Question:
Dear Sapfan members,
We have following scenario where I still have coupled unsolved issues. We have finished product X and process order is created once a day (one batch number for process order and batch number is created during process order release). We have activated inspection types 03 and 04 for this material. Process order amount per day can be anything between 10000 and 100000 kg. Process order is confirmed with COR6 after every 900 kg. We have attached batch class for material X. Some of the class characteristics will get the value from inspection results (type 03).
We use inspection type 03 with quantity related inspection points. Inspection point is created after every 5000 kg. Partial lot and batch is assigned for each inspection point. In master receipe we have several inspection characteristics and some of them are linked to class characteristics. We use inspection type 04 only to put material in quality inspection (early lot creation for the order item).
We create partial for every 5000 kg and results are recorded for each partial lot. If the results are under or over specification limits we create a new batch I.e. there might be created several batch for one inspeciton lot. If the results are within the limits, the results are assigned to batch created during process order release.
Unsolved issues....
1. Values for class characteristics are copied to batch (only from last partial lot). Is there any way to select which results (partial lot) are copied to batch. Now system updates the batch values every time results are recorded for the same batch.
2. During the UD (inspection type 04) we can assign some of the amounts only for one new material (material X and batch created in results recording). However, we might need to create several batch in results recording. How would it be possible to assign amount to several batches at the same time or do we have to do QA11 many times (code is given only in last time).
And, we are not allowed to create a new batch for every confirmation (COR6), so we really have to live with one process order batch.
Thanks for reading my long story. Does anyone have any good hints?
Sali
Answer:
Hi Sali,
Question 1) No.. I don't know of any way you can select which set of results you want copied. SAP pretty much uses the last set all the time. If you want some type of averaging or something, you'd have to develop sometype of custom routine for this.
I might suggest doing creating separate 04 lots for each new batch. Then record the values you want in the 04. If your inspection points have a batch number in the identifier, then maybe you can develop a custom progam that can be used at results recording on the 04 for recording the results, i.e. the program displays all the related inspection points and allows the tech to select the inspection point. The results are enterred for them and then they can modify or update any that need to be done. When the 04 UD is done, these results are copied up.
Question 2) If you have all the qty. in one lot, there is no way to do a multiple postings to different batches. You have to run QA11 multiple times as you said..
From the sound of your scenario though I might suggest using the 03 inspection points. Then when you need to change batches, do a GR for the first batch... this creates the 04 for the first batch. Then in the 03 the an inspection point identifer field is used to enter the next new batch number. When you need to start on the 3rd batch, do the GR for the second batch.. now use the 3rd batch number in your inspection point identifer. Etc.. etc...
Thus you have one 03 for the process order, and one 04 lot for each received batch. The do the custom development to select results from the appropriate inspection points and record the values on the 04. Make the UD and the results are on the batch record.
Hope this is clear. If not let me know or email me.
Craig
Answer:
We are allowed to create only one inspection lot and that's the problem. I quess we have to live with the fact that we have to do UD (for inspection type 04) several times if we have created many batches in results recording (inspection type 03).
Sali
Answer:
That's why companies have lousy SAP implementations. "We are only allowed"...
Well.. from a quality perspective, having a single inspection lot when your creating multiple batches is not usually considered a very good quality system. Do you want Mercedes to bunch your car's final quality check in with the other 1000 cars they made that day?
If you've creatred separate batches.. then the batches all have different enough quality characteristics to merit their own UD. Sounds like to me production is running the show and not an independent quality group. They get the possibility to make a bad batch but overall their day gets an 'approved' stamp since the single process order inspection lot is probably approved.
Hope I'm wrong! and there are some really good quality reasons why you can only have a single inspection lot. Good luck!!
Craig
Answer:
I could not resist to post it publicly: as usual, spot on Craig!
You never seem to stop amazing us (in the best sense of course)!!!
Thank you for sharing.
dp
Answer:
Hello Graig,
Yes, we do have several reasons to stay with one batch number in each day as long as quality is according to customer specification... If not, we create a new batch. (It is another story why all customers do not have same limits...).
Sali
Answer:
Yes.. exactly, so if you create a new batch due to quality, then you should also create a new inspection lot for that batch. I've worked on projects where the a single process order is created and the batch size is unlimited size provided quality remains within manufacturing specs. I was also on a project where they created one process order once a month for each material! But they had multiple batches and multiple inspection lots.
If you have different customer specs, and your doing UD's to simply move material into customer batches then that is a different issue. I hope that's not why your doing the multiple UD's. There are several ways to deal with specific customer specifications that shouldn't require that.
Craig
Answer:
Hello Graig,
I don't see your point why we should create a new inspection lot for a new batch? We have process order on day level and lot size is not always the same. We create a new batch during results recording (QE51N) for partial lot and this batch gets updated with class values (which are not within tolerances). Only thing I can think is quality certificate i.e. are we able to create a quality certificate for this new batch.
I would like to hear what are the several ways to deal with customer specifications. Unfortunately, we do not have a link from sales order to process order (for some PP-PI reasons which I do not really know).
Sali