Because of the unique nature of tracking rebar, the system uses the concepts of parent product and sub-product.

Parent Product

A product record that has all the characteristics of a rebar item without a defined length. 

Parent products represent the source "base" product for all fabricated material of a given size/grade/coating combination.

Example 

RB0460: Rebar Black #4 Grade 60

or

RB10400: Rebar Black 10M Grade 400

Purpose

Parent products are used:

  • To summarize a specific product for accounting purposes. For example, the system uses the parent product to track the value of all of your size 4 (or 10M) bar, regardless of whether that bar is in stock bundles, remnant bundles, and/or coil. 
  • To track work in process, as described in Three Ways to Manage Your Inventory.

Sub-Product

A stock length that you supply. The sub-product has the same characteristics as its respective parent product, but it has a defined length. Vendor, country, and coil can also be defined individually for sub-products. 

Example

RB0460-20: Rebar Black #4 Grade 60 (20-00)

RB0460-30: Rebar Black #4 Grade 60 (30-00)

RB0460-60: Rebar Black #4 Grade 60 (60-00)

RB0460-C: Rebar Black #4 Grade 60 (Coil)

or

RB10400-6: Rebar Black 10M Grade 400 (6000)

RB10400-6: Rebar Black 10M Grade 400 (9000)

RB10400-6: Rebar Black 10M Grade 400 (12000)

RB10400-6: Rebar Black 10M Grade 400 (Coil)

Purpose

Sub-products are used:

  • When you add a non-fabricated stock length item to an order. For example, a customer orders 20-00 bars and you pull them from an on-hand stock bundle. 
  • To track heat and bundle inventory. For example: You open a stock bundle of 60-00 bars to produce fabricated items. Based on barcode scans, the system understands to relieve quantity from the specific sub-product RB0460-60: Rebar Black #4 Grade 60 (60-00).

Using Parent Products and Sub-Products for Other Material

Although rebar is the most common example, other material can be defined using parent products and sub-products. 

You should use parent products and sub-products to define other items if they meet all of the following conditions:

  • The same product is stocked in inventory in specific lengths, areas, or volumes. 
    AND
  • The material can be sold as-is from stock. 
    AND
  • The material can also be fabricated to order.

Basic Procedure

To set up parent products and sub-products:

  1. Create the parent product. 

Notes: 

    • The product must be dimensional (based on the product category). 
    • If you are using both Bundle Inventory and Accounting inventory as described in Three Ways to Manage Your Inventory, set the Product Type for the parent product to be WIP. 
  1. On the left menu, click Sub-Product. 
    Use the Sub-product grid to add sub-products. Each sub-product will have a unique length, area, or volume. 

For more detailed information, refer to the Product documentation.