V9 - Kits (item groups)

A kit or item group is a collection of inventory items that are bundled together at the time of sale. The individual items that make up a kit are still separate items and can be sold individually, if desired. In contrast, an assembly is an item that is manufactured (built) from component items. A common example of a kit is a sampler pack, where you bundle individual products together when you ship them, although they still remain individual items.

Like an assembly, a kit uses a bill of materials (BOM). The BOM specifies the components and quantities needed to make a single kit. 

In working with kits, note the following:
 

• Since a kit is bundled at the time of sale, it does not have an in-stock quantity. However, a kit does have an available quantity, based on the available quantities of its component items, as specified in the kit's bill of materials (BOM). 
• Because a kit is bundled at the time of sale, it also does not have a transaction history. But the history of a kit's component items are tracked by SOS Inventory. Use the Transaction history feature on the component items' Actions menu if needed. 
   

The Expanded BOM report (Operations > Reports > Production > Expanded BOM report) can help you assess whether you have enough component items on hand to build the quantity of kits you want to assemble. See Using the Expanded BOM report in production planning for more information on this feature.

Creating a kit (item group)

The steps required to create a kit are:

1. Create an item to represent the completed kit. Refer to Item field descriptions as needed. 
   1. Open a new item page (Quick add > Inventory > Item).
   2. Enter a unique name for the kit in the Name field.
   3. In the Type dropdown list, choose Kit (Item group).
   4. Choose the appropriate accounts to be associated with the kit item.
   5. The sales Description field is optional, but if used, the description should be unique.
   6. If the kit is a product that will be sold, enter a value in the Sales price field.
   7. Complete other fields as desired, then save. The kit item will be added to the Items list.
2. Ensure each component item needed for the kit exists in the system.
3. Create the bill of materials (BOM) for the kit.
   1. Go to Operations > Inventory > Items and find the kit item record.
   2. On the Actions dropdown, choose Bill of materials.
   3. Enter each component item and its quantity needed to build one kit. Include notes if needed.
       
      warningIMPORTANT: Units of measure are not currently enabled for BOMs. All quantities should be entered in the base unit only. 
   4. Save and close when finished.

Using kits (item groups) on transactions

Once you have created the kit, you can use it just like any other item in transactions. 

Kits act differently on different types of transactions:

• Purchase orders and item receipts.
  • On purchase orders, the kit has an Expand button to replace the kit item with the items listed in the bill of materials. In the first screenshot of PO-742, Perfume Sampler kit has been entered as a line item but has not yet been expanded. In the second screenshot, the expanded kit no longer has the Perfume Sampler kit item on the purchase order. It has been replaced with the kit's individual component items.
    
    
    
    
     
  • If entering an item receipt directly, you have the option to expand a kit before saving. Although when you save the item receipt, all unexpanded kits will be automatically expanded to affect the inventory appropriately. However, this is not a recommended method.
     
• Sales forms. You have the option to expand kits on estimates, sales orders, invoices, and sales receipts. However, if a kit has discount pricing, the discount will no longer apply when the kit is expanded. The sales price becomes the sum of the individual components' prices. If you expand a kit on a sales order, for example, you cannot un-expand the kit to generate an invoice from the sales order. Generally, you would leave the kit unexpanded to sell the group of items as one.
   
• Pick tickets and shipment transactions. On pick tickets and shipments, kits will expand upon saving automatically, as the warehouse needs to know which items to pull from the shelves for the kit.

Bulk editing kits

Kits may be edited in bulk using the same process that is used for assemblies. See Bulk editing BOMS (bills of materials) for details.