In this task you will import or enter the Components that comprise your bills of manufacturing.
Task Note:
This task is confined to the import or entry of stock item components. If your old system’s BOMs contain labor or subcontract service components, do not import or enter them. Labor and subcontract service components should be converted to routing sequences.
Make sure your BOM Routing Sequences are defined first
We strongly recommend that you create your BOM parent and define your routing sequence processes first and then enter your BOM components and assign them to the appropriate Work Center/Subcontractor Routing Sequence where the materials will be issued.
Links:
Bill of Manufacturing Guide - Components (Bill of Materials)
Screen Help - Bill of Manufacturing
NOTE: Components are entered on the Components tab.
Data Import Guide - BOM Components
Data Import Guide - BOM References
Make a manual backup prior to data import
Prior to any data import process, always use the Backup Manager utility to make a manual backup. Should you encounter any anomalies in the data after they are imported, you can immediately restore from backup, make changes to your spreadsheet, and then run the import once again.
Make the backup to your restore points folder
In task 3-7 you created a restore points folder for the purpose of storing manual backups made at the end of each implementation phase and prior to each data import. Make this backup to your restore points folder to preserve your progress prior to this data import process.
If you do not have a restore points folder, refer back to task 3-7 in the Installation phase of implementation for guidance.
Making a manual backup
Use the Backup Manager to make a manual backup, which is accessed from the server by clicking Windows Start - DBA Manufacturing - Utilities - Backup Manager.
Select the Manual Backup option. Select your company database in the From registered databases option. Select the Use Custom Backup path. Click Find and navigate to your restore points folder.
When you are prompted to save the file, give it a file name such as Backup_Pre-BOM_Components_Import to clearly identify the contents of this backup.
Click Create Backup to initiate the backup process.
Link:
Installation / Update Guide – Manual Backup
Component Guidelines
Never use descriptors as substitutes for stock items
Never use descriptors as substitutes for stock items. Descriptors are not compatible with manufacturing costing, MRP generation, and job release, all of which are inventory-based.
Common Questions
Can I use descriptors for component labor in the BOM?
Never use descriptors as components to represent a BOM’s labor content. DBA is not designed for this and it is not compatible with the cost rollup or actual job costing architecture.
The notion of component labor only exists because some light manufacturing systems advocate it as a work-around solution for their lack of routings. Even so, component labor is not viable in any form because it is not calculated from cycle times and has no ongoing maintenance capability and is not practical for widespread use.
Routing sequences, on the other hand, are ideally suited for labor and overhead costing because they are based on setup hours and cycle times that are automatically costed at work center hourly rates and added up through all your labor processes. Routings are based on settings that are practical to maintain on a widespread basis. Besides costing, routing sequences provide process documentation for guidance out on the shop floor and also provide the basis for work center scheduling.
Can I use descriptors for items I buy directly for the job and never stock?
No you cannot. Some light manufacturing systems allow the use of non-inventory parts to bypass receiving and issuing for items purchased directly for jobs. You cannot do anything like this with DBA, which is designed to exclusively use stock items for all workflow processes. Never use descriptors as substitutes for stock items because they are not compatible with manufacturing costing, MRP generation, and job release, all of which are inventory-based.
How does the BOM handle reference designators?
Circuit board manufacturers use reference designators indicate component location coordinates on the job traveler. This can be achieved within the BOM by attaching multiple References to a component that print on the job traveler.
Each reference consists of two fields. The Reference can be a location coordinate or drawing reference or it can be used for any table that has a one-to-many relationship with the component. The Qty is optional and represents the quantity relative to one unit of the BOM parent.
NOTE: Component references can be imported using the File – Data Import – BOM – BOM References screen.
Freeform Job Notes can be entered against any component and provide an informal alternative to using References.
How are purchased item revisions handled?
An MRP system requires part number specificity to job component generation and therefore a unique item ID is required to distinguish one revision from another. Here is the basic guideline to follow:
•If using a particular revision for a component is an engineering requirement for a parent item, each revision must be represented with a unique item ID for specificity within the BOM.
•If different revisions are interchangeable, can be freely used in any BOM, do not need separate inventory tracking, and can be purchased based on best price and availability, only then should a single item ID be used.
