NetSuite is one of the best ERP solutions available in the market with the vast number of in-built applications & tremendous customization available. NetSuite is the only ERP with more than 200 Apps available within it. NetSuite covers many modules like Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Accounting, Inventory, Sales, Marketing, CRM, Reporting System, etc. We at Bista are NetSuite solution partners with expertise in many verticals like manufacturing, eCommerce, retail, Furniture Manufacturing, Auto parts, Telecom, etc. NetSuite Manufacturing Module covers all the process from raw to the end product. 

• The basic feature that NetSuite Manufacturing Module covers are; 
• Assembly items
• Bill of materials
• BOM Revision
• Routing
• Manufacturing Routing and Scheduling
• Work orders
• Issue Components and Enter completion
• Enter Completion with Backflush
• Work Order Traveler
• Work Center Dispatch List
• Drag and Drop Scheduling

Assembly Item

In NetSuite Manufacturing Module, an item that is manufactured and consumes other components as part of that process is called an Assembly Item and is easily defined through the New Items menu. Assembly Items can optionally be defined as lot numbered or serialized. If a product requires full traceability from the components being used—where they came from and where the end product went—then selecting one of these options will ensure that traceability is strictly maintained.

Fig 1. Assembly item

Bill of Materials

Assembly Items have a multi-level Bill of Materials (BOM) attached so you can easily define the components that are to be consumed. The quantities in which you expect to consume them and the expected yield during the manufacturing process. Once the Assembly item is created, we can allocate multiple Bill of Material’s ( BOM) to it. We can also set a Master default or default the BOM as per location.

Fig 2. Assigning BOMs on Assembly Item.

Fig 3. Creating a Bill of Material.

BOM Revision

A single BOM can have multiple revisions as per the components utilized. In the BOM revision page, we assign the components and the quantity of the components which will be consumed by that BOM to build an assembly. BOM Revision has the Effective start date and an Effective End date field which determines the period between which the particular BOM revision will be used. A single BOM can have multiple Revisions.

BOM revisions can be defined either by using effectivity dates or revisions and the view of the BOM components on the item has the ability to list the complete revision history or be filtered to the most recent one.

Fig 4. BOM Revision

Routing Definition

NetSuite Manufacturing Module also offers the ability to track the labor cost and associated overheads critical to a business, and more. Multiple routings can be defined with a default per location. The same routing can be applied to multiple locations. 

Manufacturing Routing and Scheduling

NetSuite manufacturing Module enables manufacturers to optimize the production of complex work orders with the routing and scheduling feature in the Manufacturing WIP and Routings module. This functionality allows production engineers to create manufacturing routings to detail the steps that an item must go through during the manufacturing process. On a routing, users can define scheduling parameters such as work center assignment, number of resources, setup time and run rates. NetSuite manufacturing module also supports multiple routings per item/BOM. Once a default routing has been defined, the system will automatically create and schedule the operations necessary to complete a work order. The system also considers the default Work Calendar when scheduling work orders.

Fig 5. Multiple routes assigned and defaulted as per the BOM.

Fig 6. Defining a Routing

Work Order

In NetSuite Manufacturing app, creating a Work Order is actually an optional step in the manufacturing process; however, if you require the ability to communicate to production what you want made, when you want it, and the components they need to use, or if you sell a configurable product where there are features and options, then creating a work order is a critical part of the process. In this case, the work order is the starting point of implementing a production control system. Netsuite Manufacturing module also provides the capability to track the labor cost, machine costs, and overhead cost while generating an Assembly item. To track the labor and machine costs we just need to check the WIP checkbox present on the Work Order. If we don’t want to track it, we can simply create a work order and build the assembly.

Fig 7. Standalone work order with no WIP

On click of Create Build, we get to create an Assembly Build transaction that will utilize the quantity of components without calculating the labor cost and the machine cost.

Fig 8. Assembly Build

Work Orders can be created standalone just to increase the stock of the items, but we can also create a Work order from the Sales Order in case we don’t stock the items in advance of receiving an order.

Fig 9. Work Order generated from Sales Order line level.

Fig 10. Work order generated from SO with WIP checked and routing assigned

Issue Components and Enter completion

Work Orders with WIP checked can be completed in two ways, one by Issuing the components to the Work Order which simply means that we are subtracting the quantity from our stock and issuing it to the work order before the production starts, later we can enter completion as per the Operations present on the routing.

Fig 11. Work Order Issue.

FIg 12. Entering Completion after issuing Components.

Enter Completion with Backflush

We can also perform both, issuing components and entering completion, at the same time by using the option of “Enter Completion with Backflush”. Enter Completion with Backflush will allow you to subtract the quantity from the stock and also track the operations completed in one single transaction.

Fig 13. Entering Completion with Backflush.

Work Order Traveler

The traveler is a document that is printed and handed over to production to communicate the production plan. This document can also be used for them to communicate back how much raw material they actually consumed compared to what you were expecting.

Fig 14. Printing Manufacturing Traveler

Fig 15. Form printing status for Manufacturing traveler

Work Center Dispatch List

The dispatch list in NetSuite Manufacturing module is updated to be color-coded based on status and date to provide instant feedback to the Production Manager, should there be any issues.

Fig 16 Dispatch list printing status

Drag and Drop Scheduling

The task scheduler in NetSuite Manufacturing module shows the popular Gantt chart view of production with the ability to manually drag operations for last-minute changes.

Every manufacturer has unique needs. At Bista Solutions, we consult with you and design solutions to meet your business requirements. Fill out the contact Us Form and one of our representatives will get in touch.