Create inspection orders to monitor the quality of receipts from suppliers or internal production.

Module Description

Nubetech's Quality module allows you to manage the functions needed to ensure the quality of products, semi-finished products, and raw materials at every stage of the production process.

Specifically, the app allows you to:

• Manage control tools.
• Create inspection orders both manually and automatically through previously set inspection plans.
• System blocking of products awaiting inspection.
• Creating non-conformities is the automatic movement of non-compliant goods to the appropriate location within the warehouse.

Setup

Inspection Setup

The main setup will be done on the “Inspection Setup” page.

The fields to be filled in will be:

• Internal Test Type : Select the type of test to run. If necessary, you can create a new type by selecting "New."
• Default Order Priority : Defines the priority to assign to new orders created automatically.
• Default reason : Reason that will be reported on the inspection order.
• Check number of results : If active, checks that the number of results is the same as the sample.
• Inspection Order Report ID : Select the report number to use for printing inspection orders.
• Non-Conformity Order Report ID: indicates the number of the report to be used to print the non-conformities
• Consider quantity under control in MRP : If active, the availability calculated on the MRP will include items awaiting inspection.
• Blocked Recording Def.: defines the warehouse journal to be used to carry out stock movements, both in any segregation location and for blocked quantities.
• Blocked Batch Name: Together with the previous field it is used for recording inventory movements
• Rework Cycle No.: Production cycle used for rework generated by non-conformities
• Automatically generate non-conformances: Allows you to automatically generate a non-conformance document when posting an inspection order with a blocked quantity.
• Production Order – Notification: text used to send an email in the event that a rework order is issued due to a non-conformity
• Transfer Order – Notification: text used to send an email in the event that a transfer order is issued due to a non-conformity
• Transfer without storage – Notification: text used to send an email in the event that a transfer order without storage is issued due to a non-conformity
• Return Order – Notification: text used to send an email in the event that a return order is issued to the supplier due to a non-conformity
• Cancel Doc. – Notification: text used to send an email in the event of a non-conformity related to a purchase order and an attempt to cancel the document.
• Scrapping – Notification: text used to send an email in the event that a non-conformity generates scrap
• Non-conformity order – MDW closing status: Only if MDW is active on the non-conformity table, when a rejection or reclassification is made (using the functions in the header), the non-conformity status will automatically be set to the one entered in this field.
• Commitment Management: allows you to activate the management of commitments between the stock and the inspection order
• Skip registration: if this flag is active when registering an inspection order, no warehouse movement is carried out.

Under the Numbering tab of the page, you will enter the numbering numbers for the instruments, control plans, inspection orders, and non-conformities that will be created through the app.

Finally, under the Supplier Evaluation tab you can set up the setup for supplier evaluation, which BC will calculate based on the results of the inspection orders (See specific Supplier Evaluation documentation) .

By activating the different flags, you will select the criteria to be taken into account when calculating the supplier evaluation.

Inspection results

Once the main setup is set up you will need to create the possible test results on the “Inspection Code Result” page.

We will insert in the rows of this table all the possible results of the tests carried out during the checks:

• Code : result code.
• Description : Description of the result.
• Test result : accepted if positive, accepted with exemption if positive but with warnings, rejected if the test fails.
• Allow recording : if enabled, it will be possible to record the document, for example a loading document.
• Allow editing : if active we will be able to change the inspection order when that result is selected.
• Accept blocked: When registering an inspection order with a result having this flag active, the system checks that all blocking parameters have a populated result.
• Accept critical: When registering an inspection order with a result having this flag active, the system checks that all critical parameters have a populated result.
• Does not accept negative results: When registering an inspection order with a result having this flag active, the system checks whether all parameters have a positive or neutral result.
• Accept lab results without results: When registering an inspection order with a result having this flag active, the system does not verify that the parameters identified as laboratory tests have an assigned result.
• Release Inspection Tool: When an inspection order is registered with a result flagged, the system will release the controlled inspection tool. These results will obviously be specific to calibration-type inspection orders.
• Lock inspection tool: When recording an inspection order with a result flagged, the system will lock the controlled inspection tool. These results are specific to calibration-type inspection orders.

Location Setup

Before creating inspection orders, create a location where the rejected materials will be transferred. This location can be divided into bins or not.

Once the location for non-conformances has been created, we will configure the main locations where we will manage inspection orders.

