A suave, handsome, besuited man casually walks into a factory one morning. Heads turn, women swoon, and the room falls silent. He introduces himself as ‘BOM. James BOM.’

Now, if every workday included Daniel Craig walking in and offering his top-class services, that would be a win-win. We can’t promise that 007 will turn up at your place of work to assist with making your production line run smoothly. However, we can offer some hints and tips to help make BOM management a sinch. Don’t be shaken, or stirred — we’re here to help. 

What is a BOM (in short)?

Put simply, a bill of materials (BOM) is a detailed checklist that outlines all the materials, items, and steps needed to produce a product. 

When used properly, it should ensure that the production line runs smoothly from start to finish. All the components will be in the right place at the right time. Any unexpected faults or changes will be logged accurately. The finished product will be completed on schedule — and everyone involved will be happy with the process. 

Manufacturing processes rely on BOM management solutions to make sure that the ‘recipe’ for their product stays on track. BOMs allow companies to better manage production, and keep everything well managed and sustainable. Thus, deadlines are met, and customers are happy. 

Whether it’s for inventory management, checking the lifecycle of a product, or inspecting quality control standards, BOM management is the key to successful manufacturing processes. 

What is BOM management?

When we talk about BOM management, what do we mean? It refers to the people and processes that manage a business’ bills of materials. 

Effective BOM management includes all the right strategies to collaborate on BOMs. 

Businesses can communicate with all the parties involved in the manufacturing processes — from buyers to workers. It also means there’s instant access to all the systems used to streamline production, from assembly lines to sales.

Well-managed BOMs ensure all staff at every level know what’s needed to build the product and to bring it to market. Whether it’s a car part or a smartphone, production will be slick, and the finished item will be accurate and ready to sell. 

Setting out a detailed bill of materials for all products will help manufacturers cut down on waste, maintain effective production lines, and ensure that all the required parts and materials are always in stock.

Collaboration in person and through the medium of well-managed databases is key. To do all this and more, superior BOM software is required alongside human ingenuity.

Benefits of effective BOM management

Well-resourced and managed BOMs offer many benefits to the overall production process. Grab a Martini, and we’ll take you through them now:

• Enhanced planning and production — Well-managed BOMs offer clear, accurate breakdowns of all the materials, parts, and equipment needed to manufacture a product. This allows for more targeted planning of production schedules and inventory management.
• Improved control of costs — This, in turn, helps with being able to better estimate the costs associated with production. There’s less likely to be an overspend, and a knock-on effect of this is less product wastage, too. 
• Procurement procedures are improved — Once everything about the product is set out and clearly defined, manufacturers can take steps to improve the purchasing processes. They’ll be able to negotiate better deals with suppliers. It’ll also ensure they never run out of vital components at a critical juncture. 
• Better quality assurance — BOMs should always include a detailed spec for each component. If this is done consistently and accurately, it’ll help craft a high-quality finished product with less margin for error. 
• Superior collaboration — BOM management done correctly will mean that all teams involved will be up to date with every part of the manufacturing process. This promotes better working relationships and means there’s less chance of miscommunication that could cause errors.  
• Allows for improvements — All products go through design modifications and changes. Great BOM management means tracking them and keeping tabs on what’s happening is easier. 
• Enhanced quality assurance — Various industries have different regulations and standards. BOM project management assists with regulatory compliance, providing documentation and traceability of parts and items used in manufacturing.
• Scalability is better — If production needs to change or new items need to be manufactured, BOM inventory management means it can be done without losing quality or lowering standards.  
• Happier customers — High-quality products delivered on time and at the right cost mean satisfied customers who’ll come back time and again.

OK, those are the positives, so now let’s apply some balance and look at the potential challenges that BOM project management brings. 

Challenges of BOM management

Spoiler alert — these challenges can all be negated if your software is kept up-to-date and your lines of communication are open:

• Information that’s not up-to-date — Check BOM inventory programs regularly to make sure that all information for every stage is up-to-date. Outdated info can cause extra, unnecessary costs. 
• Manual data entry can cause issues — Sometimes, there might be a need to manually extract data from CAD files to create a BOM. This can be time-consuming and prone to mistakes. 
• Communication may not always happen — There may be occasions when BOM revisions are made, but they’re not communicated effectively and get overlooked. 

How to choose the best BOM management software 

With all this in mind, you’re going to need some fantastic software to help manage your BOMs effectively. Here’s a few pointers to make sure it’s a breeze:

• Does it integrate properly? — Your BOM management software must integrate with all your existing systems properly, from accounting software to inventory systems and customer relationship management. Properly integrated software will reduce mistakes and make it easier to automate tasks. 
• What are its collaboration functions like? — It must offer real-time collaboration features. This means it’s easier for teams to work together, even in different locations. 
• Does it align with all company best practices? — The software must align with company best practices for new product development, manufacturing, supply chain management, and quality and compliance. 
• How accessible is it? — Lastly, it’s got to be accessible so that everyone can work together, and people from different organizations can view, amend, and collaborate when required. 

The right BOM project management software will have a real effect on improving your manufacturing processes and the quality of the finished product.  

Streamline your BOM management processes with Katana

If your BOM management needs a boost, then let us help. Katana’s BOM software makes sure your manufacturing projects stay on track, every step of the way. Katana lets you track your product composition and manage it every step of the way.

Besides BOM management, Katana offers all the necessary inventory tools for total stock control. It also integrates seamlessly with your other business software, giving you a centralized view of every business aspect. This empowers you and your team to make informed decisions on the fly.

Katana takes BOM management to the next level. Want to see what we have to offer? Book a demo today.

BOM management FAQs

Ioana Neamt

Contributing Writer

With more than 10 years of copywriting experience, Ioana has a fondness for longform writing, investigative journalism, cats, and Victorian-style mansions.