Overview of use-up materials and alternative materials

You can use the use-up functionality to ensure that material, used in pervious revisions of the end item, is used up completely before new material is utilized. This prevents a buildup of inventory that may become obsolete.

You can use alternative materials to handle shortage problems during production, and to reduce cost. BOM materials are often small parts that are ordered in large quantities, for which several alternatives are available. In case of shortage, the material specified as preferred in the bill of material (BOM) as is ordered. If the material cannot be ordered in time to fulfill the requirement an alternative material is chosen.