Collaborate on Quality Inspections

Quality Collaboration offers a streamlined way for buyers and suppliers to collaborate on Quality inspections of materials, components or finished goods. This process involves the supplier performing an inspection and sharing the results, often before materials are shipped, to ensure only compliant materials are accepted. 

Quality Inspection Flow

The process begins when a quality inspection request is imported from external systems. The quality inspection request is initially set to Open status in Coupa. In-app and email notifications are sent to you to start working on the inspection and submitting the results. 

1. You can navigate to the inspection request from the notification or directly through the Quality tab in the CSP. You can view high-level details, including the item, the reference document (PO or ASN), due date, and the number of characteristics that need to be filled.
2. As you begin to fill in the required characteristics, the quality inspection status changes from Open to In Progress.
   1. You can add attachments such as a Certificate of Analysis (COA) or Certificate of Compliance (COC) at the inspection header level or other attachments at the specific characteristic level.
   2. You can use the remarks field at the characteristic level to provide functional justification or details like a batch number.
   3. You can view and add comments at the header level to collaborate with you. 
   4. After you have entered all mandatory characteristics, the quality inspection is ready for submission and review.The inspection status moves to Awaiting Buyer Review.

Once you submit it, the buyer can review the results and accept, reject or send the inspection back to you for missing information. 

1. Buyer is notified of the submission and view the quality inspection in the Awaiting Buyer Review status. 
   1. They can see the full characteristic data, including the defined specification Range and the Expected Result. 
   2. They can also see the attachments added by the supplier.
2. Buyers can use the collaboration tools to communicate with you. 
   1. Send comments to you if additional details are required.
   2. If necessary information is missing or unsatisfactory, the buyer can send back the inspection. The reason for sending back is automatically captured as a header comment, and the status returns to In Progress. You must then resubmit the inspection.
3. For the final decision, the buyer can choose whether to Accept or Reject the outcome.
4. They can select a resolution reason (for example: "All specifications satisfied," "Critical specification is met").
   1. The inspection status changes to Closed, regardless of whether the result was accepted or rejected.