From the location list, open the location you want to configure and scroll down to the “Inspection” tab:

• Blocked Location Code : Items blocked for non-conformance will automatically be transferred to this location when the inspection order is posted.
• Location Code : If the Blocked location is divided into bins, select the bin where the blocked items should be transferred here.
• Incoming bin code quality control : during inspection, items will be moved to this bin in the warehouse where they are located.
• Outgoing location code quality control : once the inspection has passed, the items will be moved to this location in the warehouse where they are located.
• Exclude from quality control : Set this setup if you want a location to be excluded from the creation of inspection orders.
• Transfer to - Transfer Order Location Code: Indicate here the destination location used by the function present on the transfer order creation non-conformity and by the reclassification creation function.
• Transfer to - Transfer Order Location Code: Indicate here the destination location used by the function present on the transfer order creation non-conformity and by the reclassification creation function.

These last two fields must be populated on the location where the movements are created, NOT on the discard location.

Inspection parameters

To create an Inspection Plan to be used for an inspection order, you need to insert specific controls to be associated with it by creating new parameters from “Specification parameters”.

Specification parameter sheet:

• Nr : parameter identification code
• Description : description of the parameter
• Unit of measurement code : field related to the Units of measurement table
• Specification type : descriptive field to specify the type of parameter being analyzed
• Attribute Flag : to be activated if the parameter is not measurable

Inspection plans

It is necessary to create multiple inspection plans for different inspection types from the “Inspection Plan List”.

Header:

• Number and version : This is automatically populated by the numerator during setup, or it can be managed manually. Multiple versions can be generated for the same inspection plan.
• Status : indicates the status of the plan, only if this is set to certified can the inspection plan be used in order.
• Type: Identifies the purpose for which the plan is created. Acceptance identifies an inspection plan used to check goods, Test is a type of inspection performed on a manual test, and Calibration refers to all checks performed on measuring instruments.
• Start date : start date of plan validity

Lines:

• Specification Parameters: Identifies the parameter to be checked
• Description, Unit of measure code and Attribute: are retrieved from the parameter master data
• Expected Value: Indicates the ideal value the parameter should assume. This field should only be populated for measurable parameters.
• Minimum and maximum value: minimum and maximum limit within which the measurement of the parameter is considered acceptable
• Inspection instrument number: in the case of measurable parameters it is possible to indicate the instrument with which to carry out the measurement
• Blocking: Indicates whether a parameter is blocking for recording the inspection order. Use in combination with the "Accept Blocked" flag on the inspection result code.
• Critical: Indicates whether a parameter is critical for recording the inspection order. Use in conjunction with the "Accept Critical" flag on the inspection result code.
• Laboratory Test: Identifies the parameters for which a laboratory test is required.
• Production setup: identifies the parameters to which a production setup is linked

Inspection matrix

The type of checks to be carried out, the inspection plan to be applied, the frequency and any sampling can be set on the “Inspection Specifications Matrix” page.

Checks can be performed either automatically or manually depending on the triggering event set in the matrix.

• Inspection Type : Select the event in which to create the inspection order. Receipt, WIP, Output, Transfer Receipt, Return Receipt, or Assembly Output allow for automatic generation when the movement is recorded. For the types Purchase Order, Sales Order, Warehouse Receipt, Warehouse Shipment, cumulative receipts, and cumulative shipments, the order must be created manually.
• Rows/Header : The control order can be created for the entire document by selecting Header, for each row by selecting Rows, or for both rows by selecting Both. In the latter case, one order will be generated for the header and one for each row.
• Warehouse Reg. Cat.: By entering a specific category in this field, inspection orders will be created only for the items in that category (you can populate only this field and leave both the Item Category Code and Item No. blank).
• Item Category Code : As with the previous field, this field is used to filter the items to be checked. (You can populate only this field and leave both the Warehouse Reg. Category and Item No. blank.)
• Item No .: By entering a specific item, the check will only be triggered for that item.
• Variant : The control is applied only to the specific variant.
• Type : Select the filter that will be inserted in the next field. You can choose between: Supplier, Customer, Production Area, or Work Center.
• Nr : Enter a filter according to the Type chosen in the previous field.
• Inspection Plan No .: Select the inspection plan from the list.
• Version No .: Select the version of the control plan.
• “Locked” flag : disables the control set on that matrix row
• "Mandatory" flag : if active, prevents the document from being recorded without a control order being entered. This function can only be used for the Purchase Order, Warehouse Loading, and Warehouse Shipping types.
• Sample Size Determination : To be filled in with the type of test to be performed. Each type of test will have an associated sample size set via the Sample Size Setup, which will automatically populate the Sample Quantity on the inspection order.

Sampling size

The sampling size allows you to set up automatic sampling based on the quantity in control.

It is possible to insert multiple sampling types to be used within the inspection matrix, assigning them to the specific control.

