Use Works Orders to generate Bills of Materials to control the allocation and issuing of materials. miniMrp can use the allocation to forecast your materials requirements and generate shortage reports giving you the information you need when making purchasing decisions.

Using the previous version (v3) of miniMrp a works order could only be created inside a customer order. Allocation of materials, bills of materials etc could only be accessed by first opening the relevant customer order.

This version (v4) introduces an improved method of managing your works orders. We refer to this new method as "Build for Stock". A works order is created, Bills of Material are generated, materials are allocated and/or issued and the finished assemblies are entered into your inventory.

During the processing of a Works Order all versions of miniMrp provide a stage called 'Allocation'. This is where materials remain in your inventory but are 'reserved' for a specific works order and this would, in turn, drive a stock shortage report prompting you to purchase materials so that you can complete your works orders.

As well as the allocation via works orders, in this version of miniMrp all items entered onto a customer order will influence the shortage report.

With that in mind some users may prefer to continually maintain a stock of finished product ready to satisfy future customer orders. While other users may prefer to build "On demand" ie to satisfy a shortage driven by incoming customer orders.