Quality Control for Subcontracted Goods in Odoo#
When a subcontractor manufactures on your behalf, the finished goods they return may not meet your quality standards. A receiving inspection checkpoint catches defects before subcontracted goods enter your stock and are committed to customer orders.
Configuring a Quality Control Point for Subcontracting#
Quality → Configuration → Control Points → New:
- Title: Subcontractor Incoming Inspection
- Operation: Receipts (the receipt operation linked to the subcontracting PO)
- Product/Category: the subcontracted product (or all subcontracted products)
- Quality Team: Incoming QC Team
- Control Frequency: All (inspect every subcontractor return)
The Quality Check Flow#
When a subcontractor shipment arrives and the PO receipt is validated:
- Odoo auto-creates a quality check work order
- QC inspector opens the check:
- Measure: dimensional tolerances, surface finish, functional test
- Pass/Fail per criteria
- Pass: goods move to stock automatically
- Fail: quality alert created → goods held at receiving
Quality Alert for Subcontractor Failures#
Quality → Quality Alerts → [Alert]:
- Record the specific defect: "Surface finish below Ra 0.8 on 15 of 50 units"
- Take photos (attached to the alert)
- Assign to: Subcontractor Account Manager for root cause
Disposition options:
- Return to subcontractor: create a transfer back to vendor → subcontractor reworks and returns
- Rework in-house: accept the non-conforming units with a rework order
- Scrap: if unusable → record scrap, pursue warranty claim with subcontractor
- Concession: accept with engineering approval (non-conforming material authorization)
Subcontractor Quality Scorecard#
Track quality performance per subcontractor:
Quality → Reporting → Quality Checks → filter by vendor:
| Subcontractor | Lots Received | Lots Passed | Pass Rate | Avg Defect Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coating Vendor | 48 | 46 | 95.8% | 2.1% |
| Machining Partner | 62 | 58 | 93.5% | 4.2% |
Share scorecards in quarterly supplier reviews. Subcontractors below 95% pass rate require a corrective action plan.
Root Cause Tracking#
For each quality alert, record the root cause category:
- Process deviation at subcontractor
- Material defect in components you supplied
- Specification unclear in the drawing
- First-article issue (new setup not validated)
Root cause analysis drives corrective action - process improvement vs. drawing clarification vs. material qualification.