone who did every MCQ question out there. Still, I managed to pull through somehow and throughout the entire time I kept telling myself that there has to be a trade-off because of how hard these MCQ's were. And sure enough, come sec-c, and I was almost angry at how simple and straight forward the questions were. The first question asked me to explain what mix and yield variances were, solve them for a question, then end by analyzing a few variances that were caused in a month due to changes in the company policy, suppliers of good, etc. It was a straight-forward process and connecting the dots was simple. The second question was like a dream, giving me 4 marks for just briefly explaining the 4 core aspects of a balanced scorecard, then the remaining 16 were for analyzing the case study, associating them with each of the aspects, citing goals from the case study and giving two performance measurements for each of those qualitative values. All in all, to all those writing the exam next, I'd strongly ask you to work on as many transfer pricing questions as they can be the most challenging in sec-c (if that wasn't already apparent by the ominous replies of many here who've fallen prey to them) and keeping a cool head and asking yourself to believe in the work you've put in, will go a long way. Oh, and of course, thank you, John Moffat, you absolute cutie.

@khikmatullo said: There was a question on ABC costing in OTQ section where it said to calculate by ABC and there was written that there were environmental costs as well. Do we include environmental cost when calculating ABC? Thanks !

Can anyone share his opinion on the weather the environmental cost must be excluded from the calculation of ABC for the two materials ?

is this your second attempt? mine was the first and I was well prepared but now I'm disappointed it was harder than I expected. not the content but managing the time .

@faeqquadri said: The exam was relatively good for me, but take what I have to say with a grain of salt as I got really lucky. It started off with surprisingly difficult sec-a and sec-b questions, and this is coming from someone who did every MCQ question out there. Still, I managed to pull through somehow and throughout the entire time I kept telling myself that there has to be a trade-off because of how hard these MCQ's were. And sure enough, come sec-c, and I was almost angry at how simple and straight forward the questions were. The first question asked me to explain what mix and yield variances were, solve them for a question, then end by analyzing a few variances that were caused in a month due to changes in the company policy, suppliers of good, etc. It was a straight-forward process and connecting the dots was simple. The second question was like a dream, giving me 4 marks for just briefly explaining the 4 core aspects of a balanced scorecard, then the remaining 16 were for analyzing the case study, associating them with each of the aspects, citing goals from the case study and giving two performance measurements for each of those qualitative values. All in all, to all those writing the exam next, I'd strongly ask you to work on as many transfer pricing questions as they can be the most challenging in sec-c (if that wasn't already apparent by the ominous replies of many here who've fallen prey to them) and keeping a cool head and asking yourself to believe in the work you've put in, will go a long way. Oh, and of course, thank you, John Moffat, you absolute cutie.

i had the same exam. can you remember what you wrote for the balanced scorecard goals,how u calc the yield and also what points u made for the performance due to variances?

The two section C questions I had were on 1 - Transfer Pricing 2 - Incremental and then zero based budgeting. I feel a bit peeved about number 2. I haven't looked yet, but I do wonder what percentage of the syllabus compared to 20% of the exam result is Incremental and zero based budgeting? I know that Open Tuition has a page explaining what they are, on page 45. I haven't looked yet, but I will look at the BPP study text book to see how much the 'approved learning provider' devotes to this. Of course the examiner can say that they can test on any area of the syllabus - how convenient - but to me this is a bit like a new word I made up yesterday just after the exam. The new word I made up is : tractor-copter. To me it means that I've been taught to drive a tractor, and now, I'm being tested on how to fly a helicopter. In the case of the exam yesterday, it's like I've been taught to drive a tractor and being tested NOT ONLY to fly a helicopter, but ALSO being tested on the centrifugal forces exerted on the nuts and bolts holding the blades of the helicopter in place! Syllabus content = 0.1% Exam content =20% (There must be a ratio here? Similar to cost gap?) Is this fair? If I didn't do well in the Transfer Pricing question, then I'm prepared to accept the result. But to be tested on what appears right now (to me) to be an esoteric syllabus area, and to make it 20% of the exam - well that doesn't seem fair - to me at least.

