Handling Zero Quantity Items in Production BOMs in Dynamics 365 Business Central

Handling Zero Quantity Items in Production BOMs in Dynamics 365 Business Central

In manufacturing processes, a Bill of Materials (BOM) is crucial for defining the components required to produce a finished product. Dynamics 365 Business Central allows you to create and manage Production BOMs, ensuring that all necessary materials are accounted for. However, there may be instances where you need to include items with zero quantity in your Production BOM. This blog will explain the behavior of zero quantity items in Production BOMs and provide a workaround to ensure they are included in your production orders.

Understanding the Behavior of Zero Quantity Items

In Dynamics 365 Business Central, you can create a Production BOM with items set to zero quantity and certify it. However, when you refresh the production order, Business Central will not include items with zero quantity. This behavior is by design to prevent unnecessary items from being considered in the production process.

Why Include Zero Quantity Items?

There are scenarios where you might want to include zero quantity items in a BOM:

• Future Use: Items that might be required in future production runs.
• Optional Components: Components that are optional or contingent on specific conditions.
• Reference: Items included for reference or documentation purposes.

Workaround for Including Zero Quantity Items

To ensure that zero quantity items are included in the Production BOM and visible in the production orders, you can use the following workaround:

1. Add a Description: Provide a meaningful description for the zero quantity item.
2. Default Quantity: Set a default quantity of 1 for the item.
3. Manual Update: Instruct users to manually update the quantity to zero or the correct value during the production order process.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create the Production BOM:

   • Navigate to Production BOMs in Business Central.
   • Create a new Production BOM or edit an existing one.
   • Add the required items, including the zero quantity item.
   • Set the quantity for the zero quantity item to 1 initially.
   • Add a description indicating that the quantity should be manually updated.

2. Certify the BOM:

   • Once all items are added, certify the BOM.

3. Create a Production Order:

   • Create a new production order using the certified Production BOM.
   • Refresh the production order.

4. Update Quantities Manually:

   • Locate the zero quantity item in the production order.
   • Manually update the quantity to zero or the appropriate value as needed.

Example Scenario

Scenario: A manufacturer produces electronic devices and includes a test component in the BOM. This test component is not always required and is initially set to zero quantity.

1. Production BOM Setup:

   • Item: Electronic Component A (Quantity: 5)
   • Item: Test Component (Quantity: 1, Description: "Update to 0 if not used")

2. Certify BOM:

   • Certify the BOM with the above items.

3. Production Order:

   • Create a production order using this BOM.
   • Refresh the production order to generate the list of required items.
   • Manually update the quantity of the Test Component to zero if it is not needed for that specific production run.

Conclusion

Including zero quantity items in a Production BOM in Dynamics 365 Business Central requires a workaround, as the system will not automatically include items with zero quantity in production orders. By using a default quantity and adding descriptions, you can ensure these items are visible and manually adjusted as necessary. This approach provides flexibility and ensures that all potential components are considered during the production planning process.