Reference during creation of complaint as follow-up transaction

You can create complaints directly from the items in a sales transaction or service process. This simplifies the creation of complaints since all data (such as, partners, products, quantities, and prices) is transferred from the preceding transaction.

This function is available in CRM WebClient UI and mobile service.

Reference during creation of a new complaint

When you create a new complaint, you can refer to the following business objects:

Once you have specified in Customizing that references to business objects are allowed for your complaint transaction type, the system prompts you to enter a reference object when creating a complaint. You can then select the individual items from the reference object to be copied into the complaint transaction.

References to objects other than CRM business transactions are supported by a Business Add-In.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Reference after creation of complaint

You can create references to transactions from existing complaint transactions. You can refer to CRM business transactions, billing documents, or transactions in integrated systems. Referencing is supported at header and item level.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Reference from an activity to a complaint

You can create a subsequent assignment to a complaint right from an existing activity.

For more information, see Subsequent Assignment of Preceding Transactions.

Referencing reference objects

You can more precisely define the product or service that is the subject of the complaint by entering a reference object for an item. You can enter a reference to products, installed base components, or objects.

You can use the relationship between a product and an installed base to extract information to SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence (SAP NetWeaver BI) for analysis purposes. This information is then available in BI Content, which allows you to analyze complaints to identify problems related to the installed base in which a product is installed, for example.

This function is available in CRM WebClient UI, e-service, and mobile service.

Product check

For certain return types, the system checks whether the product can be returned.

Serial numbers

In complaints transactions and returns transactions, you can enter serial numbers that can be validated.

Quantity check

An automated check ensures data consistency. It makes sure that the amount of complaints that were created is not greater than the amount of products or services that were sold to a customer. For new complaint items, the system also proposes the maximum quantity of products or services that can be entered.

If you create a complaint with reference to a document that is a follow-up transaction to the original order, the system uses the lesser of the following values as the maximum quantity:

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Warranty check

You can set up a warranty check to automatically determine valid warranties for products in a complaint item and for reference objects in a complaint.

You can use the warranty information to decide what action should be taken in response to a complaint. If, for example, the warranty allows a refund in the case of a defective product, you can immediately create a credit memo. For more information, see Warranty Check for Coverage of Services.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI and in e-service.

Contract determination

You can set up an automatic search for valid customer contracts that the system runs when you create a complaint item. The system then displays a list of valid contracts from which you can select the desired contract. If there is only one valid contract, the system can automatically assign this contract. The system copies the data, including price agreements, from the assigned contract to the complaint transaction.

For more information, see Service Contract Determination.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI and in e-service.

Manual or automatic date assignment

You can enter dates in the complaint, for example, the date of the first response, or the date by which a decision must be made. These dates can be used for monitoring and escalating complaints. You can either enter dates manually or let the system enter them automatically. For example, dates can be automatically displayed according to the parameters of the Service Level Agreement associated with the relevant contract item.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Categorization

You can use categorization to define predefined content, such as causes of damage, which makes complaint entry faster and allows automatic analysis.

This function is available in CRM WebClient UI, e-service, and mobile service.

For more information, see Multilevel Categorization.

Investigation

The system uses automatic execution of business rules to release or decline complaints. If defined criteria cannot clearly identify the situation, the document can be transferred into the investigations workflow. The document is then investigated further in different processing levels (research, analysis, and approval) until it is released or declined manually.

Entitlement checks

Entitlement checks take place for complaints with reference to billing documents and returns. You can specify which types of entitlements the system should check.

Use of predefined actions

Depending on transaction type, you can define company-specific actions or use standard actions that should be triggered from the business transaction.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Specifics for e-service: When you create a complaint, you can specify the reaction that you expect, such as a credit memo or a substitute delivery.

Credit memo with billing in SAP CRM or in SAP ERP

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Triggering subsequent processes automatically

For complaints with reference to billing documents, you can trigger follow-up actions automatically, such as stock postings, scrapping, return to customer, transfer, putaway, or delivery to an internal or external remanufacturer. You can also trigger the follow-up action manually.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.

Status tracking

You can use the search to monitor complaint processing by checking the status. This method allows you to have an overview of all complaints at any time.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI and in e-service.

Entry of counter readings

You can enter counter readings for installed base components in complaint headers and complaint items.

This function is available in the CRM WebClient UI.