Copying Items using Master Data Information

Business Central lets you create new items by copying an existing item instead of building everything from scratch. You select Copy Item from the item menu, and you choose which parts of the source item you want to bring along. You can copy master data, units of measure, dimensions, and other field values, and you can copy the bill of materials and routing for production items.

You can also copy the bill of materials and routing directly from an existing production order. This works whether the order is firm planned, released, or finished. If you have already modified components and operations on a production order, you can turn that exact setup into a new item with its own bill of materials and routing.

When you copy the bill of materials and routing, Business Central creates new versions and numbers them to match the new item number. You then adjust the copied master data to fit the new item.

How to copy an item in Business Central

From the item menu, select Copy Item. The function works in a similar way to copying customers and vendors, but it has some extra fields specific to items.

You choose to create a new item, and you can either enter the item number manually or pull it from a number series. You then give the item a description.

As an example, you might create an electric bike by copying an existing item that closely resembles the new one. Just as with customers and vendors, you can use a template to copy mandatory fields. You can copy units of measure, master data, and field values. The point is to copy the bulk of the information so you only need to change the few details that differ on the new item.

Copying the bill of materials and routing for production items

In the footer of the copy window, you decide whether to create a copy of the bill of materials and the routing.

If you do not select those fields and the item is a production item, the new item reuses the same routing and bill of materials number as the item you copy from. The Routing No. and Production BOM No. fields point at the source item’s routing and BOM.

If you select Copy BOM and Copy Routing, Business Central creates a new bill of materials and a new routing, both numbered to match the new item number you are creating. You can also choose to copy only the active versions or all versions.

Copying from an existing production order

A useful option is copying the bill of materials and routing from an existing production order rather than from another item. The order can be open or finished, so a firm planned, released, or finished production order all work.

This is handy when you have already built and modified a production order. Say you adjusted the components and the routing on an order, for example changing the quantity to four handlebars and adding extra items. You can take that modified order and use it as the source for a new item number.

In the copy window, you select the production order. The function checks that you are not copying the standard setup, and it picks up the relevant line. It then creates a new routing and a new bill of materials on the new item, for example item number 70003.

The result is that the new item gets your specifications and master data copied from the selected source, which you then correct as needed. The bill of materials and routing are copied with the same number as the new item, and they include the modifications you made on the production order.

Why this matters

Copying items, with or without the production data, makes it fast and simple to set up new items, new bills of materials, and new routings. Instead of rebuilding a structure manually, you reuse an existing item or a production order you have already fine-tuned.

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