Quality Notifications (QM-QN) (SAP Library

Quality Notifications (QM-QN)

Purpose

This component contains functions for recording and processing different types of problems (for example, problems resulting from poor-quality goods or services). You can use the notifications to analyze the recorded defects and monitor the correction of these problems. In particular, the notifications can help you process internal or external problems such as:

Complaints filed by customers

Complaints against vendors
Company-internal problems
Other user-specific problems

As an extremely flexible system, you can also use this component to process and manage information of a positive nature (for example, to implement a "suggestion system" in your company to manage improvements).

Implementation Considerations

You should implement this component if your company needs an effective and efficient tool that can:

Manage and process its internal and external problems

Help you optimize your business processes through continuous process improvement

Integration

The quality notifications are a part of the general system of notifications in the R/3 System that also includes maintenance notifications in the Plant Maintenance (PM) component and service notifications in the Customer Service (CS) component.

The quality notifications are also integrated with the following processes in the logistics supply chain:

Repairs Processing (Quality Management, Customer Service, Sales and Distribution)

Complaint Processing (Quality Management, Materials Management, and Sales and Distribution)

Integration with Other Quality Management Components

If you want to	You must install
Access catalog code groups and codes to document the defect items, causes, and tasks in a quality notification	Catalog (QM-PT-BD-CAT)
Create quality notifications while processing an inspection to record quality-related problems	Quality Inspection (QM-IM)
Analyze the notification data using various evaluation tools	QM Information System (QM-QC-IS)
Create quality notifications for customer complaints over the Internet	Quality Notifications on the Internet (QM-QN-NT)

Integration with Other R/3 Components

If you want to	You must install
Settle the nonconformity costs recorded for a notification problem in a QM order	Controlling (CO)
Trigger workflow tasks in the course of notification processing.	SAP Business Workflow (BC-BMT-WFM)
Store notification-related documents in an optical archive	SAP ArchiveLink (BC-SRV-ARL)
Classify defect items in a notification using general characteristics	Classification System (CA-CL)
Link documents managed in the R/3 System's Document Management System to a quality notification	Document Management System (CA-DMS)

Features

The quality notifications include a wide range of features and functions. In general, you can use a quality notification to:

Describe a problem and identify the affected reference objects (for example, material, vendor, manufacturer)
Record the names of all persons (partners) who are involved with the problem
Define processing parameters for the quality notification (for example, assigning a priority to the notification and specifying a time range within which the problem should be completed)
Record individual defect items that relate to the problem and analyze their causes
Specify the corrective actions to be taken (for example, tasks that are implemented immediately or corrective tasks that are implemented after a thorough analysis of the defects)
Monitor the execution of corrective actions through a status management function
Log all activities that have been carried out for the problem
Record the nonconformity costs incurred while processing and correcting a problem
Print, fax, archive or export various types of reports (shop papers) that relate to the problem

In addition, this component also allows you to selectively generate lists of recorded notifications for processing or evaluation purposes.