Item Alternative
During the manufacturing process, an item that is comparable to the original and can be used in its place is called an item alternative. An alternative item that is readily available can be used to finish the process if a raw material specified in the Bill of Materials (BOM) is unavailable during production.
1. Enabling Item Alternatives
You must enable the Allow Alternative Item option in the Item Master before you can use an item as an alternative.
Go to:
2. Accessing the Item Alternative List
Alternative items can be viewed and managed from
Alternatively, in the Item Master dashboard, click the plus (+) symbol next to Item Alternative. If both items are interchangeable as alternatives, you can also activate Two-Way Replacement.
3. Prerequisites
Prior to developing a substitute item, make sure that:
- The item has already been made in the system.
4. Using Item Alternatives in Manufacturing
4.1 Open the BOM and turn on Allow Alternative Item.
To enable Allow Alternative Item, open the BOM.
If the original item is not available, choose an alternative during stock entry.
4.2 Within the Work Order
Turn on Allow Alternative Item in a Work Order.
An Alternate Item button will appear as a result. You can set the alternate item for the Work Order by clicking this button.
4.3 Regarding Subcontracting
If the original item is not available when sending raw materials to a subcontracted supplier, you can use Stock Entry to transfer an alternative.
The chosen substitute item will show up when the Purchase Receipt is created from the Work Order.