CHAPTER – 02

Master Data in SAP QM

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Master Data in SAP QM
Within the SAP Quality Management module and for other SAP
applications we need to maintain the data pertaining to inspection
planning and inspection lot processing.

Before you create an inspection lot and record inspection results,

basic SAP master data for inspection planning should be maintained.

Following SAP QM master data should be set up before inspection of

any material.

2.1 Master Inspection Characteristics (MIC)

Master Inspection characteristics are required to describe the
inspection specifications for materials like length, width, viscosity,
etc.
We create master inspection characteristics at the plant level to
simplify and standardize the inspection planning activities.
It also helps to organize the master inspection characteristics in order
to avoid duplicate creation of MIC.
These characteristics can be used in Routings, Master Recipe,
Inspection Plan and maintenance task list. We can also create the
different versions for the single MIC.
Inspection method and catalog could be attached to inspection
characteristics.
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The below are the types of Master Inspection characteristics available
in SAP.
a) Quantitative
Quantitative characteristics are used to record the results of the
Quantitative inspection.
Values of inspection can be directly feed to these type of
characteristics while performing results recording. Characteristics
specification limits like Upper Limit, Lower Limit, and central limits
can be defined for each inspection characteristics at master level or
while creating an inspection plan.
Inspection Method can also be attached to inspection characteristics
level.

b) Qualitative
Qualitative characteristics are used to record the results of Attribute
inspection like "Ok" or "Not ok".
Code groups / Selected sets of Catalog type 1 can be used for
recording result against Qualitative inspection characteristics.
Appropriate inspection method can be attached to inspection
characteristics.

2.2 Inspection Methods

The inspection methods describe the procedures for carrying out
inspections.
You can assign an "inspection method" to a master inspection
characteristic or directly to an inspection characteristic in an
inspection plan.
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Inspection method can also be created in one plant, and the same
can be used in the inspection plan for another plant by using the
original plant of inspection method.

2.3 Sampling Procedure

The sampling procedure is the procedure by which the sample size
for an inspection lot is determined. It can be used in inspection plans.

The sampling procedure can be a fixed sample, percentage sample,

100% or using sampling scheme. Sample scheme is the collection of
sampling plans.

A sampling plan defines the sample size based on a specific inspection

lot quantity and defines the criteria for determining whether and how
a sample is accepted or rejected.

Depending on the business requirement sampling size is determined.

For example, if a batch of the drug needs to be tested, depending on
the quantity of the drug manufactured, the sampling for inspection is
planned.

2.4 Inspection Plan

Defining inspection plan is necessary if you want to capture quality
result it is used,
 To define inspection methodology, for example,
 Materials to be inspected
 How the inspection of materials need to be taken place
 What characteristics to be inspected, work center and
inspection specifications.
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 Inspection plans define how a quality inspection of one or
multiple materials will be taken place. In the inspection plan, we
define the sequence of inspection operations and the range of
specifications available for inspecting master inspection
characteristics, sampling procedure to calculate the sample size
for inspection, Inspection method to inspect the MIC, etc.
 The "status" and "usage" can be maintained for the inspection
plan to check whether the plan is active or inactive. We can
identify the inspection plan by using group number (client level)
and group counter (plant level) generated by the SAP system.
Multiple materials can be attached to one plan provided the
parameters to be inspected are same.

2.5 Quality Info record

Quality Info record is maintained for a "material –vendor
relationship." It is used to block the material from procurement
through a certain vendor when the quality of the product is
compromised supplied by the particular vendor.
In this SAP master, we will maintain the quality system for the
combination of vendor and material.
This SAP master will become mandatory only if the QM Procurement
key is active in the material master.
When a quotation or purchase order is created, the SAP system
checks whether a Q-info record is required and available for the
combination of material and vendor.
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A check is made to determine whether the purchase order can be
released based on the Q-info record.

Quality information record need to be maintained if we would like to

use the source inspection functionality which means, materials will
undergo an inspection prior to the material reaches the plant for
Goods Receipt (GR).

This inspection will be purely based on the purchase order created in

the SAP system against a material – vendor – plant combination.
There will not be any GR (Goods Receipt) inspection if the material is
already cleared through the source inspection.

Q info record is also useful in scenarios where inspection is restricted.

Which means that the inspection should be continued if it is procured
from "xyz" vendor but not in the case when it is procured by some
"abc" vendor.

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2.6 How to create Master Inspection characteristics
Step 1) From SAP Easy access menu, open Transaction code QS21
1) Enter Plant Code.
2) Enter master inspection characteristic code which needs to be
created.
3) Enter the Key date (valid from date) which means that MIC
would be valid from that date.

