Lesson 4 of 5
Supplier complaints and supplier evaluation
9 min
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When a goods receipt inspection finds a problem, two things must happen: the bad material must be contained, and the supplier must fix the cause. The inspection lot handles the first through the usage decision. A supplier complaint, a quality notification of the supplier type (Q2 in a standard setup), handles the second.
- Day 0Defect foundTechnician records slip ring scoring on 30 of 500 rotors in the 01 lot
- Day 0Complaint createdFrom the defect: PO item, material document, supplier Lakeside, pictures, responsible person
- Day 0ContainmentImmediate activity: 30 rotors to blocked stock; suspect stock to quality inspection with a new lot
- Day 2TasksReturn delivery, replacement shipment, supplier root cause (8D), each with processor and due date
- Day 14ExecutionReturn posted with 122; replacement received and inspected; 8D report received
- Day 21ClosureRoot cause and origin recorded; all tasks complete; notification closed
Creating and working the complaint
SAP Learning shows two ways to start: create the supplier complaint directly, or record a defect during the goods receipt inspection, which technically creates the quality notification. The second keeps the purchase order item, material document and supplier on the notification automatically. Immediate actions contain the problem; corrective actions become tasks with a processor and status, and the processor can be notified by email.
| Action | Where it is recorded | Typical system effect |
|---|---|---|
| Block defective stock | Immediate activity | Stock transfer to blocked stock, or UD posting to blocked |
| Return to supplier | Task | Return delivery, movement type 122 |
| Scrap when return is too costly | Task | Scrap posting, for example 553 from inspection stock |
| Replacement delivery | Task | New goods receipt and inspection lot |
| Root cause analysis (8D or CAPA) | Tasks and causes | No stock effect; documentation and follow-up |
Actions in a supplier complaint and their system effects.
Closing the loop: supplier evaluation
Two pieces of quality data reach supplier evaluation. The quality score set at each usage decision (1 worst, 100 best) builds a history per material and supplier; SAP Learning shows the score procedures and the analytics apps that trend it, such as Inspection Lot Analytics and its detailed drill-down. And the origin of complaints recorded when a notification is closed lets evaluation count problems a supplier caused. Nonconformance analytics break defects down by supplier, defect code and material.
- Usage decisionsQuality scores per lot for Lakeside rotors
- ComplaintsQ2 notifications with defect codes and origin
- AnalyticsInspection lot and nonconformance analytics by supplier
- Supplier evaluationQuality criterion feeds purchasing's overall rating
- DecisionPurchasing and quality agree on development, tighter inspection or a block
Complaint costs are often charged back to the supplier through invoices or credit memos. SAP Learning notes this is part of the fuller process. If Contoso does it, Ana's accounts payable process and the complaint need a common reference, and the test should prove that the charge matches the complaint.
What would you do?
A complaint against Lakeside has its return delivery and replacement done, but the 8D root cause task is still open. The buyer wants the notification closed so the dashboard turns green. What do you advise?
Walkthrough: Lakeside rotor complaint
- In the 01 lot for 500 rotors (PO 4500002246 to Lakeside), the technician records defect "slip ring scoring" on 30 pieces; this creates the Q2 notification with the PO item and material document.
- Immediate activity: usage decision posts 470 to unrestricted and 30 to blocked stock.
- Tasks: return of 30 rotors to Lakeside (movement 122) assigned to Omar; 8D report requested from Lakeside, due in 14 days.
- The quality score of the lot (for example 70) and the complaint origin "supplier" feed supplier analytics.
- The notification is completed only after the 8D task is closed with Lakeside's root cause and corrective action.
- A supplier complaint is a quality notification, often created from GR inspection defects.
- Immediate activities contain; tasks with processors and dates correct.
- Quality scores and complaint origin feed supplier analytics and evaluation.
- Consistent defect codes are what make supplier analytics useful.
Check your understanding · not graded
Lesson check
1. What is the benefit of creating the complaint from a GR inspection defect?
2. Which recorded value lets evaluation count problems a supplier caused?
3. Why agree defect codes per material group?
4. Which movement type returns blocked rotors to Lakeside with reference to the purchase order?