What is optional characteristic in SAP QM - Quality Management?

SAP Term: optional characteristic

• Component: QM

• Component Name: Quality Management

• Description: Specifies that results can be recorded for an inspection characteristic, but do not have to be recorded

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• Key Concepts: 
  Optional characteristics are additional characteristics that can be added to a material in the Quality Management (QM) component of SAP. These characteristics can be used to describe the material in more detail and can be used to filter materials for specific purposes. 
  
  How to use it: 
  In order to add an optional characteristic to a material, you must first create the characteristic in the QM component. Once the characteristic is created, it can be assigned to a material by going to the material master record and selecting the “Optional Characteristics” tab. From there, you can select the desired characteristic and assign it to the material. 
  
  Tips & Tricks: 
  When creating optional characteristics, it is important to make sure that they are descriptive enough so that they can be easily identified and used for filtering purposes. Additionally, it is important to make sure that all of the necessary characteristics are added so that all relevant information about a material is captured. 
  
  Related Information: 
  For more information on optional characteristics in SAP QM, please refer to the SAP Help documentation at https://help.sap.com/viewer/product/SAP_QM/7.5/en-US.