Inspection Lots and Usage Decisions
An inspection lot is one line of one document waiting to be checked. The ERP opens lots for you when the document is posted, so nothing depends on somebody remembering to raise a check. The lot carries the item, the quantity, who it is assigned to, when it is due, and — once inspected — the usage decision somebody took on it.
When a lot opens
A lot opens for a document line when the item's quality settings ask for one on that kind of document. The five kinds are:
| Source | Document | Blocks stock |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming Goods | Purchase receipt (GRN) | Yes |
| Production | Production run or job work receipt | Yes |
| Location Transfer | Inventory transfer between locations | Yes |
| Customer Return | Credit note taking goods back | Yes |
| Outgoing Goods | Customer delivery | No — the goods are leaving |
Which of the five applies to an item is set per item on Item quality settings. An item with none of them ticked never produces a lot, and quality never gets in its way.
The statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Open | The lot is waiting to be inspected. |
| Awaiting Decision | It has been inspected. Somebody must now say what happens to the goods. |
| Accepted | The whole quantity is usable. |
| Accepted with Deviation | It did not meet the specification but is being used anyway, on record. |
| Partly Accepted | Part of the quantity is accepted; the rest is rejected and goes on hold. |
| Rejected | None of it is usable. The quantity goes on hold. |
| Skipped | Skip-lot rules let this lot through without inspection. See Sampling. |
| Cancelled | The lot no longer applies — usually because its document was voided. |
Blocked stock
If the item is set to block stock and an Inspection Location is configured, posting the receiving document moves the goods there with an ordinary stock transfer. They are in stock and on the books, but they are not in the location your pickers and production draw from. The accepted quantity is transferred back when the decision is taken; the rejected quantity stays and becomes a quality hold.
Quality never alters the source document. A production run's rejected quantity is what production drew extra material for; an inspection failure after the run is dealt with through its quality hold. The two numbers are shown side by side on the run's Inspections tab so they are read together.
Taking the decision
Open the lot and choose one of four: Accept, Accept with deviation, Accept part and reject the rest, or Reject. Partial acceptance asks for the accepted quantity. A note is kept with the decision. If electronic signature is switched on in General settings, you re-enter your password and the audit trail marks the step as signed.
Taking a decision needs Usage Decisions and Dispositions permission, which is a separate grant from inspecting — that separation is the point of it.
Assigning and chasing
A lot can be assigned to a user with a due date. Unassigned overdue lots are reported to the Quality Manager set in General settings. The Lots tab filters by status, item, document and assignee; the Overview's Lots Needing Attention panel is the same list, pre-filtered to what needs doing.
Reopening
A decided lot can be reopened if the decision was wrong or new evidence arrived. Until it is reopened, the inspection screen will say the lot is already decided rather than letting you inspect it again.