Stock Maintenance - Composite Item

General Information

This screen tab is used to "associate" the composing stock items for a kit or alias stock item.

See Also

Stock Maintenance - Overview

What Is a Composite Item

A composite item is also known as a "kit". In this case several items together make up the composite item. In this case there may be a one-to-one correspondence or a one-to-many correspondence. For instance, a widget kit may consist of 2 rubber bands, 3 paper clips, and 1 bottle of miracle glue. The kit therefore consists of 3 different ITEMS, each with its own specified quantity.   Also, a composite item can contain composite items as well (Kits of Kits).

What Is an ALIAS

An alias stock item is another name for a stock item that is already set up. For instance, you may sell the same item wholesale and retail. You advertise it in two different places with two different stock numbers. But, you only want to keep inventory on the wholesale item. When someone orders the retail item, they'll really be ordering under an "alias" for the wholesale item. That alias is set up in this screen. In the case of an alias, there would be a one-to-one correspondence between the alias and "real" stock item. In this case the QTY would be 1 and there would only be one ITEM in the list.   Note: A component of a kit cannot contain the main kit product. This will create a cyclic reference and is not allowed.

Special Considerations for Composite Items

1. Part Items must be existing Stock Items: All part items in the composite item must already be set up as Stock Items themselves. M.O.M. will not let you SAVE the screen if an undefined part item has been entered in the table.

2. How Returns are Managed by M.O.M.: In the Composite Item Tab, you can select either to have M.O.M. "disassemble" a composite item into its composing items OR to have M.O.M. keep composite items together on the shelf for future resale.

3. Undoing a Composite Item: To change a composite item back to a regular item, simply clear out all the part items from the table on the Composite Item Tab Screen.

4. Composite Item vs. Break-out Item: Because a kit can be created either as a break-out item or composite, it is important to understand the difference between the two types of stock item. When a kit is created as a break-out item, the composing parts are "broken out" on the order entry screen and the customer invoice. Each individual part item can be edited on the order entry screen. For instance, you can change the selling price, customize it, delete it, etc. A composite item does not break out on the order entry screen or the customer invoice, and the individual part items cannot be edited.

5. All kits must have a default bin that is sellable.

6. For Kits of Kits, creating a return bin must only be done on the top level (main kit).   It is recommended that if you are returning a non-sellable product that you create a return bin is non-sellable and set the Kit Disassembly property of the main kit to 'Kit stays together' once assembled.  This will allow you to inspect what units are being returned on the main kit level prior to replenishing the sellable bins of the components.

7. Kits of Kits for Advanced Warehouse Module users:   It is recommended that bins are created within a warehouse where the component of a kit exists to be assembled.   This will give a more seamless transfer of inventory to the main lot if the lots within the kits are set up as 'Assemble when ordered'.  The rule is "all or nothing" within a warehouse.  It must build all the kits within kits from one (1) warehouse first and present the quantity that it built to the quantity requested from inventory by an order.

How to Use the Composite Item Parts List

Selecting How Kits are Assembled and Disassembled

Kit Assembly - use this pull-down menu to select whether you the want M.O.M. to automatically assemble the kit from its components each time a customer orders it, or if you want to control the assembly of kits using the Assemble Kits function. Using the Assemble Kits function you can "pre-assemble" kits and keep them as available inventory for the composite item.

Amazon eCommerce Users Please Note: Items that are set to Automatically assemble will transmit to Inventory Level set manually in the Amazon eComm Tab.

Kit Disassembly - use this pull-down menu to control what happens to the kit when it is returned by a customer. Select whether you want the kit to be broken apart into its composite items or kept together as assembled kits ready for resale.

Adding a New Part Item to a Composite Item

Press the NEW button to display the Part Information screen. Enter the information in the fields as required and press CLOSE to return to the Composite Item Tab Screen.

Editing a Part Item in a Composite Item

Select the item to be edited in the list. Press the EDIT button to display the Part Information screen. Change the information in the fields as required and press CLOSE to return to the Composite Item Tab Screen.

Removing a Part Item from a Composite Item

Select the item to be removed from the list. Press REMOVE.

Field Definitions for the Part Information Screen

QTY - the quantity of the item when it is sold as part of the composite item.

ITEM - the part item stock number. The code entered here must be a predefined stock number. Lookup/List is available for this field.