• Tips and Tricks
• FAQs

Tips and Tricks

1.  Define Your Items: Begin by clearly defining each item featured in your BOMs. Assign unique part numbers to facilitate easy identification and organization.
2. Ensure Uniqueness: Guarantee that each item in your BOM stands out by opting for “Unique Part Numbers.” This prevents duplicates and keeps your inventory organized and error-free.
3. Opt for Automation: Streamline your workflow and save valuable time by embracing the power of “Auto Generate Part Numbers.” Let OpenBOM take the reins, effortlessly handling the numbering process for you.
4. Organize with Catalogs: Simplify your workflow by categorizing similar items into catalogs. This systematic approach makes it effortless to locate and manage your inventory.
5. Maintain Version Control: Keep track of changes and revisions associated with each part number using OpenBOM catalogs. This feature ensures you have a clear history of modifications, enhancing transparency and accountability.
6. Utilize Revisions: Seamlessly manage item revisions directly within your catalogs. This allows for smooth updates while retaining valuable historical data, ensuring your BOMs are always up-to-date and accurate.
7. Use Templates: Save commonly used BOMs as templates to streamline the creation process for similar products.
8. Regular Updates: Regularly update your catalogs and BOMs to reflect the latest changes and revisions, ensuring accuracy.
9. Utilize Visualization: Make use of the BOM Visualization feature to better understand and manage your product structure.
10. Leverage “Where Used”: Use the “Where Used” function to track where components are used across different assemblies and products, helping manage dependencies and changes.

FAQs

1. What components go into a Catalog?

A Catalog includes all the individual parts, raw materials, and components that can be used in various BOMs. Each item in the catalog typically has detailed information such as part number, description, supplier details, and more.

2. What components go into a BOM?

A BOM includes all the parts, components, and sub-assemblies required to build a specific product. Each item in a BOM lists the quantity needed, part number, description, and reference designators if applicable.

3. What does the “Where Used” feature do?

It helps you track and display where each part or sub-assembly is used across different BOMs, which is crucial for managing changes and understanding dependencies.

4. What is the purpose of saving a BOM as a template?

It allows you to save a BOM setup for future use, making it easier to create similar BOMs in the future without starting from scratch.

5. What does the BOM Visualization feature do?

It provides a graphical representation of your BOM, making it simpler to understand the product structure visually.

6. How do I use Formulas and Roll-up Functions?

Use formulas to perform calculations directly within your BOM or catalog. For example, you can calculate the total cost by multiplying the quantity of parts by their unit price. Roll-up functions aggregate data from lower levels of the BOM to higher levels, such as summing up the total quantity or cost of sub-components to get the overall totals for an assembly.

7. How do I share a BOM or Catalog?

You can share BOMs and catalogs with team members or stakeholders via the sharing menu. You can specify who you want to share with and set the privileges (e.g., read-only, edit).

8. How do I manage the Quantity on Hand?

Keep track of the inventory levels of each part in your catalog. This helps in planning and ensuring you have the necessary components available for production.