Quality Management software

Quality Control for items is an essential activity as it helps in reducing the operational costs and the delays and number of rejections in the production process.

The quality of the items can be verified against a set of parameters. The result of the verification can be stored in the Quality Management module thereby enabling organizations to maintain a record and conduct an analysis of the same.

The Quality Management module can be used to maintain a record of the quality levels of the items being procured by an organization from various suppliers and vendors. Performing a quality check at the incoming stage helps in ensuring that only approved items sent for production thereby reducing the number of rejections and delays. Additionally, a quality check can be performed on the finished goods and the results of the same can be recorded in the Quality Management module. The Quality Management module also handles and records the rejection of items from the shop floor.

The data pertaining to the items and their quality levels can be used to analyze the performance and generate ratings for various suppliers and vendors. This in turn enables managers to make decisions on the vendors/suppliers from whom the orders are to be placed.

The Quality Management module can be used to record the quality levels of individual or batch items. In case of batch items, quality checks can be performed on samples.

FEATURES
The Quality Management module includes the following elements and features:

Parameter Master
The quality of the goods is measured against a set of parameters. Using the parameter master, managers can create a database of quality parameters/attributes against which the quality of an item can be verified. Apart from the name of the parameter, its unit or measure can also be stored in the parameter master. Depending on the nature of the attribute, a parameter can be qualitative or quantitative. The parameter master also includes an option to disable specific parameters from the listing. A disabled parameter cannot be associated with items.

Item-Parameter Association
The Quality Management module is integrated with the Inventory module of the SAP Business One application. While adding the details of an item in the system, managers can associate parameters, from the parameter master, against which the quality of the item will be verified. The manger has the option to specify the maximum and minimum permissible parameter limits for the item.

The manager can also assign a separate rejection and approved warehouse for the item. In case an item does not pass the quality check, it is assigned to the rejection warehouse defined for the item. Similarly, an item passes the quality check is assigned to the approved warehouse. The manger can enter his remarks pertaining to the approval/rejection of the item.

We have also built a provision that enables the manger to set whether a quality check, for an item, is mandatory or not. In case the quality check is mandatory, the invoice cannot be raised till the quality check has been completed.

Quality Control
To record the quality levels of items, an interface displaying all the assigned quality parameters with their maximum and minimum permissible limits, for an item, is displayed to the manager. The manager can verify the quality of the item against the parameters and record the results of the same, along with his comments. The item can then accordingly be assigned to the approved or rejected warehouse.  

Managers can approve or reject items at various stages. These include:

• Incoming QC: An incoming quality check takes place when the goods are received from a vendor/supplier. On receipt of the goods, a Goods Receipt Purchase Order needs to be raised in the SAP system. In case a mandatory quality check option has been set for an item/batch contained in the goods receipt purchase order, the manager will not be able to raise the goods receipt order, till the quality process for the incoming goods has been completed. The items that are approved are sent for production.

• In Process QC: The Quality Management module can be used to record the items that were rejected from the shop floor. The manager is provided with options to record the reasons for the same and raise a shop floor rejection within the application. A rejected item is sent to the assigned rejected warehouse.

• Final QC: Before the finished goods are sold to the customer a quality check of the finished goods takes place. As in the same of incoming QC the manager can record the results of the quality check in the system. Rejected goods are sent to the assigned rejection warehouse. Conversely, approved goods are sent to the dispatch warehouse where it awaits distribution.

Reports
The Quality Management module includes a reporting section that enables the evaluation and analysis of the results of the quality checks performed on various items/batches. On the basis of the results of the quality checks, the system also generates and assigns ratings for the various vendors and suppliers. A review of the rating reports can help managers in taking decisions.

ADVANTAGES
The Quality Management add-on developed by e-Tomato offers the following advantages:

• With item/batch wise details of rejections and acceptances stored, it is easy for managers to generate and view a rating of various vendors/suppliers thereby enabling them to take decisions regarding the vendors/suppliers from whom future orders are to be placed.

• Enforcing a quality check on items ensures that a quality check is performed and only those goods that pass the quality checks are sent for production.

• The Quality Management module also helps in keeping track of the item/batch rejections and the reasons for the same. Quality parameters and their permissible limits are defined within the system. This in turn helps in judging and evaluating the level and degree of rejections.

Based on the rejections, a rating report can be generated for all vendors and suppliers. Based on these reports, managers can take decisions regarding which vendor to place orders from.