Defining alternative items and replacement items

You can use alternative items and replacement items for items you sell to customers.

The difference between alternative items and replacement items is as follows:

  • An alternative item is an item that you can sell if the standard item is out of stock. A standard item can have multiple alternative items.
  • A replacement item is an item that replaces another item that is no longer sold. A replaced item can have only one replacement item.

You define both alternative items and replacement items in the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session. Technically, these items are the same.

To define alternative items

To define an alternative item for an item:

  1. Start the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session.
  2. Open a new group for the standard item.
  3. Click the New button to start the Alternative Items (tcibd0105s000) details session and insert the alternative item.
  4. Clear the Replacement check box.

  5. Specify the values of the other fields as you require.

    For more information, refer to the field Help.

If a standard item can be substituted by multiple alternative items, you can assign a priority code to each alternative item.

Note

The item for which you define an alternative and the alternative items must be of one of the following types:

  • Product
  • Purchased
  • Manufactured
  • Generic
To define a replacement item

A replacement item can be used as a replacement for the original item. In general, the replaced item has different properties than the original item.

For example, you sell a machine of which you created an improved version. The old and new versions have different item codes. You define the new item to be the replacement item for the original item.

An item can have no more than one replacement item.

If, after some time, the replacement item itself is replaced, you can again define a replacement item for the replacement item.

To define a replacement item for an item:

  1. Start the Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session.
  2. Open a new group for the item that you want to replace.
  3. Click the New button to start the Alternative Items (tcibd0105s000) details session.
  4. Enter the replacement item in the Alternative Item field.
  5. Clear the Reverse and the Interchangeable check boxes.
  6. Select the Replacement check box.

  7. Specify the values of the other fields as required.

    For more information, refer to the field Help.

Note

The item for which you define a replacement item and the replacement item must be of these types:

  • Product
  • Purchased
  • Manufactured
  • Generic
Type of replacement

The Alternative Items (tcibd0505m000) session displays the type of replacement of each alternative item and replacement item. The following example illustrates how you must interpret the values of the Type of Replacement field.

Example

Last year, item M0023 was replaced by item M0023A. Item M0023A was replaced by item M0023B.

You defined item M0044 as an alternative item for item M0023B, to be used if M0023B is out of stock. Item M0044 has no replacement relationships.

ItemType of Replacement
M0023Replaced
M0023AReplaced Substitute
M0023BSubstitute
M0044Not Applicable

 

Alternative materials in BOMs

To handle alternative items used as material in a bill of material (BOM), refer to Alternative materials in BOMs.

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