How to Create a Part Type in iDempiere
Introduction
The Part Type window in iDempiere creates reusable classifications for manufacturing products, categorizing them by role or nature within the manufacturing process rather than by commercial grouping.
Unlike Product Category, which groups products commercially, Part Type provides a manufacturing-oriented classification that is assigned to individual products through the Product window’s Manufacturing section.
Business Rules
- Name is mandatory; every Part Type requires a unique business name.
- Organization is mandatory; the Part Type belongs to an organization.
- Active defaults to Yes; only active records are available for selection in Product.
- Creating or updating a Part Type does not generate accounting entries.
- Part Type does not affect inventory quantities or stock valuation.
- Part Type acts as a reusable lookup value for Products and does not participate in BOM processing.
Prerequisites
- An active Tenant and Organization must exist for the record.
- User must have access rights to the Part Type window under Manufacturing Management.
- Product master records should be identified in advance if Part Type is to be assigned immediately after creation.
Configuration Steps
Step 1: Create a Part Type
This step creates a reusable manufacturing classification that can later be assigned to products.
Navigate to the Part Type window and create a new record. Enter the Name, an optional Description, confirm Active, and save.
| Field | Sample Value | Description |
| Tenant | POTS | Tenant owning the Part Type record |
| Organization | CDC | Organization the Part Type belongs to |
| Name | Electronic Components | Identifies the Part Type |
| Description | Electronic parts used in electronic assemblies and finished products. | Describes the purpose of the Part Type |
| Active | Yes | Controls whether the record is available for selection in Product |
The Part Type is saved and becomes available for selection in the Product window’s Manufacturing section.
Step 2: Assign the Part Type to Products
This step associates individual products with the appropriate manufacturing classification.
Open a Product record, go to the Manufacturing section, select the applicable Part Type from the lookup, and save.
| Field | Sample Value | Description |
| Product | LCD Display Module | Product being classified |
| Part Type | Electronic Components | Manufacturing classification assigned to the product |
The selected product references the Electronic Components Part Type. In the tested configuration, LCD Display Module, Lithium-Ion Battery Pack, and Smart Control Panel all reference this same Part Type.
Step 3: Create a Manufactured Product (Optional Example)
This optional step demonstrates how products sharing the same Part Type can participate in manufacturing through a Bill of Materials.
Configure a finished product as Manufactured with a BOM, referencing component products that share the same Part Type classification.
| Field | Sample Value | Description |
| Smart Control Panel | Manufactured: Yes, BOM: Yes | Finished product assembled from components |
| LCD Display Module | Manufactured: No, BOM: No | Purchased component used in the BOM |
| Lithium-Ion Battery Pack | Manufactured: No, BOM: No | Purchased component used in the BOM |
The Bill of Materials defines the manufacturing structure of Smart Control Panel from its components. The Part Type only classifies the products involved and does not itself participate in BOM processing.
Common Issues and Resolutions
| Issue | Cause | Resolution |
| Part Type not available in Product window | Record is inactive or belongs to the wrong Organization | Verify the Part Type record is Active and belongs to the correct Organization. |
| Unable to save Part Type | Name field is empty | Ensure the Name field is populated before saving. |
| Part Type does not affect manufacturing | Expected behavior; Part Type is a classification only | This is expected. Part Type does not control BOM, production, or inventory processing. |
| Part Type not visible for selection | Access Level restricts visibility to Client + Organization scope | Confirm the user’s Organization access includes the Part Type’s owning Organization. |
| Confusion between Part Type and Product Category | Both appear as classification fields on Product | Use Part Type for manufacturing-oriented classification and Product Category for commercial grouping. |
Next Steps
After creating a Part Type, the typical follow-up sequence is to create or maintain Product master records, assign the appropriate Part Type to component and finished products, configure Bills of Materials for manufactured products, and use the classified products in manufacturing workflows such as Production Orders and Material Planning.
Related windows include Product, Product Category, and Bill of Materials configuration under Manufacturing Management.