Understanding Component Groups

In complex manufacturing scenarios, especially when dealing with products that offer customization or variations, managing Bills of Materials (BOMs) can quickly become cumbersome. This is where Component Groups in SIX ERP offer a powerful solution.

A Component Group represents a logical grouping of interchangeable parts or materials that can vary depending on customer preference or production conditions. Rather than creating multiple versions of a BOM for each possible variation of a product, a Component Group allows a single BOM to stay intact while enabling specific parts to be substituted during the manufacturing process.

Component Groups are defined within the Manufacturing module, but their structure and options are maintained in the context of individual items or articles within Inventory Management. Each group is linked to a Commodity Group, ensuring that any substitute component adheres to a predefined category or standard.

For example, if you're producing a sofa model called Aberdeen that is available in 15 different fabrics, you don't need to create 15 different BOMs. Instead, the BOM includes a Component Item placeholder tied to a Component Group representing the fabric options. At the time of execution, the actual fabric is selected from the group. The same logic applies if Aberdeen offers multiple leg options—say wood, plastic, or metal—each defined under another Component Group.

This approach simplifies BOM management, supports flexible manufacturing, and reduces the overhead of maintaining numerous BOM versions. It also enhances traceability and consistency, ensuring that product variations remain controlled and aligned with material availability and inventory strategy.

Component Groups represent an advanced concept in manufacturing within SIX ERP. They are designed for users who manage complex production environments with variable inputs and configurable outputs. A solid understanding of BOM structures, inventory categorization, and manufacturing workflows is recommended before working with Component Groups.