We struggled with the same issue when implementing AX2012R3. It seems the application is made to support pre-assembly primarily, but 60% of our products needed to be picked to order. The options we reviewed:
1. Exploding the BOMs on the SO as you mentioned: Pros=Building BOMs the same as we have always done, fulfillment has the pick/pack lists they need, ATP delivery date control works. Cons = Mod to "auto-explode" as the option was a manual function and not clear to sales taker. Pricing, trade agreements, coupons do not work based off the BOM header price so mods needed, mods for our data warehouse and auxiliary applications to capture the demand on header for analysis, website works off of header so need mod for inventory available to sell calc.
2. Use Retail Kit functionality: New functionality so wary though it has great bonuses like pricing management, "disassemble at register' option for our Brick and Mortar stores, inventory on header so delivery control seemed fine and analysis easy. Cons = unable to modify after made, fulfillment was a big unknown, not seeing picking components listed, discovered if no inventory then kit will auto generate a journal entry showing need to fulfill so ATP delivery date control moot. All in all, good potential but hoping it was worked out more fully in AX365 which sounds like it's not.
3.
We decided the lesser of the evils was "Auto-report as finished" functionality, which is what we are using. This is a simple check box on the item engineering fast-tab setup that causes an auto-generated assembly order which processes to finished making item in stock for fulfillment. Pros= Item setup is the same, easy to modify the BOM itself, only the single BOM item on sales orders so our pricing, TA's and coupons work fine as well as data warehouse and auxiliary systems as transactions remain in view on the header. Cons = ATP delivery date control does not work since there is never stock until the SO generates the finished item, so we needed to calculate availability based on sum of components first available date and make sure the components reflected an on-order issue for backorders when no stock on hand to reserve (big mod), inventory to our website needed the same change (mod), components do not list on pick/pack so needed to change that for fulfillment (mod).
All in all, we did not find an existing perfect solution. Hope this is helpful input.
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Janine Breton
Business and Reporting Analyst
America's Gardening Resource
Burlington VT
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Original Message:
Sent: Mar 28, 2019 10:49 AM
From: Steve Weber
Subject: D365 Sales Kits
We are evaluating the use of exploding BOMs on a Sales Order Line for Kits. But, we have a scenario where this does not work for our business. We always pick, pack and ship the components so that's ok. But, we have several situations where we have given a price of the total kit to the customer, that's what is on our catalog/website and the kit needs to print on all customer facing documents along with the associated price.
I am wondering if anyone has ran into this issue.
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Steve Weber
Director of IT
Illinois Tool Works
Glenview IL
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