Can configurator rules change a part from 'use stock' to 'make a new one'?

Epicor ERP 10
1

We have a part that is usually painted red, but in the configurator the customer can select ‘custom color’.
For many, many years the manufacturing process has been been:

  • when the color is red use a part from inventory
  • when custom color, write a note on the job traveler to manufacturer a new part and paint it

This process is prone to human error, so we want the configurator to change the paint operation on the part. I can get method rules to change the related operation from ‘red paint’ to ‘custom paint’, but the job still pulls in an in-stock red part. The easy solution is to make 2 different part numbers and use config rules to switch between them, but the shop wants both parts to have the same part number. Ideally, they want a configurator rule to flag the part as ‘make a new one’ so that it won’t be pulled in from stock when ‘custom color’ is selected. Is this even possible? I have a feeling the best I can do is use doc rules to add the note to the job traveler automatically.

2

Yes, it can be done, but the option to “make a new one” would need to be either a new part number, OR would need to be a pull-as-assembly into your job. This second option would be:

  1. two material lines in the BOM:
  • Line 1 - this would be the part number, but not marked as “pull as assembly”
  • line 2 - this would be the same part number, but marked as “pull as assembly”
  1. in your method rules, you keep the correct line and dispose of the other. When you keep line 2, you would also specify the color of the paint in the assembly.
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