Resolving Make/Buy Material Inspection Issues

Understanding the SAP QA Make/Buy Material Inspection Problem

In many SAP Quality Management (QM) implementations, users face a challenge when dealing with Make/Buy materials—finished products (FERT) that are both manufactured in-house and procured externally. These scenarios typically require two different inspection types:
  • Inspection Type 13 (Online Inspection) – for in-house production
  • Inspection Type 01 (Goods Receipt Inspection from Vendor) – for externally purchased goods

The Common Workaround: Toggling Inspection Types

Many SAP users resolve this conflict by manually activating or deactivating inspection types in the material master QM view, based on the transaction type:
  • For incoming inspections, they deactivate Inspection Type 13.
  • For online production inspections, they deactivate Inspection Type 01.
While this workaround can be effective, it’s not ideal for long-term operations or automated processes.

A Better Solution: Using Inspection Plan Usage for Differentiation

Instead of switching inspection types manually, you can keep both inspection types active simultaneously in the material master by properly managing the Inspection Plan Usage. This approach allows SAP to distinguish between inspection scenarios based on the context of the transaction:
  • Define separate inspection plans with different usage indicators.
  • Assign appropriate usage settings to each plan (e.g., one for production, another for procurement).
  • Ensure each inspection plan is linked to the corresponding inspection type logic.
This method offers greater flexibility and automation, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing errors in inspection processing.

Conclusion: Streamlining SAP QM for Make/Buy Materials

By leveraging inspection plan usage, you can streamline quality inspections in SAP for materials that are both made and bought. Keeping both inspection types active ensures full coverage and minimizes manual maintenance. This approach enhances data integrity, compliance, and efficiency across your quality management workflows.

FAQs: SAP QA Make/Buy Material Inspection

1. Can I use both inspection types 01 and 13 for the same material in SAP QM?

Yes, you can activate both inspection types in the material master and manage them using different inspection plans with distinct usage settings.

2. What is Inspection Type 01 in SAP?

Inspection Type 01 is used for Goods Receipt Inspection from external vendors.

3. What is Inspection Type 13 in SAP?

Inspection Type 13 refers to Online Inspection during in-house production.

4. How do I avoid deactivating inspection types manually?

Use separate inspection plans with specific usage indicators for each scenario. This lets SAP differentiate the process automatically.

5. Is there a risk in keeping both inspection types active?

No, as long as inspection plans are properly configured, SAP will handle both scenarios without conflict.

6. Where can I set the inspection plan usage in SAP?

You can configure usage in the inspection plan header under the “Usage” field, which allows different plans to be applied based on the context.

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