By Software Blog

A bill of materials (BOM) software is an application that creates, stores, manages, tracks, and controls BOMs, the structured lists of the components, raw materials, subassemblies, parts, quantities, and metadata needed to manufacture a product (or to build a software artifact). In essence, BOM software is a tool for creating and managing an inventory of components used to make a product.

What problem does BOM software solve?

Bill of Materials software exists to eliminate the errors and inefficiencies that result from manually managing complex product structures. Modern products contain thousands of interconnected parts, and as a result, they require frequent design revisions and supplier changes that spreadsheets simply cannot track reliably.

BOM software addresses these challenges by providing accurate version control and ensuring that every team, from engineering to procurement and manufacturing, works from the same source of truth. Furthermore, it supports downstream processes like MRP, cost rollups, and compliance. Consequently, companies produce products faster, with fewer mistakes, and with greater coordination across the product lifecycle.

Why do organizations need BOM software?

Any organization that builds software needs to maintain an SBOM for its codebases. In fact, organizations typically utilize a combination of custom-built code, commercial off-the-shelf code, and open-source components to create software.

To maintain a competitive release velocity, most organizations prioritize agility and leverage technologies to improve application development efficiency, including third-party components such as open-source code. However, because third-party components introduce unique risks and additional complexity into the software supply chain, forward-thinking organizations build SBOMs into their software supply chain security strategies.

Top 10 Best Bill of Materials Software

  1. Fishbowl

Fishbowl’s BOM capabilities integrate seamlessly with its granular inventory management tools. This approach allows you to create a BOM directly from the parts screen, which lists all items in your inventory, including components, raw materials, and finished goods. To get started, simply select the part you want to manufacture, and Fishbowl auto-fills details for the finished good. As a result, this syncs your operations, providing better visibility into materials usage and replenishment needs directly from the BOM workflow.

Beyond basic materials tracking, the BOM management tool extends further. Specifically, Fishbowl supports multi-level BOMs, letting you manage complex assemblies and sub-assemblies. Additionally, it links these together to help track dependencies between production stages and parts—a particularly valuable feature if you’re in machinery or electronics manufacturing.

Features

  • Functions as a light MRP system
  • Integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks
  • Offers competitive pricing without requiring a subscription

Pricing

Fishbowl does not require a subscription.

2. Arena

Arena PLM equips organizations with a comprehensive suite tailored for bridging the gap between design, engineering, and manufacturing. Moreover, Arena’s solutions are renowned for their ability to manage complex product processes while centralizing product data for better collaboration. The platform not only accelerates product delivery, reducing costly production errors, but also enhances visibility across design and supply chain activities. Furthermore, it initiates the process of moving products toward commercialization.

Features

  • Advanced supply chain collaboration tools help businesses maintain visibility on the availability and status of materials and parts.
  • Custom reporting and analytics align with various business analytics needs.
  • Comprehensive BOM management facilitates multi-level BOM assemblies.
  • Quality process integrations that focus on sourcing compliant parts are essential for regulated industries.
  • Effective integration with CAD systems

Best for:

This solution is ideally suited for mid-to-large hardware and electronic product teams that need a cloud-first PLM with integrated quality and NPI workflows.

3. OpenBOM

OpenBOM provides an intuitive cloud-based management solution that excels in real-time collaboration, making it a valuable player in the BOM management field. Furthermore, it stands out for bringing simplicity and accessibility to the complex processes of managing product data, supply chains, and manufacturing workflows. The quick setup and straightforward learning curve make it an appealing choice for rapid implementation and immediate productivity gains.

Features

  • Real-time collaboration with multi-level BOMs
  • Revision control to track historical BOM data and ensure accurate change management.
  • Centralized inventory management that synchronizes changes across all BOMs.
  • Integration with popular CAD tools for seamless design to manufacturing process flow.

Pricing

  • $100/seat per month (Individual)
  • $150/seat per month (Company)

Best For

OpenBOM is particularly well-suited for startups and small-to-medium engineering teams looking for a comprehensive, yet straightforward BOM management tool.

4. Oracle PLM

Oracle’s Agile Product Lifecycle Management delivers an extensive suite designed to manage the core aspects of product lifecycle management, including innovation, product development, and collaboration. Moreover, it offers a structured table for multi-level BOM editing with a real-time graphical navigator for visual impact analysis. This functionality allows you to create a new concept and drag in existing items, CAD files, or placeholder “virtual” components. Additionally, Oracle tags each line with weight, cost, power compliance score, and preferred supplier, meaning you can build a rough BOM in minutes without locking in part numbers.

Features 

  • Allows configuration using low-code embedded solutions
  • Integrates customer feedback with product insight
  • Provides complete product lifecycle coverage, from ideation through to retirement
  • Features a strong collaboration framework that connects internal teams with external partners and suppliers.
  • Delivers powerful search and analytics capabilities, allowing for data-driven decisions and improved product insights.

Pricing

Starts at $350/user per month

Best For

Oracle’s Agile Product Lifecycle Management is best suited for large enterprises that manage complex products and require robust product data security and regulatory compliance measures.

