Working with assemblies and sub assemblies on NS
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What are the advantages of using Phantom Assemblies on this setup? Is it bette to use Phantom Assemblies or manually creating the WO for sub assemblies? On whic situation is one better than the other?
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When creating an assembly NS tries to take the materials from the location where the assembly will be created. We manage the stock on a Main Wharehouse, so we need to transfer the materials to the assembly location. Is there a way to configure NS so that it creates Transfer Requests (either manual o automatic) or at least create a notification so that the Warehouse Manager knows there are materials to be transfered? It’s important to mention that each stage of the manufacturing process of the sub assemblies are created at diferent locations.
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What is the proper process to tell NS the quantity of materials used should be subtracted from the total stock? And then notify the assemblies have been processed and finished.
If you’re new to NetSuite and are implementing assemblies with sub-assemblies in your Bill of Materials (BOM), you may have questions about the advantages of using Phantom Assemblies versus manually creating Work Orders (WO) for sub-assemblies, as well as how to manage stock transfers and notify when assemblies are processed and finished. Let’s dive into these topics in detail:
Advantages of Phantom Assemblies:
Phantom Assemblies are a feature in NetSuite that allows you to create a virtual assembly within another assembly, without actually creating a physical inventory item for the virtual assembly. This can have several advantages:
- Simplified BOM: Phantom Assemblies can help streamline your BOM structure by eliminating the need for redundant sub-assemblies. Instead of including multiple levels of sub-assemblies in your BOM, you can use Phantom Assemblies to consolidate them into a single assembly.
- Improved Inventory Management: Phantom Assemblies can help you more accurately manage your inventory levels by reducing the need to carry excess inventory. Since Phantom Assemblies are virtual and do not have physical inventory items associated with them, they do not impact your inventory levels, reducing the risk of overstocking or stockouts.
- Increased Efficiency: Phantom Assemblies can help improve your manufacturing process by reducing the number of WOs needed for sub-assemblies. Instead of creating separate WOs for each sub-assembly, you can create a single WO for the top-level assembly that includes the Phantom Assemblies, saving time and effort in managing multiple WOs.
Manually Creating WOs for Sub-assemblies:
While Phantom Assemblies offer benefits, manually creating WOs for sub-assemblies can also be a viable option in certain situations. For example:
- Customization: If your manufacturing process requires customization or variation in the sub-assemblies, manually creating WOs may be preferable as it offers more flexibility in managing unique requirements.
- Visibility: If you need to track and manage inventory levels of each sub-assembly separately, manually creating WOs can provide better visibility into individual sub-assembly inventory levels.
Managing Stock Transfers and Notifications:
If you need to transfer materials from one location to another for your assembly process, you can configure NetSuite to create Transfer Requests automatically or manually, depending on your requirements. Here are some options:
- Automatic Transfer Requests: You can set up NetSuite to automatically generate Transfer Requests when creating WOs, so that materials are transferred from the source location to the assembly location as part of the manufacturing process.
- Manual Transfer Requests: Alternatively, you can manually create Transfer Requests in NetSuite to transfer materials from one location to another as needed, based on your production schedule and inventory management requirements.
- Notifications: NetSuite can also be configured to send notifications to your Warehouse Manager when Transfer Requests are created, so they are alerted to the need for materials to be transferred.
Proper Process for Subtracting Materials and Notifying Assembly Completion:
To ensure that the quantity of materials used in the assembly process is subtracted from the total stock, you can follow these steps:
- Use Assembly Build: When assembling an assembly in NetSuite, use the “Assembly Build” transaction type to create a WO for the top-level assembly. This transaction will automatically deduct the materials used in the assembly process from your inventory.
- Complete Assembly Build: Once the assembly build is completed, mark it as “Built” in NetSuite to indicate that the assembly has been processed and finished.
- Notifications: You can also configure NetSuite to send notifications or alerts when assembly builds are completed, so relevant stakeholders are notified of the completion status.
In conclusion, NetSuite offers various options for managing assemblies with sub-assemblies, including the use of Phantom Assemblies, manual creation of WOs for sub-assemblies for know in detailed about NetSuite Implementation and support.
Thanks for your answer.
I’m really interested in the Automatic Transfer Request and the notification to the Warehouse Manager. Could you explain a bit further how to set it up?