For each code it is possible to identify:

From lot size, To lot size: identify the lower and upper limit of the bracket.

• Sample Size: Identifies the sample size to be inspected when the inspection order quantity falls between the values entered in From Sample Size – To Sample Size
• Maximum No. of non-conformities: identifies the maximum number of non-compliant pieces that can be declared on the sample (when registering the inspection order) when the quantity of the inspection order falls within the values entered in From sample size – To sample size. 
  
  

Functionality

Inspection order

Depending on the type of inspection selected on the “Specifications Matrix” page, inspection orders will be created automatically when the document is registered or will have to be created manually.

Example: Recording a load

Considering a purchase order with an item managed with traceability, when registering the load, BC creates an inspection order based on the Inspection Specification Matrix set for the item-supplier.

The inspection order, whether created manually or automatically, will be found on the “Inspection Order List” page.

Header:

• Inspection Order No.: progressive according to the Serial No. set in Inspection Setup
• Plan Type : Acceptance
• Inspection type : indicates the movement from which the inspection order derives
• Item No.: automatically filled in with the item to be checked
• Location code : automatically filled in with the location of the movement made
• Inspection Plan No. and Version: filled in with the plan indicated in the Inspection Specification Matrix setup
• Batch No./Serial No.: the serial or batch number to be checked is indicated
• Inspection Result Section is required for the operator to indicate the inspection result.
• Result section displays the quantity under inspection, any sample to be checked and the compliant and non-compliant quantities

In the Item Accounting Movements side factbox you can view the accounting movements assigned to the inspection order.

• Reference Tab : Fields referring to the event from which the inspection order was created (purchase order, load or released production order), log fields (Created, Created by, Last modified, Last modified by)

Lines :

The line data is taken from the inspection plan in the order header.

• Specification parameters : parameters to be verified, derived from the inspection plan. They can be added, modified, or deleted directly on the specific order. The unit of measurement and attribute will be retrieved accordingly.
• Inspection tool no .: Code of the tool to be used for the measurement.
• Expected Value, Minimum Value and Maximum Value: these are the values present on the inspection plan
• Actual value: In this field, you can enter the measurement taken on the individual piece. Each value entered is logged in a table related to the row. Furthermore, the actual values automatically populate the Results field on the inspection order row.

After checking the various parameters, fill in the inspection order header with the quantities you want to release and/or block. Depending on the action you want to perform, you'll need to enter a different Inspection Result Code and then proceed to register the inspection order from Actions → Register.

At this point, the system will release the compliant items and move them to the output bin set in the location setup, if applicable. Items requiring blocking will be moved to the appropriate reject bin.

If this is foreseen (from the inspection setup) and there is a blocked quantity, a non-conformity document will be automatically generated.

You can create an inspection order directly from the Inspection Order List under New, choosing the item to be inspected, the inspection plan to use, the quantity to be analyzed and the other necessary fields.

Or directly from a purchase order (either from the header or the lines) without having to record the load; an inspection order will be generated with the purchase order reference.

If the inspection order is created from the PO header, there will be no reference to the item being analyzed; the inspection will be performed on the entire purchasing document. This check is generally used for Supplier Evaluation purposes if set up in Inspection Setup.

If the inspection order is created from the PO line, the system will create an inspection document for the single line and Item No. in question, with reference to the document number and purchase line.

Split inspection order

Using the “Item Accounting Transactions” factbox, you can enter the “Quantity for new order” on the individual accounting transaction:

Obviously if a “Quantity for new order” > “Quantity” of the single movement is entered the system will return an error.

After entering the quantities you want to "move" to the new order, the sum will be displayed in the flowfield in the document header:

You can then use the “Split inspection order” function in the ribbon within Actions:

You will then have a new inspection order with the same references as the original order but with quantities and accounting movements defined before the split.

On this order it is also possible to view the inspection order number from which it derives:

The original inspection order will be deducted from the quantity "moved" to the new order. If a movement is moved entirely, it will no longer be linked to the original order.

ATTENTION:

Any changes made manually to the inspection order lines will not be retained on the new order created using the function.

This is to avoid reporting any results already set.

Also, there IS NO undo function.

Non-compliance order

If the compliant quantity corresponds to the total quantity of the inspection order, the goods being analysed are made available and loaded into the warehouse.

If the Blocked Quantity is populated, it is possible, via setup, to automatically generate a non-conformity order.

The non-compliant quantity is transferred to the non-compliant location.

From the non-conformance order the user can decide how to proceed using some actions present on the ribbon (e.g. creating a transfer order, creating a rework production order, return order to supplier or making a rejection with a negative adjustment or a reclassification in a defined location)