Overview
By default, when a make item is needed to fulfill demand, the system schedules production work and suggests purchasing the raw materials required to produce it. The purchasing preference setting gives you control over this behavior on a per-part basis — allowing you to tell the system to suggest buying the finished make item directly from a vendor instead.
Setting Options
Setting | Behavior |
Normal (default) | Standard behavior — schedule production and suggest purchasing raw material inputs |
Buy | Suggest purchasing this make item directly; do not suggest purchasing its inputs |
The setting is configured on the make item's purchasing data, alongside vendor information.
How It Works
Normal (default)
When demand arrives for a make item set to Normal:
The system checks inventory and any in-progress sessions
If more is needed, it checks open purchase orders for this item
If still short, it schedules production (PLOs) and suggests purchasing the raw material inputs
This is unchanged from standard make item behavior.
Purchasing Data Requirement
The Buy preference is only available on make items that have purchasing data configured (i.e., at least one vendor is set up on the part). A make item without vendor information cannot have a purchasing preference set.
Buy
When demand arrives for a make item set to Buy Preference, behavior depends on whether anything is currently on order:
Nothing on order
The system checks inventory and any in-progress sessions
It checks open purchase orders — none exist
A purchasing suggestion is created and added to the purchasing list for the make item itself
Production (operations) are also scheduled as a fallback so work can proceed while the order is placed
The raw material inputs are NEVER added to the purchasing list — only the make item appears
Something on order
The system checks inventory and in-progress sessions
It checks open purchase orders and claims against them to reduce the deficit
If the deficit is fully covered — done, no further action
If a deficit remains — a purchasing suggestion is created for the make item for the remainder
No production is scheduled — the purchase order signals intent to buy, not make
Lifecycle Example
Consider a make item Widget A with purchasing preference:
Day 1: Demand arrives, nothing on order
→ Purchasing suggestion created: "Buy 10x Widget A"
→ Operations created: production scheduled for 10x Widget A (fallback)
→ Widget A's inputs are NOT on the purchasing list
Day 2: Purchasing team creates a PO for 10x Widget A
→ Core system re-runs
→ PO claim covers the full demand
→ Operations are removed (no longer needed)
Day 3: PO arrives, inventory updated
→ Demand fulfilled
If the PO only partially covers demand (e.g., 6 of 10):
→ 6x claimed from open PO
→ purchasing suggestion created for remaining 4x Widget A
→ No Operations are scheduled - on-order quantity signals buy intent so operations must be completed manually (unplanned)