When you procure goods from a supplier, you can request that the vendor submits a quality certificate with the shipment of goods. After the Procurement Specialist created the purchase order and the receipt of the incoming delivery on your premises, the Warehouse Clerk posts the goods receipt for the purchase order item. In the following, we will discuss two process variants.
In the first variant, a goods receipt inspection is required and the system creates inspection lots:
In the second variant, a goods receipt inspection is not required and the system therefore does not create goods receipt inspection lots:
Note
For both process variants shown above, the Application Consultant can configure the SAP S/4HANA system so that the Warehouse Clerk must confirm whether or not a quality certificate was included in the shipment when posting the goods receipt. Alternatively, the Application Consultant can also implement your business process so that certificate receipt must be confirmed independently from the goods receipt posting. In the latter case, the suppliers provide the quality certificate via, for example, e-mail to the quality department and the Quality Technician posts the receipt of the certificate with reference to the purchase order item.Depending on whether or not you received a quality certificate for a purchase order item, whether or not the system generates goods receipt inspection lots, and whether or not you want to document the certificate receipt status in the inspection lot, the system behaves differently:
- You create goods receipt inspection lots and confirm that you received a quality certificate: You can post the usage decision.
- You create goods receipt inspection lots, but have not confirmed that you received a quality certificate: You cannot post the usage decision.
- You don't create goods receipt inspection lots and confirm that you received a quality certificate: The system posts the received items to unrestricted use stock.
- You don't create goods receipt inspection lots, but have not confirmed that you received a quality certificate: The system posts the received items to blocked stock.
If you prefer a less comprehensive approach, the Application Consultant configures the system so that the inspection lot status does not contain any information about the missing certificate. In this case, the system only raises an error, warning, or information message if, during goods receipt, the quality certificate is missing. In the case of the error message, the Warehouse Clerk cannot post the goods receipt. In the case of a warning or information message, Warehouse Clerk can post the goods receipt, but they must confirm the respective message.
Note
For a detailed description of all possible scenarios, please review the SAP Application Help and/or the customizing documentation in Quality Management → QM in Logistics → QM in Procurement → Define Certificate Types.
As of now, you cannot confirm the receipt of the quality certificate using the Post Goods Receipt for Purchasing Document application. If the warehouse clerk confirms the receipt together with the goods receipt, you must use the Post Goods Movement (MIGO) application, instead.
To technically enable the certificate process in the SAP S/4HANA system, the Quality Planner assigns a QM Control Key and a Certificate Type in the QM view of the material master.
In a lot of business scenarios, the supplier directly provides the quality certificate to the quality department in electronic form (for example as a PDF document via e-mail). If this scenario applies to your company, the Quality Engineer or Technician can also record the certificate receipt for a purchase order independent from the goods receipt using the Record Certificate Receipt application.
Note
To process the receipt of the quality certificate independent from the goods receipt, the Application Consultant sets the indicator for Enhanced Certificate Processing in the respective customizing entry of the certificate type.Using the Process Certificate Receipts - Procurement Worklist application, you can get an overview of already received and missing incoming quality certificates.