FAQ

A Bill of Materials (BOM) is a detailed list of all the components, parts, and raw materials required to manufacture a finished product. For example, a table’s BOM might include a tabletop, four legs, and the screws needed for assembly.

BOMs are essential for production planning, cost estimation, and inventory management, ensuring the right materials are available when needed.

What is a Bill of Operations (BOO)?
A Bill of Operations (BOO) outlines the specific steps and resources required to manufacture a product. It details each operation in the production process, along with the machines, tools, and labour needed.

For example, producing a table might involve the following operations:

• Cutting the tabletop

• Sanding the surface

• Edging

• Spraying/finishing

• Assembly

• Packaging

The BOO works alongside the Bill of Materials to give a complete view of what’s needed to make a product—from materials to processes.

Enterprise resource planning – a business system used in medium to large sized companies that manages the business process – quoting, CRM, customers, sales orders management, stock control, purchasing and suppliers, MRP production control and financial management. ERP systems are very expensive.

Customer Relationship Management is software that helps businesses manage and improve their interactions with customers and leads. It stores customer data, tracks communication, and helps organise sales, marketing, and customer service activities.

Material and resource planning – a calculation via a sysmtem or report that calculates the components needed and the factory resource (staff/machines to make a sale order)

MPS stands for Master Production Schedule. It’s the process of planning and scheduling what needs to be produced, in what quantity, and when. This helps ensure that customer orders are fulfilled on time and that production runs smoothly.

An OMS, or Order Management System, is software that helps businesses track sales, manage orders, and streamline fulfillment. Examples of OMS platforms include Unleashed, Katana, Cin7 Core, and MRPeasy. These systems help ensure accurate inventory levels, efficient order processing, and improved customer satisfaction.

Shop floor data capture – rather than giving production verbal instruction what to make to even paper or white board instruction, SFDC is electronic information connected to a ERP or systems like planeus and provides a list of jobs to do per employee or machine and allows the capture of time spent to set the machine up and the time spent to make the qty of the part / product required

Manufacturing Execution System, is a key tool for manufacturing companies with complex production operations. It acts as a standalone control system to manage and monitor production orders in real time. MES systems often include SFDC (Shop Floor Data Collection) features to track performance and improve efficiency. MESTEC is one example of an MES platform.

E-commerce software refers to cloud-based systems that enable online buying functionality on websites and often connect directly to Order Management Systems (OMS) to streamline order processing.

• WooCommerce is a popular plugin for WordPress websites that adds e-commerce features and can integrate with most OMS platforms.

• Shopify is an all-in-one solution that provides both a website and e-commerce platform, with built-in integrations to most OMS systems.

• Unleashed B2B is a simple, cloud-based e-commerce solution designed specifically for B2B use. It only integrates with Unleashed and is ideal for businesses already using that system.