Additional fields during results recording

[Former Member]

Hi experts,

I am creating a Z t-code for quality inspections in order to provide an easier and more user friendly screen for the inspectors. The main purpose in this development is to group inspection lot creation (control type 89), results and defects recording in just one screen.

In addition, I need to enter some additional fields, for example, personal number, work center where the material was produced and three other specific fields.

I do not know how to enter these fields. Is it possible to define Z fields or it would be better to use master inspection characteristics for these data?

Could anyone please give me suggestions?

Thanks and regards,

Marcos

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

You can use an append structure to add some data to the QALS table to hold some data.

But it really sounds like you're trying to re-invent the wheel here.

The problem with making a complicated Z-transaction like it sounds like you are doing is not so much as what you are doing today, but what you wind up doing tomorrow.  We discourage such "simplification" for users for several reasons.

1 - SAP is under no obligation to make sure your transaction works.  By limiting whats on the screen, what data the transaction has, etc.. a change from a hotpack or upgrade, could stop your transaction from working correctly.

2. - future functionality - SAP might add functionality that you want to take advantage of but you won't be able to because your program doesn't or can't utilize it.

3.  - I find a lot of these custom transactions are done to coddle and sheild users from responsibility.  I'm all for making life easier and but not everything needs or even should have a programmed solution.  These "solutions" can get so complicated that in 2 years, no one has any clue how to support the program or what it does.  Especially if consutlants and temps are doing the builds and they all leave aftter the go-live.

4. - business changes - new products, new technologies, purchase of another company, sale of a company, all of these things may require a change in your business process.  Becasue of customizatoins, it may be much more costly to make changes in the system if there are a bunch of customizations and programs to worry about.

Several of the fiedls you mention are already there any way.  Why do you need a personnel number?  Every user's id should be logged against each result they enter or change.  Unless you share a common user id which could, technically, be a violation of your SAP licensce.  Workcenters are also linked to in your plans.  Why the need to reenter?

Where the material was produced can be enterred at GR when the material is purchased.  There are default region of origin and country of origin available in the material master.  It can also be made a batch characteristic as well if needed.

Did someone once convince your group to do all inspections as 89's?  That is soooo not recommended..

Craig

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Craig,

Thank you for your reply.

I will try to use an append to hold some specific data.

I also agree with all the points mentioned. However, we have some reasons to try it.

1 – Currently this inspection process is on MS Excel spreadsheets and the Quality Area thinks that QM is difficult and is not user friendly to use at shop floor level.

The inspectors would have to access three transactions (QA01, QE01 and QA11) to enter data for each inspection lot and it would take much time as well.

2 – The number of inspections is very high every day and it is not linked to PP orders. This is the reason that makes us to use control type 89. It may be temporally, but for while it could work. The work center is not always the same defined in control plan, it can vary depending on work center hierarchy.

3 – We from IT are trying to migrate this process into QM, so we have to break this “resistance” by creating an easier screen for end users.

If you have some tips to help me, I will appreciate.

Best regards,

Marcos

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

Thanks for replying back Marcos.

Production can be problematic when it comes to quality.  (Take that however you chose.   )

Have you considered using free inspection points?

I've have in the past used a dummy material to allow us to create inspection points for collecting data points at multiple production locations on an ongoing basis. In our case we created a single inspection lot each day because most resutls were tracked on a daily basis.  The tests in the plan were for things like waste water, stack samples, certain sampling points during continuous process manufacturing..etc.. We used different operations to represent diferent areas and testing. Under each operation, a new inspection point was generated whenever it was decided that particular testing was required.  So in essence it was a manual inspection. 

Inspection points have configurable user fields that can be used to hold exactly the data you are talking about, (Personal Id, work center or sampling point, date, time).  What values couldn't be included in the inspection point user fields were collected in MIC's or inspection descriptions, or required text when a test failed.

Craig

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Craig,

Thank you for your suggestion.

I will study and build a scenario with free inspection points.

Is it possible to record defects and approve or reject according to AQLs when using free inspection points?

Do you know any BAPI that I could use to record results and defects?

Defects recording is one of the main requirements in this process.

Best regards,

Marcos

[former_member42743 · Accepted solution]

Yes - It is possible to record defects and approve/reject based on AQL's.  In fact, that type of valuation was originally designed primarily for use with inspection points.

I don't know a BAPI specificallly for this off hand.  I'm sure they are there though.

Defects recording shouldn't be an issue.

Craig

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

Hi Craig,

I have created a scenario using free inspection points. This can be a good option to hold user specific data instead of Z fields or additional MICs.

Thanks for this tip.

Best regards,

Marcos