BOM management is the ongoing discipline of keeping product structures correct as designs, suppliers and processes change.
A change process people follow
An engineering change process only works if it is fast enough that people do not bypass it. Define who can request, who approves, how effectivity is set, and how existing inventory and open orders are handled.
Cleanup projects
Most cleanup projects fail by trying to fix everything. Prioritize by revenue and by shortage history: the products you ship most and the parts that cause the most disruption. Validate against physical builds, not against the drawing alone.
Signals your BOMs need work
- Floor keeps a private list of what is really needed.
- Kits are always short by the same items.
- Costed BOMs disagree with actual material cost.
- Multiple part numbers exist for the same physical item.