How-to guide: A better way to make a single, accurate BOM (Bill of Materials)

An accurate BOM (Bill of Materials) takes a collaborative effort by everyone involved in product development.

This ebook by Lifecycle Insights: “How Do I Efficiently Create and Manage a Single, Accurate BOM,” outlines how your team can:

• Synchronize multiple data sources to secure BOM information from all design domains.
• Provide easy access to the most up-to-date version of the BOM.
• Use the BOM to track product variability for differently manufactured options.
• Overcome any BOM creation and management challenges.

Read the ebook and discover how easy it is to ensure everyone is working from the most accurate, up-to-date BOM.

How to make BOM effective and visible for all of product development

The BOM is a critical digital thread for product development connecting engineering, manufacturing, procurement, sales, finance, servicing, and management.

That’s why it’s critical for your business to adopt a collaborative BOM creation process that’s easily accessible, visible, and effective.

Everyday products are more complex than ever as customers expect smart, connected features.

Despite the additional requirements and variability brought on by these demands, the task of making an accurate BOM is made easier using product lifecycle management (PLM) software.

Synchronizing many types of BOM

A complete and accurate BOM may contain mechanical, electrical, electronics, and software parts and components.

Manually implementing all this data into a centralized location is tedious, time-consuming, and prone to human error.

Modern PLM solutions solves this issue by automatically generating a BOM based on current inputs whenever any design changes are made.

This data can then be accessed across the organization – even by remote teams – to make better business decisions from a single source of truth.

How to handle product variability

It’s not uncommon for products to come with different variations, and whether it’s different colors, sizes, or slightly different software, these small changes affect procurement, inventory management, and sales.

This is where the BOM plays a critical role in maintaining an accurate, up to date representation of the necessary data.

Trying to manage the BOM with traditional methods like spreadsheets further complicates an already complex process.

By implementing PLM-based BOM management, your BOM can take care of variability, saving additional costs and significantly reducing any chance for errors.

Bill of materials software within a cloud-based PLM solution

PLM software via the cloud offers a cost-effective BOM solution for both large corporations and small to medium-sized businesses with plenty of benefits:

• Efficiency: Tailored solutions to meet specific needs
• Productivity: In-depth understanding of company workflow
• Fast implementation: Immediate access through a browser
• Distributed total ownership: Subscriptions don’t require a large, up-front technology investment
• Extended collaboration: Enable input from internal and external stakeholders
• Security: Intellectual property remains secure

With a SaaS PLM solution in place, everyone from engineering to service gains easy access to the BOM from wherever they may be working.

Try PLM SaaS with a free trial

Take a look at Teamcenter X with integrated bill of materials software and sign up for the free trial to see how you can get started quickly and cost-effectively to boost BOM visibility and automate many aspects of your BOM.