TutorialKart.comHow to Create a Certificate Profile in SAP QM
A certificate profile in SAP Quality Management defines which quality characteristics, inspection results, specifications, and descriptive texts are included in an outgoing quality certificate. It also determines the certificate form and the source from which SAP retrieves the values printed on the certificate.
You can create a certificate profile with transaction QC01. The profile can then be used in the outgoing quality certificate process, subject to the relevant certificate type, material, customer, and output configuration.
| Transaction code | QC01 |
| SAP Path | SAP Menu > Logistics > Quality Management > Quality Certificates > Outgoing > Certificate Profile > Create |
| Change certificate profile | QC02 |
| Display certificate profile | QC03 |
| Main purpose | Control the characteristics and quality data printed on an outgoing certificate |
Requirements Before Creating the SAP QM Certificate Profile
Before starting transaction QC01, confirm that the supporting master data and certificate settings required by your business process are available.
- A certificate type has been defined for the outgoing certificate process.
- The required master inspection characteristics exist for the relevant plant.
- The certificate form or layout to be used has been identified.
- The source of the inspection result and inspection specification is known.
- The user has authorization to create and save certificate profiles.
The exact fields and available values can vary by SAP release and configuration. Review the available field help in your system before selecting result origins, specification origins, and characteristic categories.
Configuration Steps to Create a Certificate Profile with QC01
Step 1: Execute tcode “QC01” in the SAP command field.
Step 2: On the Create Certificate Profile: Initial Screen, enter the certificate profile key and certificate type.
- Cert. profile: Enter the unique key for the new certificate profile. Use the naming convention followed by your organization.
- Certificate type: Enter the certificate type to be assigned to the certificate profile.
After entering the certificate profile and certificate type, press Enter to continue to the header data.
Maintain the Certificate Profile Header Data
Step 3: On the Create Certificate Profile: Header Data screen, maintain the general controls for the profile.
- Name/Form: Assign the form that controls the page layout and the presentation of certificate data. In this example, the standard SAPscript form QM_QCERT_01 is used. Confirm that the form is available and suitable in your SAP system.
- Search field: Enter a search term that helps users locate the certificate profile.
- Short text: Enter a clear description of the profile and its intended use.
- Accepted lot only: Select this option when a certificate should be created only for an accepted inspection lot. Leave it unselected only when the business process permits certificates for other lot statuses.
- Inspection type: Enter an inspection type when the profile should apply only to that inspection process. Leave the field blank when the profile is intended to support all applicable inspection types, subject to the remaining configuration.
After maintaining the required header values, choose Characteristics to define the quality data that SAP should place on the certificate.
Add Inspection Characteristics to the SAP Certificate Profile
Step 4: On the Create Certificate Profile: Characteristics Data screen, add one line for each characteristic or certificate data element that must appear on the outgoing certificate.
- Number: Enter a sequence number, such as 01. Use additional sequence numbers for further profile lines.
- Category: Select the category that represents the type of certificate data to be included. The category influences which additional fields are relevant.
- Plant: Enter the relevant plant code when the characteristic is plant-specific.
- Master Inspection Characteristic: Enter the master inspection characteristic key whose result or specification should appear on the certificate.
- Result Origin: Select the source from which SAP should obtain the value printed as the result. When inspection results are required, select the result origin that retrieves data from inspection result recording.
- Short Text: Specify whether the printed description should come from the certificate profile or the inspection characteristic.
- Inspection Spec. Origin: Select the source from which SAP should retrieve the inspection specification, such as the relevant inspection plan or other configured specification source.
Repeat the entry process for every inspection characteristic or data category required on the certificate. Arrange the sequence numbers in the order in which the information should be processed or displayed by the certificate setup.
Save and Verify the New Certificate Profile
After maintaining the required certificate profile data, choose the Save icon. Depending on your system configuration, SAP may prompt you to select or create a transport request.
The certificate profile is now created. Use transaction QC03 to display it and confirm the header settings, characteristic sequence, result origins, and specification origins before using the profile in certificate processing.
Example Certificate Profile Structure
For a certificate of analysis, a profile might contain separate lines for characteristics such as appearance, purity, moisture content, or dimensions. Each line should reference the correct plant and master inspection characteristic and should use a result origin that matches the way the quality result is recorded.
| Sequence | Example characteristic | Possible result source | Certificate purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Appearance | Inspection result | Print the recorded qualitative result |
| 02 | Purity | Inspection result | Print the measured quantitative value |
| 03 | Moisture content | Inspection result | Print the measured value and applicable specification |
This is only an illustrative structure. The actual characteristic categories, origins, specifications, and forms must match the inspection and certificate configuration in your SAP system.
Common Certificate Profile Issues in SAP QM
- No result appears on the certificate: Check whether the selected result origin matches the source in which the inspection result was recorded. Also verify that the characteristic exists in the relevant inspection lot.
- The specification is missing: Review the inspection specification origin and confirm that the specification is available in the applicable inspection plan or master data.
- The wrong description is printed: Check the short-text source to determine whether SAP is using the text from the profile or from the master inspection characteristic.
- The profile is not selected during certificate processing: Verify the certificate type, material and customer-related certificate settings, profile assignment, validity, and organizational data used by the process.
- A rejected lot cannot produce a certificate: Check whether the Accepted lot only indicator is selected and whether the inspection lot has received the required usage decision.
- The certificate layout is incorrect: Verify the assigned form and any output-form enhancements or custom developments used in the system.
SAP QM Certificate Profile Transaction Codes
| Transaction | Use |
|---|---|
| QC01 | Create a certificate profile |
| QC02 | Change an existing certificate profile |
| QC03 | Display and verify a certificate profile |
| QC55 | Process or issue quality certificates for supported certificate scenarios, depending on system configuration |
Transaction QC01 creates the profile definition. It does not by itself generate a certificate. Certificate creation also depends on the relevant master data, inspection results, assignments, output settings, and certificate-processing transaction used by the organization.
Certificate Profile Review Checklist
- Confirm that the profile key follows the organization’s naming convention.
- Verify that the assigned certificate type is correct.
- Check that the form is available and produces the required layout.
- Confirm whether the profile should be restricted to accepted inspection lots.
- Verify any inspection-type restriction in the header.
- Check the plant and master inspection characteristic on every profile line.
- Confirm that each result origin retrieves the intended quality result.
- Confirm that each inspection specification origin retrieves the intended limits or target values.
- Review the short-text source for every characteristic.
- Display the saved profile with QC03 and test it with representative inspection data before production use.
FAQs About Certificate Profiles in SAP QM
What is the transaction code for creating a certificate profile in SAP?
Use transaction QC01 to create a certificate profile. Transactions QC02 and QC03 are used to change and display a profile.
What does a certificate profile control in SAP QM?
It controls which quality characteristics and related data are included in an outgoing certificate. It can also define the certificate form, result source, specification source, printed text source, plant, and inspection-type restrictions.
Does creating a profile in QC01 automatically generate a certificate?
No. QC01 creates the profile definition. Certificate generation requires the profile to be used within a correctly configured certificate process with the necessary master data, inspection results, assignments, and output settings.
Why are inspection results not printed on the certificate?
The selected result origin may not match the actual result source, the characteristic may be absent from the inspection lot, or the inspection result may not have been recorded or completed. Check the profile line and the underlying inspection data.
What is QC55 used for in SAP QM?
QC55 is used for quality certificate processing in supported outgoing-certificate scenarios. Its exact behavior and available functions depend on the SAP release and the certificate configuration implemented in the system.