An MRP system requires part number specificity to job component generation and therefore a unique item ID is required to distinguish one revision from another. Here is the basic guideline to follow:
- If using a particular revision for a component is an engineering requirement for a parent item, each revision must be represented with a unique item ID for specificity within the BOM.
- If different revisions are interchangeable, can be freely used in any BOM, do not need separate inventory tracking, and can be purchased based on best price and availability, only then should a single item ID be used.