Bill of Materials (BoM) in BuildOps
A Bill of Materials (BoM) in BuildOps is a structured list of all the materials, parts, and equipment needed to complete a project. This includes everything from small consumables to major equipment, along with the quantities and costs you expect to use.
Think of the BoM as your project’s single source of truth for answering:
What materials do we need?
What do we already have?
What needs to be ordered?
What has been delivered or allocated?
What a Bill of Materials helps you do
A well-maintained BoM helps you:
Plan materials accurately
See the full list of required items for a project in one place and reduce missed materials, last-minute purchases, and avoidable change orders.Coordinate purchasing and inventory
Use the BoM as the starting point for creating Purchase Orders. If Inventory is enabled, you can also allocate materials directly from warehouses or trucks.Control project costs
Each BoM line includes quantity, unit cost, and total cost, giving you visibility into planned material spend and how it contributes to project costing.Improve visibility for project and field teams
Quickly see which items are needed, which are already ordered, what’s available in stock, and what’s still outstanding.Track approval-dependent items
Optionally link BoM items to Submittals so your team knows which materials require approval before ordering.
Where to find the Bill of Materials
The Bill of Materials lives inside each project.
To access it:
Open your Project
Go to Purchasing
Click the Bill of Materials tab
You’ll see a table of BoM items that can be sorted, filtered, and grouped. If Item Categorization is enabled, you can group items by category or subcategory.
How a Bill of Materials is created
There are two ways to create a BoM in BuildOps.
Option 1: Create a BoM from a Quote (recommended for new projects)
This is the best option during initial project planning. Materials added to a quote will automatically flow into the project’s BoM once the quote is approved.
Steps
Create a new Quote
Open the Scope & Pricing tab
Under Parts & Materials, add the materials needed for the project
Click Generate Quote and send it to the customer for approval
Once approved, click Add → New Project
Complete the required fields to create the project
Open the project and go to Purchasing → Bill of Materials
The materials from the quote will automatically appear in the BoM.
Good to know
You can include all materials or only selected materials in a BoM
You cannot add a new quote with materials to an existing project
If the project already exists, use the manual method below
Option 2: Create or update a BoM inside an existing project
Use this option when a project already exists and you need to add or adjust materials.
Steps
Navigate to the Project
Go to Purchasing → Bill of Materials
(Optional) Adjust the table view by sorting, filtering, or rearranging columns
Click Add Item
Select items from your Item List
(Items must exist in the Item List before they can be added)Click Add Items to save
Items already included in the BoM will be marked so you don’t add duplicates by mistake.
Understanding a BoM line item
Each row in the BoM represents one material line for the project. Common fields include:
Item Name & Description
The item pulled from your Item List, with optional project-specific notes.Category / Subcategory (optional)
Helps organize large BoMs when Item Categorization is enabled.Quantity Needed
How many units you plan to use on the project.Unit of Measure (UOM)
For example: each, feet, boxes, etc.Unit Cost and Total Cost
Total Cost is calculated as Quantity Needed × Unit Cost.Warehouse (if Inventory is enabled)
The warehouse or truck the item may be allocated from.Quantity and status tracking, such as:
Quantity Ordered
Purchase Order Quantity Outstanding
BoM Quantity Fulfilled
Quantity Available
Linked records
Purchase Orders, Vendors, and (if applicable) Submittals and approval status.
This setup lets you quickly see what’s needed, what’s ordered, what’s arrived, and what’s still missing.
Creating Purchase Orders from the BoM
The BoM is directly connected to Purchasing, making it easy to turn planned materials into orders.
Steps
Select the items you want to order in the BoM list
Click Create PO
Fill in the Purchase Order details
Review quantities, pricing, and vendor information
Click Save or Mark as Ordered
As items are received and receipts are posted, the BoM automatically updates to reflect fulfillment and status.
Allocating inventory from the BoM (if Inventory is enabled)
If Inventory is enabled, BoM items can be allocated from warehouse or truck stock instead of being purchased.
Only Inventory item types can be allocated.
Non-Inventory items cannot be allocated.
Steps
Select the inventory items in the BoM
Click Allocate
Choose a warehouse
Enter the quantity to allocate
Click Allocate to confirm
After allocation:
Quantity Available decreases
Quantity Reserved increases
Quantity On Hand remains unchanged
Linking BoM items to Submittals
For projects that require approvals before ordering or installation, BoM items can be linked to Submittals.
Steps
Click the three dots next to a BoM item
Select Edit Item
Choose the Submittal item to link
Enter Lead Weeks (estimated delivery time)
Add a Required By date
Click Save
Once linked, the BoM will display the submittal approval status directly in the list.
When to use a Bill of Materials
A BoM is especially useful when:
The project is large or complex
There are many material lines or long-lead items
You need coordination between Purchasing, Inventory, and Submittals
Accurate project costing and material tracking are important
For small, one-off service jobs with only a few parts, a full BoM is usually not necessary.
FAQs
How are BoM quantities calculated?
Quantity Available: Free stock available in the warehouse
BoM Quantity Outstanding: Quantity still needed for the project
PO Quantity Outstanding: Quantity ordered but not yet received
BoM Quantity Fulfilled: Quantity received or allocated
What happens when I allocate inventory to a BoM?
Allocating inventory reduces the available stock and reserves it for the project. The total on-hand quantity does not change.
Can I update a BoM after creating a Purchase Order?
Yes. You can continue updating the BoM, but changes may impact purchasing and project tracking, so review carefully.
Can I track delivery lead times for materials?
Yes. By linking a BoM item to a Submittal and entering Lead Weeks, you can track expected delivery timing.
Do I need Inventory enabled to use BoM?
No. BoM can still be used for material planning and purchasing. Inventory adds warehouse selection, allocation, and stock tracking.
Why can’t I allocate some items?
Only items marked as Inventory can be allocated. Non-Inventory items must be purchased instead.