SAP QM — Interview Questions Booklet (50 Q&A)
S/4HANA Quality Management • QM in Procurement/Production/Sales • Inspection Lots • MICs & Sampling • SPC & Control Charts • QN & CAPA • Certificates & Compliance
1) What is SAP QM and where is it used?
Answer: SAP QM supports quality planning, inspection, and control across procurement, manufacturing, and delivery. It integrates with MM, PP, SD, EWM, and PM to ensure defects are prevented, detected, and corrected.
2) What are the key organizational objects in QM?
Answer: Plant, storage location, inspection type, inspection lot, task list (routing/inspection plan), work center, quality info record (QIR), quality level, and catalogs (defect, cause, task, action).
3) Which master data drives inspections?
Answer: Material master (QM view), inspection types, MICs (QS21), sampling procedures (QDV1), inspection plans/task lists (QP01), selected sets/catalogs (QS41/42/43).
4) How did S/4HANA change QM?
Answer: Fiori apps for results/UD/QNs, embedded analytics on ACDOCA/quality CDS views, closer EWM/QM integration, new business partner model, and simplifications in inspection processing.
5) What are common inspection types?
Answer: 01 (Goods receipt for purchase order), 04 (In-process manufacturing), 05 (Goods receipt from production), 08 (Stock transfer), 09 (Recurring), 10 (Delivery to customer), 17/89 (EWM), etc.
6) What is a MIC and what types exist?
Answer: A Master Inspection Characteristic defines what to check. Types: quantitative (with specs/tolerances, units) and qualitative (code-based). They can be referenced or task list–specific.
7) How are sampling procedures defined?
Answer: Create fixed-size, percentage, or inspection-by-attributes variables sampling plans; assign to MICs or plan headers; optionally link to DMR for dynamic sample size.
8) What is an inspection plan vs. routing?
Answer: Inspection plan (QP01) is a QM-specific task list with operations and MICs; routing (PP) is for manufacturing steps. In-process (04) can use routing-based inspection characteristics.
9) How do catalogs and selected sets work?
Answer: Catalogs hold standardized codes (defects, causes, tasks). Selected sets group codes for specific materials/plants; used during results and QN processing for consistency and analytics.
10) What is a Dynamic Modification Rule (DMR)?
Answer: DMR adjusts inspection scope/frequency based on quality level (history of accept/reject). It reduces sampling for proven-capable suppliers/products and tightens after defects.
11) How is GR-based inspection triggered for purchase orders?
Answer: Activate inspection type 01 in material QM view and maintain QIR/vendor settings. On MIGO GR, system creates inspection lot referencing PO and inspection plan/MICs.
12) What is a Quality Info Record (QIR)?
Answer: QIR (QDL/QI01) holds supplier-material quality agreements: source inspection requirement, blocking status, inspection setup, and DMR linkage; it gates procurement release.
13) How do you handle vendor source inspections?
Answer: Enable source inspection in QIR; create inspection lots before delivery, record results at vendor site, then allow delivery when accepted and certificate is available.
14) How are COA (Certificates of Analysis) processed at GR?
Answer: Configure certificate profiles for materials/vendors; at GR, import/check COA data against specs, optionally auto-UD or block stock if certificate is missing/failed.
15) What postings result from a reject at incoming inspection?
Answer: Usage decision moves stock from QM to blocked/return to vendor, posts difference documents, and optionally creates a vendor QN with corrective action workflow.
16) How do you create in-process inspection lots?
Answer: Activate inspection type 04; when production order reaches defined operation, lot is generated referencing routing/MICs; inspectors record results prior to confirmation.
17) What is the difference between 04 and 05 inspection types?
Answer: 04 = in-process during order operations; 05 = goods receipt from production (final inspection). Both may share MICs but differ in timing and stock impact.
18) How do inspection characteristics link to work centers?
Answer: In plans/routings, MICs are assigned to operations that reference a work center; work center controls resources, personnel, and measurement equipment.
19) How is nonconformance captured on the shop floor?
Answer: Inspectors record defects against MICs using catalog codes; system can auto-create QNs, trigger rework orders, and block quantities pending UD.
20) How do you enable skip lots for capable processes?
Answer: Configure DMR and quality levels. After consistent accepts, sampling can reduce or skip lots; any reject resets the level to stricter sampling.
21) How is delivery inspection (type 10) used?
Answer: For outbound deliveries, type 10 creates lots to verify quality before PGI. Failures trigger blocks/returns, ensuring only conforming goods ship.
22) How are customer complaints captured in QM?
Answer: Create QNs with category “Customer”; record defect/cause/task codes, assign responsibilities, and manage CAPA, optionally linked to returns (SD) and credit memos.
23) How do you manage quality certificates to customers?
Answer: Define certificate profiles (QC01), assign to customer/material; generate 3.1/3.2 certificates at delivery/billing with actual batch results and signatures.
24) How does batch management integrate with QM?
Answer: Batches carry characteristic values from inspection results; UD can update batch classification; batch determination uses quality class for picking.
