Creating an assembly bill of materials (BOM) in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central lets you define which components go into an assembled item. You set this up on the item card under Replenishment, where you choose the assembly policy and link the components that make up the finished product.
You choose between two assembly policies. Assemble-to-Order builds the item when a sales order comes in. Assemble-to-Stock builds the item to hold in inventory. You select the one that matches how you sell and stock the product.
On the assembly BOM, you add each component with three pieces of information. You set the Type to Item, you choose the specific item, and you enter the Quantity per and the Unit of Measure Code.
Setting Up an Item with an Assembly BOM
To create an assembly BOM, start by opening the list of items and finding the item you want to assemble. In this example, we use a city bike, which is built from several individual parts.
Open the item card and go to the Replenishment section. Under Manufacturing Policy, you decide how the item is replenished. You have two options:
- Assemble-to-Order: the item is assembled when there is demand, such as a sales order.
- Assemble-to-Stock: the item is assembled and placed in inventory.
For the city bike, we choose Assemble-to-Order.
Adding Components to the Assembly BOM
Once the assembly policy is set, go to the Assembly BOM field and click to open it. Here you add the components needed to build the finished item.
For each line, click New and fill in the following:
- Type: set this to Item.
- No.: choose the item you need for the assembly.
- Quantity per: the number of that component needed for one finished item.
- Unit of Measure Code: for example, Pieces.
In the city bike example, the BOM includes parts such as a front wheel (quantity 1, in pieces), a spoke (quantity 1, in pieces), and a front hub (quantity 1). You add as many components as the finished item requires, repeating the same steps for each line.
When all components are in place, the assembly BOM is ready. Business Central now knows exactly which parts go into the city bike and in what quantities, so it can handle assembly and inventory correctly.
Q&A
What is the difference between Assemble-to-Order and Assemble-to-Stock?
Assemble-to-Order means the item is assembled when there is demand, such as a sales order. Assemble-to-Stock means the item is assembled in advance and placed in inventory. You choose the policy under Manufacturing Policy on the item card based on how you sell and stock the product.
Where do you set up an assembly BOM in Business Central?
You set it up on the item card. Open the item, go to the Replenishment section, set the Manufacturing Policy, and then open the Assembly BOM field to add the components.
What information do you need for each component on an assembly BOM?
For each component line you set the Type to Item, choose the specific item number, enter the Quantity per (how many you need for one finished item), and select the Unit of Measure Code, such as Pieces.