During the period-end closing, what steps can be run with background processing?

The correct answer is WIP determination, which stands for Work in Progress determination. This process involves calculating and determining the value of partially completed goods in a manufacturing environment at the end of a financial period. It is typically handled in background processing to ensure that it does not interfere with the daily operations and to optimize performance during peak periods when system resources might be limited.

Running WIP determination in the background allows the system to process large volumes of data without requiring direct user interaction, thereby reducing the impact on users who may need to perform other activities within the system. This capability ensures accuracy and efficiency, especially during the busy period-end closing times.

Order release, order confirmation, and variance calculation usually require more real-time interaction as they may involve immediate updates involving transactions or adjustments that could affect inventory balances or financial reports directly. Therefore, these tasks are generally not performed in the background due to their need for immediate action or user confirmation.