25) What is recurring inspection (type 09)?
Answer: Periodic reinspection of stock (e.g., shelf-life). System creates lots per interval to verify ongoing conformity; nonconformity triggers blocks/rework/scrap.
26) How is an inspection lot structured?
Answer: Header (origin, material, quantity), operations, MICs (quant/qual), sample details, defects, results, and UD. It references plan/routing and manages stock in QM.
27) How do you record results efficiently?
Answer: Use QE51N/Fiori apps; leverage sample management, default values, catalogs, and device integration. For quantitative MICs, enter measured values; for qualitative, select codes.
28) What happens during Usage Decision (UD)?
Answer: Based on results, UD (QA11/QA32 or Fiori) moves stock (QM → unrestricted/blocked/return), updates quality level/DMR, and can trigger follow-on actions (QN, rework).
29) How is stock moved between QM, unrestricted, and blocked?
Answer: UD or inventory movements handle Q → UR, UR → Q, Q → Blocked, etc., using standard movement types; controls ensure traceability to inspection lots.
30) How do you handle partial lots and partial decisions?
Answer: Split lots by sample/quantity; record mixed results and post partial UD to different stocks. Remaining quantity stays in QM until final UD.
31) What is a Quality Notification (QN)?
Answer: A QN documents defects, causes, and actions (internal, supplier, customer). It orchestrates CAPA with tasks, deadlines, responsibilities, and status tracking.
32) How do you structure catalogs for effective CAPA?
Answer: Standardize defect/cause/task/action codes with selected sets per plant/material. This enables meaningful KPIs and consistent root-cause analysis.
33) How do you integrate QNs with procurement or production?
Answer: Link QNs to inspection lots, POs, vendors, or production orders. Trigger supplier 8D, block vendor via QIR, or create rework orders directly from QN tasks.
34) What workflow options exist for QNs and UD approvals?
Answer: Classic WS workflows and Fiori My Inbox; approvals for UD/QN steps with rules based on material, value at risk, or defect severity.
35) Which KPIs do you monitor for quality performance?
Answer: PPM/PPB, FPY, DPMO, defect Pareto, supplier scorecards, rework/scrap cost, on-time CAPA closure, and COQ (cost of quality).
36) What SPC capabilities exist in SAP QM?
Answer: Statistical process control via control charts on quantitative MICs (X-bar/R, P/NP charts), sampling, and alerts for out-of-control signals.
37) How do you set up control charts?
Answer: Define MIC as quantitative with SPC relevant, sampling procedure, calculation parameters (subgroup size, control limits), and assign to plan/operation.
38) How are control limits determined?
Answer: From historical data or specification-based calculations; system computes UCL/LCL and flags points violating rules (e.g., Western Electric) if configured.
39) What analytics are available in S/4HANA for QM?
Answer: Fiori analytical apps and CDS views for defects, lot cycle time, UD outcomes, supplier performance, SPC trends; can expose to SAC for dashboards.
40) How do you connect measurement devices?
Answer: Via QM-IDI/PMI interfaces or custom middleware to capture readings directly into results recording, improving accuracy and speed.
41) How do quality certificates to customers work?
Answer: Certificate profiles define which MIC results/Class characteristics appear; generated at delivery/billing with batch-specific results and sign-off.
42) How do you manage supplier audits and evaluations?
Answer: Use QNs for audit findings, scoring models for supplier evaluation (quality, delivery, COQ), integrate with SRM/Ariba if present, and link to QIR status.
43) What compliance frameworks are commonly supported?
Answer: ISO 9001/13485, IATF 16949, GMP, FDA 21 CFR Part 11; QM supports traceability, electronic signatures, audit trails, and controlled master data.
44) How do you implement electronic signatures in QM?
Answer: Activate digital signature objects for UD/results/QN steps; require user/password or certificate per compliance policy with audit logging.
45) How are stability studies handled?
Answer: Model as recurring inspections tied to batches/shelf-life with scheduled lots and trend analysis; record results against predefined MICs/time points.
46) GR posted but no 01 inspection lot created — what do you check?
Answer: Verify material QM view (01 active), QIR status, PO control keys, and GR flags; confirm plant assignment and plan availability/selection.
47) UD posted to wrong stock — how to correct?
Answer: Reverse UD or post inventory movements to correct stock type; if accounting impact exists, document and adjust with appropriate approvals/QN.
48) High false rejects due to tight tolerances — remediation?
Answer: Review MIC specs vs capability, update sampling plans, apply DMR, improve measurement system (MSA), and recalibrate equipment.
49) Supplier PPM spiked — how do you respond in SAP?
Answer: Raise supplier QN, trigger 8D CAPA, tighten QIR (block/100% inspect), increase sampling via DMR, and monitor via vendor evaluation KPIs.
50) Inspectors complain about slow data entry — quick wins?
Answer: Use Fiori apps, default values in MICs, templates/selected sets, device integration, mass processing (QA32), and simplify plan structures.