This blog post provides an overview of the Nonconformance Management with SAP QM.

Nonconformance Management with SAP QM is also part of the SAP Podcast “Inside SAP S/4HANA Episode 79 – The Power of SAP Quality Management”:

https://podcast.opensap.info/inside-sap/2022/12/14/inside-sap-s-4hana-episode-79-the-power-of-sap-quality-management/

In a nutshell

Managing defects has become one of the central tasks of a modern company. In addition to high costs, defects can also cause immense damage to a company’s reputation – making the permanent elimination of defects even more important. Since the SAP S/4HANA Release 1809, a completely new way of defect recording has been available in the form of Nonconformance Management. Detached from the quality notification, defects can be recorded intuitively in a simple way across all areas and documented with images. Measures and persons responsible for measures can be defined for the defects. In the case of more complex defects, the defect can be transferred to a quality notification or, since the SAP S/4HANA Release 2020, a system-based 8D problem solving process can be started. In a simple way the causes of the defect can be determined and suitable measures for correcting the defect can be defined – with the goal of permanently eliminating defects.

An innovation for SAP QM

Simple

Nonconformance Management is a successful simplification of SAP Quality Management. The intuitively designed Fiori apps allow the user to create defects as “general defects” without reference to inspection lots, operations, or characteristics – this was not possible before and offers the user completely new possibilities.

In a very short time, the user has recorded, described, and documented the defect with photos. With the Fiori app “record defects”, defects can then be processed immediately in a simple manner. It is also possible to define corrective measures and preventive measures including follow-up actions.

Workflows can be activated to process the recorded measures. After the measures have been recorded and a user has been assigned, a task is assigned to the user via the Fiori app “My Inbox”. The user can open the task with one click and actively process the measure, e.g., report details on the processing of the measure and then complete it.

Fiori-App: My Inbox

The major advantage is that an extensive quality notification is not required to manage defects. This simplification decreases the inhibition threshold to report defects and leads to a higher acceptance among users.

Customized and role-based

In addition to the recording general defects, defects can also be recorded in the warehouse and in production. The following three Fiori Apps are available in the SAP standard:

• Record Defect: For general defects without object reference. Can be used in many ways in the company, e.g., as internal defect management or quality rounds in production.
• Record Warehouse Defect: For defects that have occurred in the warehouse and have a reference to material and storage location. Both attributes can be recorded.
• Record Production Defect: For defects that occurred during production and have a reference to material and production order. Both attributes can be recorded.

Fiori-Apps: Record Defects

The customizing of customer-specific defect categories and fields is also possible and enables the creation of an individual app, e.g., for the defect management of a company.

Customized Fiori App

Mobile defect recording

Recording defects where they occur – this is possible with Nonconformance Management, because the SAP Fiori Apps adapt flexibly to any mobile device and can be called up via the web browser, for example. In this way, identified deviations can be recorded during quality tours, for example, and documented with photos if required

NCM on mobile device

Analytics

With analytical Fiori apps, SAP S/4HANA enables real-time insights into the company’s quality processes by displaying relevant information and KPIs directly in the app – even on mobile devices. For the Nonconformance Management, the apps “Nonconformance Analytics” and ” Nonconformance Detailed Analytics” offers extensive analysis options. The relevant information is displayed graphically on an overview page with a high degree of informative value – various types of graphics can be selected. Depending on requirements, the data can be filtered by time series, defect category, defect code and defect code group, material and plant, work center and plant, supplier and customer.

The QM analytical overview pages for quality engineers allows viewing of the most common defects and the most common defective materials. These are important information for future system, material, or process improvements.

Fiori QM-Analytics

Problem-Solving Process with 8D method

Since the SAP S/4HANA Release 2020, when a defect is recorded, it is possible to start the problem-solving process with the 8D method. The users are guided by the system through the 8 disciplines, including description of defects, definition of immediate measures, determination of defects causes and definition of preventive measures – with the goal of eliminating defects permanently.

Fiori App: Problem-Solving Process

Integration in quality notification

If it becomes apparent during defect processing that the defect is too complex or that the supplier is involved, the user has the option of transferring the defect to a quality notification or assigning it to a quality notification that has already been created. The transfer or assignment can be done with the Fiori app “Manage Defects”. The defect is closed and processed further in the quality notification.

Process-Flow

Process-Flow

Added value of Nonconformance Management

In summary, Nonconformance Management offers the following added value:

• Time: In a very short time, defects are recorded, described, and documented with photos – even on mobile devices.
• Flexibility: Due to the object independence, many possible use cases are possible, e.g., customer acceptance, quality tours in production, defect management, etc.
• Sustainable: Nonconformance Management is based on the CIP-principle and follows the goal of permanently eliminating defects.
• Integration: If a more complex defect requires extensive defect processing, the defect can be transferred to a quality notification and processed further from there.
• Analytics: Analytical apps present the relevant quality data with clear graphics and high informative value in real time.
• Communication: By activating workflows, users are informed about new quality tasks directly in the system, so there are no media breaks.

I hope I could give you a little insight into the world of Nonconformance management with SAP QM.

I am happy to answer your questions and give you feedback and don’t forget to like and share the blog and follow me on SAP blogs to not miss more content:  https://people.sap.com/86chrigu.

Please check also my answers:

https://answers.sap.com/questions/13633315/field-ekorg-in-qmel.html?childToView=13632618

https://answers.sap.com/questions/13635103/rejection-status-for-the-rejected-lot-in-the-inspe.html?childToView=13636188

Best regards, Christian