How to create an assembly

An assembly is a top-level finished product compromised of individual material item components. They can also be referred to as a "bill of materials". In this module, learn how to set up an assembly, how to use them, and what wastage in an assembly is.

Want to view this guide all at once?

Download PDF

Step 1

Go to your materials and click on the Assemblies tab.

Select New Assembly.

Step 2

The assembly we’re going to set up in this example is a Heavy Duty Gas Cylinder Trolley. Type in the name and select its material category.

Next, set a unit charge and stock reorder level. You can also adjust the default location, and add SKUs, references, and barcodes.

Choose your supplier and tax rate, then save.

Step 3

Once you’ve set up the assembly, you can now add the components (the material items), that make up the assembly. Click the components icon.

Step 4

From here, you can add items to the assembly by clicking New Component.

Step 5

Add the material items needed for the assembly, and entering the quantity required for each.

Labour can be added as a material item to account for the total cost of producing this assembly.

Step 6

On the right, you can see that the individual unit costs and charges of the material items have been added to show the total cost and charge of the assembly.

You can modify the total charge price if desired.

Step 7

The wastage column is used if you only use part of a material item in the assembly. For example, let’s add the material item Galvanized Steel Round Tube.

Let’s say that, to build this Gas Cylinder Trolley, you need 5 metres of Galvanized Steel Round Tube.

As the steel tube comes in 2 metre quantities, you’re going to need 3 tubes, even though you only use 2.5 to produce the assembly. The leftover 0.5 must be recorded as wastage.

Step 8

Once you save, you can put the assembly together. Click Assemble.

Step 9

Here, you can choose the quantity and location of your assembly.

You can also see your component stock levels. If stock levels are insufficient to create the assembly, do a location transfer or make a purchase order.

Step 10

Once you hit Proceed, the components are assembled, and you can see that the stock level of the assembly has increased.

Step 11

Assemblies are always managed items, so you can track their entire transaction history but can’t manually overwrite the stock level.

If you click on the History icon, you see this screen. This shows how this first assembly was made through a stock import, and the other two were assembled with materials that were in stock.

Step 12

To sell assemblies, follow the same process as creating and accepting regular sales orders.

To purchase assembly components, you can use the New PO From Assembly button.

Step 13

In summary, assemblies are groups of material items - or a bill of materials - needed to produce a finished good.

To create an assembly, you must first set it up in materials.

Secondly, the material item components required are added, including any wastage.

Once this is done, clicking Assemble brings the components together. It is now ready to sell.

Related Guides

Want to learn more? Check out these related guides.