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In DQM, when an analytical result has more than one exception to a Rule in a DQM Check, it is possible to either:

 

a)select the highest ranked qualifier (the only method used in v6.6.1)

b)merge the multiple qualifiers (the new method in the original v7)

 

Now it is possible to choose either method.  To control this feature, there are four Global Parameters in each DQM QAPP:

 

merge_qualifiers: parameter to control whether qualifiers are merged or ranked

•TRUE = merge all qualifiers;

•FALSE = only apply the highest ranked qualifier; (qualifiers with equal ranks are merged)

 

See How do I assign a rank for qualifiers? and DQM Settings > Qualifiers Tab for additional information on how to rank qualifiers.

 

merge_equal ranks: parameter to control how qualifiers with equal ranks are handled

•when merge_qualifiers = TRUE,

oMERGE or WARNING = merge all qualifiers

•when merge_qualifiers = FALSE,

oMERGE = merge qualifiers with equal ranks with no warning

oWARNING = merge qualifiers with equal ranks and place a warning message in the Errors tab

 

merge_ranked_reason_codes: option to merge multiple reason codes even when not merging qualifiers

•When merge_qualifiers = TRUE

oWhen there are multiple exceptions with the same qualifier, there may only be one qualifier displayed, but there could be multiple reasons codes to process.

•AND merge_ranked_reason_codes =

oALL

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception, even if there is only one qualifier after the merging of qualifiers, then merge the reason codes from all exceptions in unranked order (the order will be determined by the order of the DQM checks in the DQM QAPP being used).

oEQUAL ONLY (this setting it is meant to be used with merge_qualifiers = FALSE, but it will not cause an error when used with merge_qualifiers = TRUE, it will just process the same as the ALL setting)

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception, even if there is only one qualifier after the merging of qualifiers, then merge the reason codes from all exceptions in unranked order (the order will be determined by the order of the DQM checks in the DQM QAPP being used).

oRANK ALL

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception, even if there is only one qualifier after the merging of qualifiers, then merge the reason codes from all exceptions in ranked order.

oTOP RANK ONLY

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception, even if there is only one qualifier after the merging of qualifiers, use only the reason code with the highest REASON_CODE_RANK in RT_DQM_REASON.

▪If more than one reason code has been assigned the highest rank, then merge those reason codes.

•When merge_qualifiers = FALSE,

oi.e., use the top-ranked qualifier only.

oWhen there are multiple exceptions with the same qualifier, there may only be one qualifier displayed, but there could be multiple reasons codes to process.

oIf more than one qualifier has the highest rank (it is NOT the recommended practice to give more than one qualifier the same rank), there could be multiple reasons codes to process.

•AND merge_ranked_reason_codes =

oALL

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception, regardless of the qualifier rankings, then merge the reason codes from all exceptions in unranked order (the order will be determined by the order of the DQM checks in the DQM QAPP being used).

oRANK ALL

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception, regardless of the qualifier rankings, then merge the reason codes from all exceptions in in ranked order.

oEQUAL ONLY = based on the qualifier rank and reason code(s) associated with that qualifier;

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is only one qualifier with the highest rank and it has only been assigned to one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception assigned the qualifier(s) with the highest rank, then merge the reason codes from only those exceptions in unranked order (the order will be determined by the order of the DQM checks in the DQM QAPP being used).

oTOP RANK ONLY = based on the qualifier rank and reason code(s) associated with that qualifier;

▪If there is only one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is only one qualifier with the highest rank and it has only been assigned to one exception, then display the reason code for that exception.

▪If there is more than one exception assigned the qualifier(s) with the highest rank, then use the single reason code, from only those exceptions, with the highest REASON_CODE_RANK in RT_DQM_REASON. If more than one reason code from those exceptions have all been assigned the highest rank, then merge those reason codes.

 

Examples:

 

 

Consider these three scenarios:

 

a)One result has three exceptions with the following qualifiers:

i.Exception 1:  qualifier = J;  reason code = rcJ4;  remark = remark J1

ii.Exception 2:  qualifier = U;  reason code = rcU2;  remark = remark U2

iii.Exception 3:  qualifier = J;  reason code = rcJ5;  remark = remark J2
 

b)One result has two exceptions with the following qualifiers:

i.Exception 1:  qualifier = U;  reason code = rcU3;  remark = remark U1

ii.Exception 2:  qualifier = B;  reason code = rcB6;  remark = remark B
 

c)One result has three exceptions with the following qualifiers:

i.Exception 1:  qualifier = U;  reason code = rcU3;  remark = remark U1

ii.Exception 2:  qualifier = J;  reason code = rcJ4;  remark = remark J1

iii.Exception 3:  qualifier = R;  reason code = rcR1;  remark = remark R

 

Assuming these qualifiers and reason codes have the following ranks:

 

 

In the tables below,

•“Apply Q”, “Apply RC”, and “Apply Remark” refer to those columns on the Review All Results tab of the Process Event screen and

•“Warning” refers to that column on the Errors tab of the Process Event screen.

 

Table 1: merge_qualifiers with merge_equal_ranks

 

 

Table 2a: merge_qualifiers = TRUE with merge_ranked_reason_codes

 

 

Table 2b: merge_qualifiers = FALSE with merge_ranked_reason_codes

 

 

Table 3: merge_qualifiers with merge_ranked_remarks