A bill of materials (BOM) is the foundation for costing and producing anything built from multiple components — from a single-level parts list to a multi-level BOM with nested sub-assemblies.
This hub collects the definitions, step-by-step guides, and tools for working with BOMs, along with how BOM relates to adjacent concepts like material requirements planning (MRP), kitting, and assembly.
If you are evaluating software, start with the free bill of materials software comparison below, or see how StockFlow stacks up against Katana MRP, OpenBOM, and Craftybase.
Start here
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Bill of materials (BOM)
What a BOM is, and why multi-level BOMs matter once you reuse sub-assemblies.
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How to create a bill of materials
Step-by-step: defining the end item, listing components, nesting sub-assemblies, and versioning.
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Material requirements planning (MRP)
How MRP turns a BOM and demand into what to order or produce, and when.
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BOM vs. kitting vs. assembly
What each term actually means, how they relate, and which one your business needs.
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BOM cost calculator
Roll up component costs and a scrap allowance into a finished-good material cost.
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Free bill of materials software
Multi-level BOMs, cost rollup, and CSV import, compared across the top free and paid BOM tools — including why inventory + BOM belong in one system.
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Serial number tracking
Record, scan and look up the serial number of each finished unit or tool, free on every plan.
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Open source bill of materials software
What self-hosted tools like InvenTree actually give you, and when a hosted free plan is faster.
All BOM & manufacturing guides
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Assembly Management Software
Inventory-led assembly management for small manufacturers
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Best Free Alternative to Katana MRP
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BOM Software for Furniture & Woodworking
Mixed units of measure, hardware kits, and cutting-waste cost rollup
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Craftybase Alternative
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Engineering BOM vs. Manufacturing BOM
The difference between an EBOM and an MBOM, and when to split them
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Fishbowl Alternatives
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How to Track Raw Materials
Tracking raw materials from receiving through BOM-driven production consumption
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Indabom Alternative
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Inventory Kitting
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Manufacturing Execution System (MES)
Lightweight MES for small manufacturers
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Manufacturing Routing
Definition and how routing works alongside a BOM
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Odoo Manufacturing Alternative
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Openbom Alternative
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Phantom Bill of Materials
What a phantom BOM is and when to use one
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Production Tracking Software
Track work orders, builds, lots, and yield on top of your inventory and BOMs
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StockFlow vs Katana MRP
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What Is an MBOM?
What a manufacturing bill of materials includes and when you need one
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