I'm relatively new to SAP, completed one implementation as Subject Matter Expert. Now I'm studying for QM certification.
This is the scenario that I am looking to find a solution for.
The company (FMCG food manufacturer) receives raw materials, and most raw materials require the receipt of a certificate to clear the material for use in production (either before or with delivery). The raw materials are divided into 2 broad categories; sensitive (require pathogen micro clearance) and non-sensitive . All raw materials are batch managed.
For sensitive and non-sensitive ingredients the requirement is that each combination of batch/material requires the receipt of a certificate to enable the clearance of that batch of material, but this clearance is only required on the first delivery of a material, i.e. on the first delivery the certificate is required, but on subsequent deliveries the certificate is not required and the stock should be receipted without sighting a certificate and go straight to unrestricted. If no certificate is received the stock should be posted to Quality or Blocked.
For sensitive ingredients there is the additional requirement that the material is tested in-house for micro clearance every 6 months.
The company has a policy that a batch of material is only release once, this is particularly critical for sensitive ingredients. From an audit perspective they want to have no record of clearance except for the first delivery
Standard SAP has the certificate receipt process (QM in Procurement) but this does not appear to meet the requirements as it appears to be too tightly linked to the PO. Most PO are generated from MRP, some bulk ingredients have longer term PO's, all PO's are based on contracts. A batch of material maybe received across multiple PO's, or multiple batches of a material maybe received on one PO.
Currently they are using Inspection Lots. Non-sensitive ingredients have a single characteristic (CoA Check - pass/fail), sensitive ingredients have additional characteristics for the micro testing parameters (subject to DMR with a time limit). The issue with this approach is, for sensitive ingredients, that if the certificate is not received and the inspection lot UD is rejected (follow-up is via notification) the DMR reverts to the initial phase and the next inspection will require the micro testing - but this is not required in reality. Micro testing is only required if the 6 month period has expired, or the micro parameters on the certificate are out of specification (this is extremely rare - has not happened in 10 years, but missing certificates, i.e. not received before or with delivery, is reasonably common).
Appreciate any advice.
Neil Woodford