With Quality Control, you can record the results of quality testing activities performed against item lots. Use the results of quality testing to inform decisions about whether certain lots are suitable for use in various processes.
Data collection data elements
If Quality Control information is to be recorded for a particular item, that item must be lot-tracked. When Quality Control tests exist for an item, the program assigns them as pending tests for every new lot record created. All historical Quality Control data is maintained on a lot-by-lot basis.
The Quality Control application area uses the data collection data element feature found in the Process Data Collection application area. Assign data collection data element codes to items as quality tests. When a data collection data element is defined as a Quality Control test, it becomes a required value that you record with every new item lot.
Quality Control activities and tests
Whenever a new lot for an item with defined quality tests is received into inventory, a pending Quality Control activity is created for that lot. A Quality Control activity consists of the Quality Control tests assigned to the relevant item record. Record results for each item quality test. Once all test results are entered, complete the activity.
If an item lot needs to be re-tested, assign additional Quality Control activities to it.
Strict quarantine posting
You can require that an item lot must pass Quality Control testing before it can be used in sales and production transactions by starting the strict quarantine posting feature. Strict quarantine posting prevents item lots from being posted on sales and consumption lines if they have not yet been released through a successfully completed Quality Control activity.
For more information about strict quarantine posting, see Strict quarantine posting.
Incident registration
In Food Manufacturing & Distribution, you can enter information about incidents and link them to source records. This is not limited to complaint management, the functionality goes beyond entering complaints. Set up incident registration so that you decide against which sources (such as customers, vendors, items, bins, locations, resources, and machines) incidents can be entered and how they are handled. Incident registration deals not only with entering data about the incident, but also with reporting on resolutions and providing a basis for extensive reporting with BI tools.
For more information about incident registration, see About incident registration.
Skip logic
It is sometimes easier to set up test regimes for items received or produced in such a way that increasing proof of continued quality leads to less testing. In general Quality Management terms, this is called skip logic. Based on settings per item for production and per item/vendor for purchasing, the system can calculate whether a planned Quality Control test can be skipped.
For more information about using skip logic, see Use skip logic.
Average measurement calculation
When several registered Quality Control activities exist for a specific lot, the system can calculate an average test result based on some or all of these tests. On the Data Collection Data Element level, you can determine how an average should be calculated, for example, always the first result or always the last result (for booleans or options), arithmetic for regular average calculations, or geometric calculations (for example, for pH values). The calculated averages are available on screen through a fact box and can be printed using a standard Food Manufacturing & Distribution report.
For more information about average measurement calculation, see Average measurements.