Specifying the correct Component for each Product and its Color Variants is critical to Product Development. With this update, we've made adding Component Variants more data-friendly and provided a more intuitive workflow for selecting Component Variants on the Bill of Materials.
Key Benefits
Simplified Component Variant selection in the Product BOM
Component Color Variants and Custom Variants may be selected independently
There is a searchable dropdown-menu for each Variant selection
Component Variant-level Codes are exposed in the working BOM
Improved Component Variant data handling
Adding/deleting a new Component Variant Type no longer clears BOM selections
Adding/deleting a new Custom Variant no longer clears BOM selections
What's changing?
Custom Component Variants are now managed independently from Color Variants. The In-App Bill of Materials may have up to two additional columns, titled “Component Variant 1” and “Component Variant 2" used to manage Custom Component Variants such as size, weight, finish, etc.
Each Component Row may have one selection for each Custom Variant Type and as many Color Variant Selections as there are Product Color Variants
Custom Component Variants are selected via a dropdown menu in the Component Variant Column
The Custom Variant selected is applicable to every Product Color Variant unless the Component Color Variant is "Not Used"
There is an “Undefined” value available on each Custom Variant column dropdown menu to create clearer BOMs before all the details of each Component are finalized
As before, Component Color Variants are displayed in columns for each Product Color Variant.
Each Component has independent dropdown menus to select the Component Color for the corresponding Product Color Variant
There is an “Undefined” value available on each Product Color Variant column dropdown menu which enables users to create clearer BOMs before all the details of each Component are finalized.
There is a “Not Used” value that’s selected by default when a Component is first added to the BOM. This can also be used when a given Component applies to some, but not all, Color Variants of a Product
Relevant Codes and Costs from the Component Variant matrix are displayed in the Product Color Variant column cells if applicable.
Custom Variant Columns, if present on the BOM, can optionally be hidden from the user interface via the Hide Fields menu but this does not prevent Component Variant data from mapping to Tech Packs
Using the Feature
How to show a Component with no Variants is used on a Product Color Variant on a BOM:
Click the cell at the intersection of the Component’s row and the Product Color Variant’s column to expand the dropdown menu and select the Component’s name
Select the “Not used” option if the Component is not actually used on a particular Product Color Variant
How to show a Component with Color Variants is used on a Product Color Variant on a BOM:
Click the cell at the intersection of the Component’s row and the Product Color Variant’s column to expand the dropdown menu and select the relevant Component Color Variant
If the Component is in use on the Product Color Variant, but you’re not sure which Component Color applies, select the “Undefined” option as a placeholder
How to show a Component with only Custom Variants used on a given Product Color Variant on a BOM:
Click the cell(s) at the intersection(s) of the Component’s row and the Component Variant 1 and (where applicable) Component Variant 2 column(s) to expand the dropdown menu(s) and select the relevant Custom Variant Value(s)
In the case that you’re not sure which Custom Variant Value applies, select the “Undefined” option (which is also the default) as a placeholder
Then click the cell at the intersection of the Component’s row and the Product Color Variant’s column to expand the dropdown menu and select the Component’s name
Select the “Not used” option (which is also the default) if the Component is not actually used on a particular Product Color Variant
How to show a Component with Color AND Custom Variants used on a given Product Color Variant on a BOM:
Click the cell(s) at the intersection(s) of the Component’s row and the Component Variant 1 and (where applicable) Component Variant 2 column(s) to expand the dropdown menu(s) and select the relevant Custom Variant Value(s)
In the case that you’re not sure which Custom Variant Value applies, select the “Undefined” option (which is also the default) as a placeholder
Then click the cell at the intersection of the Component’s row and the Product Color Variant’s column to expand the dropdown menu and select the relevant Component Color Variant
In the case that the Component is in use on the Product Color Variant, but you’re not sure which Component Color applies, select the “Undefined” option as a placeholder
Select the “Not used” option (which is also the default) if the Component is not actually used on a particular Product Color Variant
How to show a Component with a Custom Variant that changes at the Product Variant-level:
Click the checkbox on the lefthand side of the Component, and click the Copy button from the bulk-action toolbar
Select the relevant Custom Variants with each row
