A Bill of Material (BOM) is more than just a list of parts – it’s one of the most valuable elements of your plant’s technical database.  When accurate and complete, BOMs streamline the planning process, reduce downtime, and allow maintenance teams to focus on executing high-quality work instead of scrambling for missing parts.

But BOMs aren’t just a tactical win.  They’re a foundational piece of your overall maintenance and reliability strategy.  Without them, even the best planning systems and work management processes will stall.  With them, you can connect day-to-day efficiency directly to long-term cost reduction and asset performance goals.

I’ve previously written about a practical seven-step process to systematically improve BOMs, covering:

• Assessing your current BOM accuracy and costs of missing data
• Setting SMART goals aligned with broader plant objectives
• Calculating the investment and resources needed for success
• Gathering and validating parts information from multiple sources
• Correcting BOMs by reviewing existing electronic and field data
• Updating and maintaining BOMs in your CMMS
• Building continuous improvement into your workflows

Whether you’re in a plant, mill, or mine, these steps will help you make BOMs a lasting asset – not just a project deliverable.

If you want to learn the full process and see real-world examples, read the full article here.

Your turn: If you’re ready to connect tactical improvements like BOMs to a bigger-picture strategy for maintenance and reliability, let’s talk. You can:

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