Assembly type stock records contain a list of components that are required to manufacture the assembly. These components can be other stock records, Price records or Text entries. Stock records must be flagged as Component type or Assembly type records.

The Parts window for an Assembly type stock item is opened from the Assembly icon on the toolbar of the Stock record window.

This window contains the settings for the assembly stock item, these comprise a list of the components that are required to build the assembly together with options regarding the price of the assembly.

If the Works Order Processing module has been unlocked this window will appear with two tabs cards: WO Settings and Components.

The WO Settings tab will contain the build information that will be required by the works order processing module.

The Components tab will contain the same fields as the original Parts window together with some new options that relate to the building of the assembly using the works order processing module.

Please refer to the topics covering Stock Records and Stock Type selection.

This option enables you to specify whether this stock item should typically be manufactured or purchased.

If Manufacture is selected:

When this stock item is included on a Sales Order, you will be prompted to create a works order for the quantity or to associate the Sales Order with an existing Works Order.

When this stock item is included in a bill of materials (BoM), as a component of another stock item, whenever a works order is created for the parent stock item, a child works order will be created for the manufacture of this item.

If Purchase/BTB is selected:

When this stock item is included in a bill of materials (BoM), as a component of another stock item, whenever a works order is created for the parent stock item, the stock item will be included in the bill of materials (BoM) as a component.

The settings can be changed in the works order by:

Cancelling the child works order: you will be prompted to create a component, (flagged as a request to purchase) for this item.

Highlighting the component where it appears in the works order and using the Create Child Order option to generate a child works order.

BoM: Bill of Materials - this is the component list to make any given product via a works order. The bill of materials will include the individual raw materials, previously constructed sub-assemblies and any labour or process used to create the finished item. This can also be referred to as the Assembly.
Child Works Order : A child works order is the works order generated to construct a component of the order which in itself is an assembly (a sub-assembly).

This entry field enables you to specify a minimum build quantity for the works order to ensure that the production process is economically viable.

A minimum build quantity will usually only be appropriate for top level products and not when preparing stock items that are sub-assemblies.

This entry field enables you to specify that an assembly should be built in batches of a certain quantity to make efficient use of the materials.

If you specify a batch quantity of 25, then the quantity placed in a works order should be divisible by 25.

Again, this option will usually only be appropriate for top level products.

Minimum build quantity and Batch quantity should be used in tandem to make efficient use of materials and resources.
For example: you build oil drums and you can make 10 drums from one sheet of metal but it is only worth setting up to build drums if you have 50 or more to make.
Solution: Set the batch quantity to 10 and the minimum build quantity to 50. Dimensions Works Order Processing will then assist you to make the best decision on what quantity to build. If you need 20; Dimensions will suggest building 50 (based on the minimum build quantity). If you need 55; Dimensions will suggest building 60 (based on the batch quantity of 10).

Each assembly record should be given a default route. A Route is a collection of stages that a works order needs to go through before it can be completed.

Route records are created in the Works Order module, Route Records. One route can be assigned to be the system default and this will be the route that is initially displayed in this field.

You can change the default route for this assembly stock record by entering the code of the required route or by selecting from the pop-up list of existing routes, opened from the button.

The route will be used as the default for this stock item when it is added to a works order but it can be amended on the works order using the Edit option on the Works Order Control window.

Specify the number of days associated with the building of this stock item.

The number of days must be an integer; part days are not permitted.

This value will be added to the start date of a works order to work out the estimated finish date or to the finish date to work out the estimated start date.

Notes entered here will be associated with any works order prepared for this stock item. The notes can be extended in the works order but these notes will always be included.

If a predefined ACD layout is specified here, the document will be printed upon completion of the production process for the stock item. If the field value is left as (none), no document printing will take place.

The Completion Certificates are ACD documents and should be activated from the Crystal Documents window opened from the Documents tab of System Options.

Select System Options; click on the Documents tab and then on the Crystal Documents button. Tick Completion Certificate in the Works Orders section.

If you create your own ACD certificates, these should be given a name with the prefix WO_Cer (for example: WO_Certificate1.rpt) and placed in the ACD\SQL folder in the same location as your Dimensions software. Please see Installing ACD.

The Components tab will contain the same fields as the original Parts window together with some new options that relate to the building of the assembly using the works order processing module.

Please refer to the Assembly Components topic for a general description of this window.

If the component is marked as a price item or a text item, an additional tick-box will be displayed, Labour element.

This enables you to indicate that the item is to be classed as labour rather than process. This also enables the system to break out the labour elements for reporting purposes.

This option will be available for each component that is not a sub-assembly. If ticked, the item will be back flushed (automatically issued) upon the completion of a works order to build the assembly.

Sub-assembly components may not be marked for back flushing; these can be issued automatically to the parent works order on completion of the build.

Back flush: When you build your finished goods item there may be a number of components that you automatically presume you have used without having physically either allocated them or issued them to the works order. At the point of completion of the build, these incidental items can be automatically issued retrospectively – this is called back flushing.