Why Business Central’s Standard BOM Setup Falls Short for Complex Configurations
Manufacturers using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central are familiar with the challenges of setting up Bills of Materials (BOMs) and routings. For straightforward products, the standard functionality works. For configurable products with multiple options, dependencies, and variations, the standard setup creates unnecessary complexity.
The Product Configurator app from Insight Works simplifies creating BOMs and routing to make quote and order generation more efficient. The app integrates seamlessly with Dynamics 365 Business Central, so users configure products, generate quotes, and process orders in one familiar system.
Limitations of Standard BOM Setup in Business Central
Business Central’s standard BOM and routing tools introduce bottlenecks:
- Excessive BOMs – Every variation requires a separate BOM, creating an overwhelming library to maintain.
- Manual entry – Sales and planning teams manually enter routing steps, material requirements, and pricing for each configuration.
- Frequent errors – Missing updates to a routing step or cost value lead to inaccurate production plans and incorrect quotes.
- Inefficient quoting – Teams generating hundreds of quotes each month end up with hundreds of new item numbers that clutter the database.
The more configurable the product line becomes, the harder it is to manage accuracy and efficiency with the standard approach.
How Product Configurator Streamlines the Process
Product Configurator replaces manual steps with automation and rule-based configuration.
1. Automated BOM and Routing Creation
Define configurator item categories, options, and choices once. When a sales rep enters a configuration, the system generates the correct Assembly or Production BOM and routing automatically.
Product Configurator in Dynamics 365 Business Central features a BOM Designer that allows users to visually customize and configure complex products, showing real-time updates and options such as color, components, and accessories.
Product Configurator in Dynamics 365 Business Central features a BOM Designer that enhances user interaction by suggesting compatible accessories, streamlining the configuration process for accuracy and efficiency.
2. Advanced Rule Builder for Complex Products
Enforce logic that prevents incompatible combinations. For example, select standard handlebars on a bike, and the system automatically adds a bell. Choose an alternate handlebar style, and the system suggests adding a light instead.
Rules also calculate dependent values, such as the number of accessories required, based on the bike’s size or configuration.
The Rule Definition Builder in Product Configurator for Dynamics 365 Business Central allows users to create sophisticated conditional rules for product customization, enhancing accuracy and tailoring configurations to specific needs.
3. Dynamic Pricing and Costing
Receive immediate pricing updates as configuration choices change. Sales reps quote with confidence, knowing the system calculates costs, weights, and pricing in real time.
4. Quoting Items to Reduce Item List Overload
Use quoting items to configure hundreds of quotes without generating new item numbers. Once a quote becomes an order, the system assigns a valid item number.
5. Bulk Configuration Builder
Work with multiple configurations in a single spreadsheet-like view. Sales teams build several product variations at once, eliminating the need to repeat the entire process for each item.
Product Configurator in Dynamics 365 Business Central allows users to define and manage detailed configuration options for customizable products, specifying attributes like size, length, and additional options with associated rules for enhanced customization and order accuracy.
Why Product Configurator Makes a Difference
Businesses using Product Configurator achieve:
- Faster quoting and order entry – Configure products in minutes rather than hours.
- Greater accuracy – Automated BOMs and routings eliminate manual mistakes.
- Flexibility – Support for both simple and highly complex products.
- Tighter integration – Native compatibility with MPS and MRP inside Business Central.
A sales rep configured a desk with multiple finish options, doors, and trim. The system created a complete BOM with routings in seconds — a task that would have taken hours with standard Business Central tools.
Product Configurator seamlessly integrates with Dynamics 365 Business Central to streamline the creation and management of customized sales orders and production workflows, as demonstrated in the sales order interface.
Final Takeaway
Business Central delivers robust functionality, but the standard BOM setup falls short for configurable products. Product Configurator automates the process, reduces errors, and equips sales and production teams with the speed and accuracy they need.
Companies that rely on configurable products gain a competitive edge by adding Product Configurator to Business Central.
To learn more about Product Configurator, visit CPQforDynamics.com or reach out to your Microsoft Partner today.