Dear SAP Community,
As part of the SAP Industry Cloud Strategy we are happy to announce the availability of SAP Supplier Problem-Solving, a solution which helps parts manufacturers and first tier suppliers from discrete industries to interact with their suppliers in problem-solving processes.
Context: Quality management and the relevance of 8D as problem-solving methodology
Quality is key for company success. In the past years, OEM/ parts manufacturer and suppliers in the automotive industry were able to increase the level of product and service quality despite the challenges of increasing complexity, short development cycles and high product variety.
However, a high quality can only be achieved if processes, parts, and components along the entire value change fulfill defined standards. With a vertically integrated value chain of approx. 30%, automotive OEM are heavily dependent on the quality level of material sourced from suppliers.
If critical defects are detected, for example during at goods receipt or during manufacturing, the monitoring, analysis, and fast resolution of critical defects is key.
For handling the resulting complaints with a structured and transparent approach, the International Automotive Task Force (IATF) developed the Eight Disciplines Problem-Solving (8Ds) methodology. The purpose of 8D is to identify, correct, and eliminate recurring problems to improve processes and product quality and reduce cost. The methodology has become a popular industry standard which is widely used also across other industries like Manufacturing, Assembly and Services.
Despite all, keeping the transparency of the corresponding problem-solving processes and the ongoing collaboration with the involved parties remains a challenge for many companies, especially when defective material from external suppliers is detected.
SAP Supplier Problem-Solving
SAP Supplier Problem-Solving provides a central collaboration platform for buyers (OEM, Parts Manufacturers, 1st tier Suppliers) and their suppliers to solve and prevent problems using the 8D methodology and its predefined steps.
Some of the key features are:
- Collaboration Hub between Buyers and Suppliers
Direct and real time interaction between buyers and suppliers for solving problems efficiently using 8D methodology - Status Management
Easy tracking of the problem resolution process via transparent status handling on 8D level and individual step level - Root Cause Analysis
Possibility to use 5 Why methodology as a tool for root cause analysis - Authorization and User Management Concept
Restricted access to 8Ds based on supplier and involved parties in the 8D and easy onboarding of users on both supplier and customer side - E-Mail Communication
The involved parties in the 8D are informed immediately about changes or updates in the 8D via e-mails.
The solution is a Cloud solution built on SAP Business Technology Platform. With the current release in Q2 2021, the solution integrates into S/4HANA Enterprise Management (as of Version 1809). Integrations to S/4HANA Cloud and ECC are planned for this year.
We hope you like the solution and are happy to receive feedback and questions.
Best regards,
Julia Quintel
Solution Manager, Industry Business Unit Automotive
