BOM software for manufacturing

Yes. Digit’s Subassembly Creation Wizard can automatically generate subassembly manufacturing orders based on your BOM structure. It shows current subassembly quantities, recommends target builds, and lets you add buffer stock in one click, saving hours of manual setup time.

What's the difference between a manufacturing BOM and an engineering BOM? 

A manufacturing BOM is, in its essence, a detailed list of the materials, components, and subassemblies your workers will need to create a finished product, sometimes detailing the quantities and processes needed to make the thing. 

An Engineering BOM can be found in a design tool like a CAD or a PLM. It shows all the parts needed to make the product and how they all fit together according to the design, but it does not show the actual manufacturing process. The eBOM list is usually arranged in a way that engineers can easily picture and plan the making of the product in their minds. 

To simplify and understand the difference between a manufacturing BOM and an eBOM, think of it like this: 

• Manufacturing BOM: The recipe to make something 
• eBOM: The blueprints to make something

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A company would use an eBOM to make sure a product's design is correct and to help teams stay aligned on the design intent. 

Ultimately, if you were to try and cook a risotto for the first time without using a recipe, you’re unlikely to do a good job. And even if you have experience cooking, there might be some specific ingredient used in a risotto that you’re unaware of, and you might send out a dish that someone isn’t expecting. 

A BOM software exists and works in a similar manner, taking product data and placing it in one easy-to-access place. But unlike spreadsheets, which can be lost or out of date if not correctly maintained, teams can use this system to follow the same up-to-date list of parts, materials, and revisions, improving accuracy, reducing typing errors, and making it easier to trace what changed, when, and why.

BOM software also connects your inventory and purchasing, so you understand what stock you have on hand, what needs to be reordered, and how much it costs to produce a product. All of these features come together to help you prevent stockouts, cut waste, and protect cash flow.

With a clearer understanding and BOM history, you and your workers can collaborate much better, as no one is stuck trying to figure out which BOM is the correct version to be following, allowing for more predictable outcomes after production and making it easier to scale operations without losing control of time and profitability. 

A multi-level BOM (or indented BOM) is a document that shows a layered list of every part of a product, and how it relates to the other parts, often referred to as a parent-child relationship. It somewhat resembles a family tree structure to help you and your team understand which item or component is nested under other materials needed to assemble the product. 

Unlike a single-level BOM, which is a flat list, the multi-level BOM starts at the top with the finished product and works downward through the assemblies, subassemblies, parts, and raw materials. 

Using a BOM software that allows you to use multi-level BOMs makes it easier to break the product down into sections to simplify the production of complex builds and prevent mistakes from occurring when handling subassemblies. Having this level of detail on how a product is made also helps businesses improve tracking, costing, and planning, as each level shows the part quantities, descriptions, and other key details.

Product BOM software tools like Digit can create and manage multi-level BOMs so teams can work from one central source of truth to keep production smooth, predictable, and consistent as products and operations grow.

There really aren’t that many industries that don’t benefit from product or assembly BOM software. If you take a log and carve it down into a children’s toy or you manufacture jet engines for planes, each (vastly different in what they produce) can benefit from BOM tools. 

This is because to make most products, they require materials and step-by-step processes, and if you want to scale your operations, you’re going to need a document that another person can follow to replicate the steps and produce the same quality of product.  

However, it’s worth mentioning that industries that build complex products like jet engines or rely on detailed supply chains gain the most value from BOM software. These industries depend on accurate material and component lists, a high level of collaboration and coordination between teams, and need tight control over material usage and costs. Even more important for industries that need to meet strict compliance requirements. 

For example, electronics and industrial equipment manufacturers need BOM management software because they manage thousands of parts within layered assemblies. These tools help ensure engineers and production teams work from the same approved components and enable the prevention of errors that can occur when dealing with large, changing parts and inventories. 

Automotive and aerospace are other industries that also rely heavily on BOM tools. Their products contain massive numbers of parts and require strict traceability and regulatory compliance, making accurate BOM management essential for safety and quality.

Pharmaceutical manufacturers use BOM software to track exact ingredient quantities and document every step required for compliance. 

But as already mentioned, a general manufacturer that depends on accurate component data, consistent revisions, and efficient production planning gains value from implementing BOM software like Digit to improve design accuracy, support smoother production, strengthen supply chain planning, enhance quality control, and help manage costs.