The Quality Management view of the material master primarily contains the control parameters you need to process quality inspections throughout the logistics supply chain. In the material master, you define various inspection parameters based on the inspection type (for example, triggering events for quality inspections, inspection with or without a task list, with or without a material specification and whether results are to be recorded for inspection characteristics). In addition, you enter the control data for QM in Procurement in the material master.
Note
Almost all Quality Management data is maintained at the plant level. This allows you to control the QM processes for the different plants of a company in different ways. You can use mass-processing transactions to change the inspection setup for materials, activate and deactivate inspection types, as well as to distribute the inspection setup in several systems.
QM-specific data in the material master plays a part in:
Managing quality information for materials, vendors and manufacturers
Certifying vendors and manufacturers, as well as monitoring their QM systems
Managing the release status of supply relationships, for example, for model or regular deliveries
Evaluating vendors from a quality standpoint, using statistics from audits, goods receipt inspections and problem notifications
Transferring quality documents, for example, technical delivery terms for requests for quotations and purchase orders
Requesting quality certificates and monitoring certificate receipt
Triggering source inspections at the vendor’s premises before the scheduled delivery date
Inspections for goods movements, such as goods receipts
Blocking payments until inspection lots are accepted
Managing stock that is subject to a quality inspection and taking into account inspection lots in material requirements planning
Transferring inspection results to the batch classification
Determining batches using inspection results from quality inspections
Monitoring batches with regard to their expiration date and the date for recurring inspections
Managing problems using quality notifications; processing complaints against a vendor
The information in the material master controls the quality management processes throughout the logistics supply chain. You use the QM-specific data in the material master to control the quality inspection process and to define whether a material is to be posted to inspection stock. The material itself serves as the reference object for the quality inspection, quality certificates, and quality notifications.
To control QM activities, you can, for example, define the following:
Procurement data
Procurement control key
Certificate type
Requirements for the vendor's QM system
Technical delivery terms
Display inspection setup
Inspection type
Use of a task list or material specification
Results recording for characteristics
Quality score procedure
Sample determination
See also: