Understanding Critical Component Items

A critical component is a component item that has been selected for monitoring and alerts. When you view a manufactured item in the Planning Console program, the system monitors all items marked as critical on the BOM or parts list of any of the work orders. The system sets alerts immediately if it encounters negative availability or insufficient days of supply. As you change quantities and dates on the parent item work orders or planned orders, the system immediately evaluates the effect of the critical components and issues new alerts as required, providing immediate visibility of potential material constraints.

Define critical component items by using the Planning Console Critical Component Items program (P34X010) and/or the Critical Components Bill of Material Inquiry - Multi Level program (P34X020).

Use the Planning Console Critical Component Items program (P34X010) to define critical component items by searching for and selecting individual item/branch records. Use the Critical Components Bill of Material Inquiry - Multi Level program (P34X020) to define critical component items by using the multi-level bill of material (BOM). The system stores the critical component item information in the Planning Console Critical Component Items table (F34X010).

While searching for items that you want to add as critical component items in the Critical Components Bill of Material Inquiry - Multi Level program, if you specify a batch quantity that does not exist for the bill of material, the system prompts you to select a valid batch quantity on the Bill of Material Selection form.

If an item is already defined as a critical component item, the system displays the item as selected in the Select Critical Component Items form and the Critical Components Bill of Material Inquiry - Multi Level form. If a component item is repeated on the bill of material, the system displays the item as selected at all levels where the item is used.

Note: You cannot define a phantom item in a multi-level BOM as a critical component item.

Use the Planning Console Critical Component Items program to:

• Add a critical component item by selecting the item or branch/plant.

  See Setting Up Critical Component Items from an Item/Branch.

• Delete a critical component item.

  To delete a critical component item, select the critical component item you want to delete and then click the Delete button on the Work With Planning Console Critical Component Items form. Alternatively, you can deselect the item from the Select Critical Component Items form.

Use the Critical Components Bill of Material Inquiry - Multi Level program to:

• Add a critical component item from a multi-level bill of material.

  See Setting Up Critical Component Items from a Multi-Level BOM.

• Delete a critical component item.

  To delete a critical component item from a multi-level BOM, deselect the critical component item on the Critical Components Bill of Material Inquiry - Multi Level form.