Ordering Workflow

[GAFAAAAA]

Hi Everyone!

I've just installed InvenTree and I'm learning about how to integrate it into the company I work for (who needs something like this badly!).

I'm a bit confused about ordering parts, here's what I want to do; Choose assemblies that we need -> create build order for x amounts -> sorted by manufacturer or supplier, see list of components that need ordering.

I'm sure that this is simple but I am running into a few confusing hurdles:

• I've read this post but the "required for build orders" button seems not to exist in version 0.17.13
• I'm a bit confused about 'manufacturer parts', do I have to create one for every part I need manufacturing from one manufacturer?

I just wondered if someone could point me to either a tutorial or just lay out the principles here.

Thank you very much.

[miggland]

Using the classic GUI, you need to activate that part in the settings:

If you're in the new GUI (/platform), you can activate a widget linking to the list.

In short, the different type of parts:

• "Parts": Your internal definitions of parts
• "Supplier Parts": The parts you order from a supplier
• "Manufacturer parts": The manufactured parts

All are linked in various ways to show what you have sourced, and what it is used for.

A company created "Manufacturer parts", but you buy "Supplier parts" from a supplier

Example: https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/qualtek/738W-X2-01/1164208

• DigiKey is your supplier. The supplier SKU is Q337-ND.
• The manufacturer is Qualtek, with a part number 738W-X2

You can buy the same "Manufacturer part" from another supplier, eg https://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Qualtek/738W-X2-03?qs=HFfMDpzxxd1SmutvsrmPJA%3D%3D

The "Manufacturer part" is the same, but the supplier part is different.

Once you buy a supplier part, a stock item is created. This is linked to your "part", and can be used in sales orders / build orders etc.

[GAFAAAAA]

So I suppose this brings me back to my overarching question. Once I've established my parts, assemblies and sub-assemblies, given them the correct manufacturer properties and made a build order. Is there a way I can automatically create a po for the manufacturer with the required parts to fulfill the build order?

[gunstr]

@GAFAAAAA Sounds like you actullay do send material kits based on a BoM to your manufacturer/supplier for them to assemble? If so the new feature "external build order" that was mentioned by @miggland and recently merged into the master branch (PR #9312) might be a solution. The feature is scheduled to be included in the 1.0.0 release so it's not in the Stable release yet.

I have not tried it yet, but you can read about the feature in the PR and also in the latest documentation for the Master Branch.

[GAFAAAAA]

We don't necessarily send material but we do send drawing, model and specifications initially, which is the process I'm currently focused on. (We do occasionally send materials for processes such as laser engraving etc which I think might be more suitable for external build orders.) Currently I'm curious about simplifying the ordering process, we have some very complex assemblies and accurately calculating the correct number of parts to order (with parts from different manufacturers shared across multiple sub-assemblies in different configurations etc). I just want to be able to go "we need x number of these" "here's the PO for CNC manufacturer 1, there's the PO for PCB manufacturer 4 and here's the screws we need to buy".

[gunstr]

Then a normal build order will probably work well. Once the build order is created you can see what you need to order from different suppliers in the "Required for Build orders" list.

One thing to be aware of is that the "Required for Build order" calculation reflects "parts required for the build orders but not yet allocated". If you have available items in stock it is still considered as required as long as no allocation is done.

As an example:

• Create a build order for 5 pcs of an assembly with 2 pcs of Part-A is in the BoM- no allocation done yet
• 5 pcs of Part-A are available in stock
• Required for build order is now 10 pcs
• Allocate the 5 pcs you have in stock to the build order
• Required for build order is now 5 pcs

I suggest you try it out on the Demo site to get a better understanding of the logic.

[miggland]

A minor comment - there is no requirement to always register a manufacturar part. As en examle - for PCBs that is of our design I only create the internal "part" and the the "supplier part". When the manufaturer and supplier is the same company I have not seen any benefit to create both.

I did not realise that was the case - but makes sense now that you point it out :) I'll try it out in future.