Integration of Quality Management Processes
SAP S/4HANA Cloud Warehouse Management is connected to the quality management in SAP S/4HANA Cloud enabling you tou process quality tasks in accordance with warehouse structures and requirements. For example the posting of goods to blocked stock und follow-up posting activities are supported by and carried out in Warehouse Management.
The following figure, Quality Management in the Warehouse, shows the following:
- Quality management (QM) integration in goods receipt process from external vendor
- Quality Management (QM) integration in goods receipt process from production
- View inspection lot and partial lot data, based on various selection criteria, in the Warehouse Monitor app
- Identify inspection stock or blocked stock by stock type and inspection lot number included on putaway lists
This feature enables you to inspect products delivered from production or external suppliers before putaway in the warehouse. You can also record usage decisions for partial lots, when, for example, only some of the stock items in the inspection lot are of good quality. This feature uses the Quality Management and Warehouse Management components of SAP S/4HANA Cloud.
This process allows you to inspect products delivered from external suppliers and production before putaway in the warehouse.
- The process starts with the creation of a purchase or production order and an inbound delivery that is relevant for processing in the warehouse.
- When the goods arrive at the warehouse, the delivery is checked and the products might be packed into handling units as required.
- Afterward, the goods receipt is posted and warehouse tasks are created to execute the movements to the clarification zone.
- At goods receipt posting, the system creates an inspection lot and changes the stock type to quality stock.
- A quality technician inspects the delivered goods and records the inspection results.
- Based on these inspection results, the quality engineer makes a usage decision.
- It is also possible to record usage decisions for partial lots.
- At the end of the process, you create ad hoc warehouse tasks to move the accepted products to a final storage bin.
- The rejected products stay in the clarification zone for further processing.
Business Benefits
- Receive products from different sources, with a complete quality inspection, before storing them in your warehouse.
- Receive products from production, with a complete quality inspection, before storing them in your warehouse.
- Profit from the seamless integration between quality and warehouse management.
- Capture the usage decision of the quality technician in the clarification zone.
- Make use of partial quantity decisions.
- Store products based on the quality inspection result.
- Control and record movements of products and handling units in the warehouse.
- Map your warehouse complex in the system down to storage bin level.
- Improve visibility and control in warehouse operations.
Key Process Flows
The process consists of the following main steps:
- Create handling units and print labels (optional):
If the product, which should be processed during quality inspection, is part of a quality management process that includes several steps, or if the product itself is usually shipped on Handling Units (HUs) you want to store in your warehouse, a handling unit has to be created first. Usually, the labels for the HU are printed in parallel to be able to process the HU further.
- Post goods receipt:
After the vendor delivers the goods to the warehouse and the products and handling units are unloaded, the goods receipt has to be posted into the warehouse. This has to be done on the EWM side. The goods receipt can be posted by confirming the unloading task or manually by the user. After the goods receipt has been posted in EWM, the goods receipt is also posted in inventory management.
- Create inspection lot (system step):
After posting the goods receipt, the system checks if the item is relevant for quality management (based on the inspection rule and the material master). If so, the EWM system triggers the posting into the quality inspection stock and creates an inspection lot in the Quality Management (QM) component.
- Create warehouse tasks to move products to the clarification zone and print warehouse task lists:
The quality inspection activities take place in another area in the warehouse. Therefore, you first have to create workhouse tasks, so the warehouse worker can move the products to the clarification zone where the QM activities take place. Optionally, it is possible to print the warehouse tasks lists in a paper-driven environment.
- Confirm warehouse tasks:
The worker in possession of the warehouse order, for the movement to the clarification bin assigned, moves the handling unit with the product or the products to the clarification zone.
- Record inspection results:
The quality inspection specialist performs the quality management activities in the clarification zone and records his results and findings. Based on these findings, and possible errors, the inspection lot might be accepted or rejected in the usage decision.
- Make usage decision:
The essential part of the quality management process, relevant to the warehouse activities, is the usage decision. Based on the results and findings during the inspection, lot processing and possible errors and issues, the quality inspection specialist accepts or rejects the inspection lot. Based on the usage decision, the EWM system decides if the goods are posted to the unrestricted used and stored or moved to the blocked stock, where they might be sent back to the supplier or scrapped (for example, when coming from production).
- Repack handling units (optional):
Based on the quality inspection process and the results of the quality check, a repack of the handling units might be required. For example, a part of the products might be in good condition to be put away, but another part might have to be sent back to the supplier. If both were originally in the same handling unit, they might have to be separated.
- Create ad hoc warehouse tasks from clarification zone to final bin and print warehouse task lists:
If the goods came through the quality inspection check, they can be stored in the warehouse. Therefore, you create an ad hoc warehouse task to move the goods from the clarification zone to the final bin in the regular storage type and print the warehouse task list if required.
- Confirm warehouse tasks:
The warehouse task is assigned to another warehouse worker via a warehouse order. The warehouse worker stores the products in the warehouse in the final bin and confirms the warehouse tasks and warehouse orders.
Run Simulations to Check the System Behavior
You can use the following simulations to work your way through the main process steps about how to run quality management in warehousing.
Business Roles and SAP Fiori Apps
The following SAP S/4HANA Cloud business roles are used for this scenario:
Purchaser
Receiving Specialist
Warehouse Clerk (EWM)
Warehouse Operative (EWM)
Quality Technician
Quality Engineer
The figure shows the roles and SAP Fiori apps involved in the process.