Hello Dears, I was also so confused with concert question - I still don't know why it was so difficult for me. In section C I had make or buy question and ROI/RI one. It was my first exam ever and time pressure was the most terrible factor for me. Wish us all good luck and thanks so much for all materials shared here.

i got that one as well, but i'm quite sure mine didnt say '30% was inventory' ...(or did it?) i struggled with that one. ended up getting 1.3:1

@magdaenavictoria said: Hello Dears, I was also so confused with concert question - I still don't know why it was so difficult for me. In section C I had make or buy question and ROI/RI one. It was my first exam ever and time pressure was the most terrible factor for me. Wish us all good luck and thanks so much for all materials shared here.

ACCA examining team bought me a membership in that concert hall. I had this question in my first sitting in December. Was really shocked to see it again yesterday! By itself it is the same as marathon and half-marathon question in BBP revision kit.

I didnt exclude the environmental costs from my calculations

@tudd94 said: My time management was way off :( Section A was OK I guess, I struggled with the payoff table asking you to provide two values that would fit the grid. Section B was fine up until the concert question came up... I got a margin of safety of 85%. Things went a little worse when it was asking to give the profit figures after break even is considered whilst excluding the private booths... I knew the formulae perfectly yet I couldn’t get back to the numbers provided. I had to end up rushing because I spent just over an hour on section A. Section C was crazy, a question on Balanced Scorecard, I knew it had something to do with Kaplan and Norton’s model, sadly I couldn’t remember it with the time pressure. The 16 mark question on Non financial performance measures came as a shock. I put in 2 bullet points with the measures which I thought might be relevant and that was it! The last questions on section C related to expenditure budget (I managed to submit something whilst excluding the depreciation charges as I recalled from an old paper not to include it in expenditures... but I maybe wrong), incremental budgeting and zero based. I managed to write a paragraph under each of the discussion parts but it may not be enough to get a good mark. I was hoping for more calculations but alas the worst came to pass...I put in one disadvantage for incremental budgeting, in that it builds upon past inefficiencies and then I moved onto suggesting using a zero based approach for arriving at better costs, this might have not been in the scope of the question. The last part on zero based budgeting, I could just about describe it but I’m not sure if was enough. Well I’ve learnt a lot from the experience. It would have been easier if they gave me a question on ABC costing or Lifecyle or the topics that I focused my revision on! Even a EMA question would have been a blessing... They should give us noise cancelling headphones, I hated the keyboard bashing noises... kept getting distracted. Oh well, you live and learn, sure I’ll pass it on my next attempt!

Exactly the typing sounds really disturbs you and it has definitely somehow costed us few marks n plus I noticed they no longer give us the extra 15 minutes which we used to get in the paper based

I had a very bad experience at my exam centre writing Pm. i've written a mitigating complain in respect of that and i hope ACCA considers cuz i hate to read for pm again.

@johnlog said: I had a very bad experience at my exam centre writing Pm. i've written a mitigating complain in respect of that and i hope ACCA considers cuz i hate to read for pm again.

Yes same here in such tough exams you need a peaceful mind to counter the paper. I too had a lot of issues bdw where did you complain?

Regarding Current ratio which was 1,6 and inventory was sold therefore inventory decreases but receivable due to inventory sold increases, therefore ratio should not change. Don't you think?

I had little time so didn't finish and Mcq questions waist me a lot of time it was hard i think selecting the best answers

i think it was fair for me though time management was a challenge . i had the question for balance scorecard so for me to explain and everything took much of my time . and also the ZBB had a lot requirements . i just hope for the best cause this was my first attempt

Does anyone else feel like they are never going to pass this exam? I failed in March sitting I got 47% I thought the exam was okay but I didn't enjoy section C on Transfer pricing at all I have always avoided those questions (whoops)

@maria16 said: is this your second attempt? mine was the first and I was well prepared but now I'm disappointed it was harder than I expected. not the content but managing the time .

Actually a fourth attempt .Quite a normal thing with this PM exam. Well it,s happens with most students you are not alone here.The students who recently the part one(FA,MA,AB) thinks that they will make it easily but what they do not realize is that the difficulty level steps up and scoring 70% and above marks in these exams is a not that much common.With lot of effort you will just pass with 50 and 60%(mostly 50%) and time management will be a big issue here.

Yes I am the same, I feel like I knew the content but was so much harder than I ever imagined defiantly a stepping stone! and hard to tell where you actually went wrong when you fail having completed all the questions