A Quick Look at Bill of Materials in SAP

Introduction

A Bill of Materials (BOM) is a fundamental component within SAP that defines the list of materials or components required to manufacture a product. In SAP PLM 7.01, BOM functionality is enhanced through a web-based interface and a virtual data model that improves visibility, reporting, and integration.

Core Features

SAP PLM 7.01 introduces several enhancements that make managing and navigating BOMs more efficient:

• Web-Based User Interface
  The updated UI provides a simplified, user-friendly experience without relying on the traditional SAP GUI.
• Integrated Item Overview and Detail View
  Users can access a complete overview of all BOM items along with the details for a selected item on a single screen.
• Contextual Information Access
  Additional material, document references, and object previews are available within the BOM interface.
• PLM Object Navigator Integration
  Seamless navigation to related PLM objects enhances usability and productivity.
• Material Master Insights
  Key attributes of the material master, including visual thumbnails, are displayed directly in BOM item details.

Virtual Data Model and Reporting Capabilities

The Bill of Materials virtual data model in SAP enables advanced reporting and analysis through preconfigured queries and structured views.

BOM Summary (BOMSummaryQuery)

This query aggregates header-level information for Material BOMs, Sales Order BOMs, and Project BOMs. It leverages the BOMHeader view, which takes into account the Valid_to date from the STKO table and displays all valid instances with corresponding validity periods.

BOM Header and Item List (BOMHeaderList)

This view extends the summary by including both header and item-level information for all BOM types. It enables users to perform detailed reviews and comparisons across BOM structures.

Where-Used Analysis (WhereUsedBOMItemQuery)

This query identifies BOM headers in which a particular item is used, facilitating dependency checks and impact analysis during design or engineering changes.

Conclusion

The enhanced BOM management capabilities in SAP PLM 7.01 offer significant value to organizations looking to improve product data accuracy, streamline operations, and support lifecycle management. With an improved user interface and robust reporting capabilities, SAP provides a more integrated and transparent way to manage complex BOM structures.