Introducing version control

The Bill of Materials module has a version control option. This allows you to have multiple versions of a BOM A stock assembly and process costing system, which provides facilities to specify the structure of finished items in terms of sub-assemblies and components. for the same product. BOM details cannot be changed by more than one person at a time and only one version can be in active use at any one time. You can enable this option on the General tab in BOM settings.

In the Bill of Materials List, the Version number and Version Status of each BOM version is shown. There are also Effective From Date and Effective To Date columns which show when the BOM version is current.

Version

Each time a BOM is created, it is given a Version number, e.g. 0.01. When a version is amended, the number is incremented. For example, when changes are made to version 0.01, version 0.02 is created. The BOM with the highest BOM Reference version number is the most recent version. You can set the version number increment to what you want in the BOM Settings General tab.

Version Status

This describes how the version is being used by the Bill of Materials module. Statuses can be:

New status is assigned when you create a BOM for the first time, or if you make changes to the BOM details for an existing BOM version. The status is assigned when you click Save and Clear or Close on the BOM record.

Note:

You can choose to:

  • Allow Active BOMs to be amended in the BOM settings General tab.
  • Add a role for amending active BOMs in System Administration and authorise the Amend - Elevated Privileges feature for the role.

Anyone can amend and delete BOM versions with a new status if they are not checked out to anyone else. Checking out a BOM prevents anyone else, other than the person using that BOM, from making any changes.

Note: You cannot make stock allocations to a BOM version with a new status. You must make the version active in order to do this.

A version that has an active status is the BOM version that is used by the system.

You choose to assign active status when you:

  • Click Save and Clear or Close on the BOM record, and choose to Activate the BOM.
  • Select a new or obsolete BOM and choose Make Active on the Change Status window.

Only one version of a BOM can be active at one time.

If you try to make a BOM active while another BOM is already active, you can choose to make the existing active BOM obsolete.

Note:

You will not be able to make the existing active BOM obsolete if:

  • It is a subassembly on another BOM record.
  • Use specific version was selected on the BOM record subassembly when entering BOM component details.

You can amend, copy and delete BOM versions with a status of active.

Note:

You can choose to:

  • Allow Active BOMs to be amended in the BOM settings General tab.
  • Add a role for amending active BOMs in System Administration and authorise the Amend - Elevated Privileges feature for the role.

You can also allocate stock items to active BOM versions.

A version that has an obsolete status is for BOMs that are not required at this time.

Use the Change Status window to manually assign the obsolete status to the BOM version.

Obsolete versions are retained on the system. You can make these active again at any time.

A version that has a retired status is one that is not required again. You cannot make retired BOM versions active.

Use the Change Status window to manually assign the retired status to the BOM version.

Retired versions are retained on the system for reporting purposes. You can delete them or change their status to obsolete.

Checked Out By

This column indicates if a BOM version is checked out to another user.

If it is, you cannot make amendments to it.

If the Checked Out By column does not contain an entry, the BOM version is available to you to amend.

Checking in BOM versions is done by:

  • Clicking Save and Clear or Close on a BOM record and selecting Check In.
  • Selecting a BOM that is checked out to you from the Change Status window, and selecting Check In.

Checking out BOM versions is done by:

  • Clicking Save and Clear or Close on a BOM record and selecting Keep Checked Out.

Putting BOMs on hold

In addition to version control, you can also put the BOM on hold. This prevents any changes to the BOM. BOMs can be put on hold and released from hold using the Change Status window.

See also

Other tasks

Creating a BOM

Amending a BOM

Deleting a BOM

Copying a BOM record from a Bill of Materials List workspace

Reference

General (BOM settings)

Add role

Authorise features for roles

Create an allocation (BOM)

Changing BOM status

Entering BOM component details