Parts Inventory
Adding parts, linking them to assets, keeping stock and cost in sync, and when to split a part number into two.
On this page
Adding a part
CMMS → Parts → “+ New Part.” The fields that matter most up front:
| Field | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Name | What shows up everywhere — Parts list, Assets tab, PO line items. |
| Part number | The manufacturer/vendor part number. Used to match incoming PO receipts. |
| Unit of measure | Each, box, gallon, etc. — how the part is counted and ordered. |
| Minimum stock level | The reorder threshold. Quantity at or below this triggers Low Stock. |
| Current quantity on hand | Starting count. After creation, this should only move via receiving — see below. |
| Picture | Optional. Helps techs confirm they grabbed the right part off the shelf. |
| Storage location | Optional free text — bin, shelf, truck stock, etc. |
| Categories | Optional, one or more — used for search/filtering in the Parts list. |
A part isn’t useful on its own — the next two steps are linking it to the assets that use it, and (if it’s purchasable) confirming its Products catalog entry, which is what every PO line item actually references.
Parts ↔ Assets: why it’s many-to-many
A part and an asset are linked through a join — not by putting an asset on the part. That matters because the real world isn’t one part per machine: an oil filter, a belt, or a spark plug is very often the exact same part number across several different mower or truck models. One parts row should represent that one physical part, and it should be linkable to every asset that actually uses it.
- In the part detail, the Assets tab is where you manage those links — add Mower #3, add Mower #7, add the walk-behind trimmer, whatever else takes the same filter.
- Each asset, in turn, shows this part on its own “parts typically used” list — so a tech opening Mower #7’s asset record sees Oil Filter — OEM 51515 without anyone having entered it twice.
- One quantity on hand, one reorder point, one purchase history — shared correctly across every asset that draws from it, instead of fragmented into duplicate part records per machine.
Vendors on a part
A part can list a primary vendor plus one or more alternate vendors it’s also sourced from. This is purely a reference and reordering convenience — it does not split the part into separate catalog entries, and it does not change which Products entry a PO line item points at. Use it when the exact same physical part is available from more than one supplier and you just want the options on hand when it’s time to reorder.
Worked example: one part, start to finish
Following one part through its full lifecycle — creation, asset linking, a low-stock alert, the requisition it triggers, and the receipt that closes the loop:
| 1. Create the part | CMMS → Parts → “+ New Part.” Name: “Oil Filter — OEM 51515.” Unit of measure: each. Minimum stock level: 4. Starting quantity on hand: 10. |
| 2. Link it to assets | Open the part, go to the Assets tab, and link it to Mower #3 and Mower #7 — both use the same filter. The part now shows on both assets’ “parts typically used” list. |
| 3. Stock runs down | Work orders against either mower consume filters over a few months. Quantity on hand drifts down to 4. |
| 4. Low Stock fires | At quantity 4 (at or below the minimum of 4), a Low Stock badge appears on the part and a bell notification fires. If the “Low Stock Alert” automation is configured, a draft requisition is created automatically. |
| 5. Requisition → PO | A Purchase Requisition is created (or confirmed, if auto-created) using the Maintenance Part product entry that corresponds to this part. It moves through the normal approval chain and becomes a PO. |
| 6. Receive it | Purchasing → Receiving → “+ New Receipt” against that PO. Because the line is a Maintenance Part, quantity on hand on the Oil Filter — OEM 51515 part increments automatically — this is the only place the count changes. |
| 7. Cost updates | If the receipt’s unit cost differs from what was on file, the part’s unit cost updates — and because the part is linked to a Products catalog entry, that product’s cost updates too, so CMMS Parts and Purchasing Products keep showing the same number. Exactly how that landed cost is calculated depends on the org’s Costing Method (Manual / WAC / FIFO). |
Interchangeable parts: split vs. alternate vendor
Not every alternate source is the same part. If a part number is genuinely interchangeable across brands — a name-brand filter and an aftermarket equivalent that fits the same spec — keep them as two separate catalog entries, not one part with a second vendor. They don’t share a cost history or a vendor history, and PO line items need to attach to the correct one for that history to mean anything.
Worked example. Say “Oil Filter — OEM 51515” has been the only entry, but a tech starts also buying a cheaper aftermarket filter that physically fits the same mowers:
- Create a second part — e.g. “Oil Filter — Aftermarket 51515-GEN” — with its own part number, its own cost, and its own Products catalog entry.
- Copy over the Assets links (Mower #3, Mower #7, …) to whichever entry actually fits — both, if either filter genuinely gets used on either mower.
- On either part’s detail page, open Interchangeable Parts and click “Link as alternative part” (it becomes “Add Alternative” once a part already has one or more links), then pick the other part. It doesn’t matter which side you start from — either part can link to the other, and neither side is more authoritative; the link and its display are identical regardless of direction.
Compare that to just adding a second vendor on the existing part (see Vendors on a part above) — the right call when it's the exact same physical part, just available from a second supplier. Split into two parts only when the part number, cost, or vendor history actually needs to diverge.
Replenishing stock
To restock a part, create a Purchase Requisition using the Maintenance Part product that corresponds to it. Once the resulting PO is received in Purchasing → Receiving, quantity on hand increments automatically.
Cost sync with the Products catalog
Every part is linked to a Products catalog entry. When a receipt updates a part’s unit cost, the linked product’s cost updates automatically — and the reverse holds too, so a manual edit on either side stays in sync. The price shown in CMMS Parts and in Purchasing Products should always match for a given part/product pair.
How that landed cost is actually calculated — most recent price, weighted average, or first-in-first-out — depends on the org’s configured Costing Method (Manual / WAC / FIFO).
FAQ
- Why does a part’s audit trail show a “name conflict” entry? The bulk PO import keeps the first name it ever saw for a given part number. If a later purchase uses a different name for the same part number, the import doesn’t silently overwrite the catalog — it records a “name conflict” entry on that part/product’s audit trail for review. If a part’s Products catalog name and Parts inventory name genuinely disagree, check the Audit Trail before assuming it’s just a typo.
- A part number seems to cover two different physical parts — what should I do? Split it into two catalog entries, one per physical part, with distinct part numbers (e.g. append “-OEM”/“-GEN” if the real part number would otherwise collide) so future purchases and work-order usage attach to the right one. Copy any Assets already linked to the shared part over to whichever new entry actually fits them. Once split, link the two as alternatives via Interchangeable Parts.
- Does it matter which part I start from when linking two interchangeable parts? No — whichever side you initiate from is purely which side clicks first. Display is identical either way, and neither part is more correct or authoritative than the other.
- How do I record goods received against a purchase order? Purchasing → Receiving → “+ New Receipt.” Maintenance Part lines auto-update CMMS Parts inventory quantity on hand.