After filling in all the fields, click or press Enter to go to the next
screen.

Step 2) In this step, we will maintain Master inspection characteristic

general data as given below.
1) Tick the checkbox for quantitative if we are creating quantitative
characteristic which can be measured.
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2) Enter Status as "Released."
3) Enter "Complete copy model" as the MIC data needs to be
maintained completely.
4) Enter the Short text of your choice.
5) Press Control indicators button to maintain other important
data like lower and upper limits i.e. specification range in which
material would be accepted.

Step 3) In this step, after pressing control indicator button, the small
screen will pop up where we will maintain the lower and upper limit
data.
1) Flag the checkbox for Lower specification limit.
2) Flag the checkbox for upper specification limit.
3) Flag the checkbox for sampling procedure as we would use
sampling procedure for this MIC.
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Press enter to move to the next SAP screen.

Step 4) In this step, we will maintain absolute lower and upper limit
data.
1) Input number of decimal places and measurement unit for MIC
2) Input the lower spec limit as 4
3) Input the upper spec limit as 4.5.

Press enter to move to the initial SAP screen and save the data. You
will see the message as
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2.7 How to create Inspection Methods
Step 1) From SAP Easy access menu, open Transaction code QS31
1) Enter Plant Code.
2) Enter inspection method code which needs to be created.
3) Enter the valid from the date which means that inspection
method would be valid from that date.

Press enter to move to the

next SAP QM screen.

Step 2) In this SAP QM screen,

1) Enter status as "released".
2) Enter the short text of the inspection method and search field
for searching for inspection methods.

Press save button to save the

inspection method.

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2.8 How to create Sampling Procedure
Step 1) From SAP Easy access screen open Transaction QDV1
Input sampling procedure code which we need to create.

Step 2) After filling in all the fields, click (right mark sign) sign from
the top menu to go to the next SAP screen.

1) Choose sampling type as "Fixed sample" but you can also select
100% inspection or sampling scheme.

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2) Select Valuation mode "Attributive inspection non confirming
units" which defines the rules for accepting and rejecting
characteristic.

3) Press next button to move to the next SAP screen.

Step 3) In this SAP screen,

1) Press "Sample" button which will open a small pop-up screen to
define the sample size.

2) Define the sample size as "5".

Press save button to save the sampling procedure.

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2.9 How to create Inspection Plan
Step 1) From SAP Easy access screen open Transaction QP01
1) Input material code which we need to create an inspection plan.
2) Enter Plant code.
3) Enter the key date (valid from) from which inspection plan
would be valid.

Press enter button from the keyboard to move to next screen.

Step 2) In this SAP screen, we will maintain header data

1) Input usage as "5" which means inspection plan will be valid for
goods receipt and status as "4" which means the plan is
released.
2) Enter lot size as "99999999" which means inspection plan is valid
for inspection lot quantity of 99999999.
3) Press "operations" button to move to the next screen.

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Step 3) In this SAP screen, we will maintain operation-data where
inspection characteristics will be maintained.
1) Input the Quality lab work center.
2) Enter the control key as "QM01" which means the operation is
meant for quality check.
3) Press "Inspection Characteristics" button to move to the next
SAP screen.

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Step 4) In this SAP screen, we will maintain inspection characteristics
for the operation
1) Input the Master inspection characteristic name "MOIST".
2) Enter the Inspection method.
3) Input sampling Procedure to determine the sample.

After entering all fields, lower and upper limits are populated
automatically.
Press save button to save the inspection plan for the material.

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2.10 How to create Quality Info Records
Step 1) From SAP Easy access screen open Transaction QI01
1) Input the material code which we need to create quality info
records.
2) Enter vendor code.
3) Input the plant code.

Press enter button from the

keyboard to move to the next
screen.

Step 2) In this SAP screen, we will maintain release date

1) Input Release until this date which means the material can be
ordered from the vendor till release date.
2) Enter Block function if you want to block this material to be
ordered from this particular vendor.

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Press Insp. Control-Tab to move to the next screen.

Step 3) In this SAP screen, we will maintain inspection control data.

1) Input the Inspection control as "No Inspection" if you do not

want to inspect the material for this particular vendor.
2) If you want to use source inspection, then flag the checkbox for
source inspection and enter source inspection type as "01" else
keep it blank.
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Press save button to save the quality info record.

2.11 Troubleshooting
Before creation Inspection plan and quality info records, master
inspection characteristic, sampling procedure, inspection method,
material master, vendor master should be available in the SAP
system.

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