BOM Control: Using MRP Software for Electronics Manufacturing to Avoid Errors and Delays

In UK electronics manufacturing, smart companies are using Materials Requirement Planning (MRP software). Yet there is one element of MRP that separates profitable, scalable businesses from the ones constantly firefighting: tight control over the Bill of Materials (BOM).

Whether you're an OEM designing smart devices or an EMS provider building to spec, your BOM is the foundation of your entire production process. If it's wrong, outdated, or unclear, then the entire business will not function as it should. 

But what exactly do we mean by BOM control, why is it so mission-critical in modern electronics production, and how the right MRP software for electronics manufacturing can help you avoid costly errors and delays?

What is BOM Control in MRP?

A BOM is much more than just a list of parts. It’s a hierarchical document that defines every component, subassembly, quantity, and build instruction needed to manufacture your products.

That’s a lot of data, and BOM control means managing this data accurately and consistently across the business, taking in design, purchasing, production, and quality assurance.

That includes:

Why BOM Control is so important in electronics manufacturing

The electronics industry is fast-moving, high-risk, and precision-driven. You can’t afford uncertainty when it comes to builds.

Here’s why poor BOM management causes chaos:

High mix, low volume means constant change

You might be building 20 different product variants a week. Without tight BOM version control, one outdated spreadsheet can throw a production line into disarray. That can cause delays, which in turn means your customers are getting a substandard experience. 

Design changes are frequent and unavoidable

In electronics manufacturing, component substitutions, ECRs, or customer requests can happen at any time, and they often do. Without a clear approval and communication process, those changes don’t get implemented correctly or on time. Again, this will then negatively affect the customer experience.

Manual methods aren’t built for complexity

In manufacturing, Excel might work for 10 products and perhaps a company with those outputs could manage without MRP software. But if  they produced hundreds of SKUs, requiring multi-level BOMs, and components sourced from global suppliers, then an MRP system with BOM control is vital. Without this, it’s just too easy to make a mistake.

Compliance and traceability demand accuracy

From ISO audits to industry-specific standards like IPC or ISO 13485, electronics manufacturing is full of regulation and compliance. This means an organisation must prove it built each product using the correct components and processes. Without reliable, versioned BOM data that’s virtually impossible.

How 123Insight addresses BOM Chaos

Because 123Insight is an electronics manufacturing MRP system built for businesses that need control without the overhead of traditional ERP or MRP, it provides advanced electronics BOM software features. These are specifically designed to handle high product variability, fast change cycles, and strict quality requirements.

Here’s how it helps:

The cost of BOM chaos 

If you're still managing BOMs in spreadsheets or relying on disconnected systems, you're leaving your business open to risk. BOM errors don’t just waste time - they cost money, damage your reputation, and put compliance at risk.

123Insight gives UK electronics manufacturers a smarter, faster, and more reliable way to manage their production data. With BOM control at its core, it’s the ideal MRP solution for EMS firms, OEMs, and electronics assemblers who need to stay competitive in 2025 and beyond.