Question

How to Manage Part Lifecycle - Obsolete Parts

  • 10 July 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 155 views
S

Does anyone have any experience with a procedure on how to manage part and product lifecycle including alternates and upgrades?  Our current methods of using the description field to note Obsolete are not very effective and do not help provide the proper information to the correct people when it is needed.  

Basically, when a part is ‘replaced’ by a new part (not just a new revision) the previous part is inactivated and the Part description field has the word OBSOLETE entered in front of the existing description.  A note or comment field may also contain additional information as to what part to use as the replacement.  While this method works, it is very basic at best.  I am looking for others who may have a similar situation with a better idea of how to handle these situations.

Thank you.

2 replies

T

Hi!

 

Are you using the Alternate Part Number?

Here’s how we do it:

1: Mark as Discontinued / Run Out - This is when there is still stock, but it will be discontinued. 

*When that part is used, the user will get a pop up saying that the part is going to be discontinued. The part can still be transacted.

2: We also add the Alternate Part Number (mark it as the Default)

3: When the part is out of stock, we put the part On Hold. Then if someone tries to transact it, the system will pop up stating that it’s on hold, but PN xxx is the replacement. If the user clicks OK, the replacement part number is then added to the sales order. (This only works for parts where the Alternate PN is marked as Default and Comparable)

**If the part is part of a BOM, we use the Mass Part replace program to update the methods.

 

Trudie

 

slepley
Userlevel 4

Hi @saugustine 

I would recommend exactly what Trudie recommended plus use the same Part Alternates functionality for your part upgrades.  Just add your part and specify an alternate type of “Substitute” with a substitution type of “Upgrade”.  You can even specify downgrades in the same way, if you have alternative parts with lesser functionalities but lower prices that you may want to offer customers who are more “cost-conscious”.  Lastly, you can even specify complementary parts that you may want your sales/order entry personnel to offer to the customer when certain parts are being ordered.  Btw, since you are already using notes/comments, you may want to consider moving some of that information to the alternate part comments field.  Good luck!

Regards,

Scott Lepley

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