5. MRPeasy

MRPeasy helps small manufacturers manage production, inventory, and procurement with real-time visibility and multi-level BOM support. Furthermore, it’s most commonly used by small businesses in the machinery and electronics industry, with standout benefits in inventory tracking and production planning. Notably, it offers both engineering and manufacturing BOMs, allowing you to be more precise with your BOM creation.

Features

  • Enables accurate lot tracking, real-time updates from manufacturing and purchasing
  • Simplifies procurement by converting material requirements into Purchase Orders
  • Supports both single- and multi-level BOMs
  • Provides tools for categorizing stock and tracking costs
  • Integrates with third-party tools for eCommerce management, analytics, CRM, and accounting

Pricing

  • Starter: $49/user per month
  • Professional: $69/ user per month

Best For

MRPeasy is best suited for small to medium manufacturers, especially those with a limited budget but significant BOM complexity.

6. Craftybase

Craftybase is a cloud-based inventory, manufacturing, and BOM platform built primarily for small-batch makers, artisans, and DTC (direct-to-consumer) product businesses. In addition to core BOM functionality, the platform offers inventory management, production job costing, and deep integrations with marketplaces like Shopify, Etsy, and Amazon. The software creates complex multi-level BOMs, understands COGS and profit margins, automatically calculates your real-time production costs, and helps ensure you never run out of stock or over-order.

Features

  • Comprehensive reporting and statistics
  • Integrates with other software solutions to synchronize data and expand your tech stack capabilities
  • Provides real-time inventory for raw materials and finished goods
  • Allows you to create and schedule production runs from BOMs/recipes, automatically consuming materials as runs complete and adjusting for scrap/waste
  • Delivers analytics on stocktakes, production history, and profit & margin reports
  • Provides traceability features and lot history (available on mid/upper plans), useful for recalls and quality issues
  • Includes comprehensive cost tracking

Pricing

Pro: $20 per month

Studio: $24 per month for basic inventory tracking

Indie: $99 per month

Business: $149/ user per month

Best For

Craftybase is ideal for businesses that make on-demand or in small batches. Additionally, it’s suitable for startups and companies that want to replace spreadsheets and manual bookkeeping with automated COGS and inventory control.

7. Kohezion

Kohezion is a user-friendly and highly customizable online database that empowers you to create business applications without programming. This software solution stands out for its simplicity and accessibility, making it particularly attractive to small and mid-sized businesses seeking efficient data management. Furthermore, it delivers this capability without the complexity or cost of traditional software solutions.

Features

  • Unlimited storage to hold detailed BOM information
  • Robust security settings, including regular backups and user-specific access permissions
  • Drag-and-drop application builder for easy customization
  • Powerful search functionality to quickly find and sort BOM data
  • Task management with real-time updates and notifications

Pricing

Standard: $300 per month

Business: $650 per month

Best For

Kohezion is ideally suited for large businesses that require a straightforward, adaptable, and cost-effective BOM management tool. Specifically, companies that lack extensive IT resources and prefer a quick setup will find Kohezion particularly beneficial.

8. Odoo

Odoo provides a full-featured, modular ERP with a strong Manufacturing app that includes BoM creation and management, multi-level and variant BoMs, routings, MRP flow, and an integrated PLM module for engineering change control (ECOs) and BoM versioning. Because it’s part of a complete ERP suite, encompassing Inventory, Purchase, Quality, Accounting, e-commerce, and more. Odoo is especially appealing to SMEs and mid-market manufacturers that want BoM-driven manufacturing tightly integrated with procurement, stock, and finance.

Features

  • Provides single- and multi-level BoMs useful for complex products with nested components
  • Allows you to reuse a base BoM while customizing quantities and components for sizes, colors, or options
  • Supports planning, scheduling, and the complete work order lifecycle (ready → in progress → done)
  • Consolidates customer and vendor details in one place for easier management
  • Enables customization of invoice templates, automates recurring billing, and links invoices to sales and accounting
  • Integrates with a wide range of business tools across accounting, e-commerce, HR, and supply chain

Pricing

  • Entry plan: $31.10 per user per month
  • Standard: $38.90 per user per month

Note: Pricing scales with the number of users and apps selected.

Best For

Odoo is particularly well-suited for small to mid-market manufacturers that want an integrated ERP + manufacturing platform so BOMs feed procurement, warehouse, and accounting functions without requiring heavy integration work.

9. Siemens Teamcenter

Siemens Teamcenter offers a versatile product lifecycle management (PLM) system that incorporates powerful BOM management tools. Notably, its capabilities are built to deliver a single, reconciled product definition across mechanical, electrical, software, and manufacturing domains. The platform is specifically designed to manage complex, multi-level BOMs, enforce change control (ECO/ECN), and synchronize engineering and manufacturing structures with downstream ERP/MRP systems, all at scale.

Features

  • Multi-domain BOM management & reconciliation
  • Provides multi-level BOM visualization, allowing you to expand and collapse nested assemblies
  • Allows full revision history, variant and option management (product families, options, and configurations)
  • Integrates native connectors for major MCAD/ECAD systems to auto-generate BOM lines from CAD models and keep part metadata synced

Pricing

Siemens uses tiered licensing and quote-based pricing; exact costs depend on edition, module mix, deployment choice (Teamcenter vs Teamcenter X), number of users, and implementation services.

Best For

Team center is built pruposely for complex, regulated, and scale-sensitive manufacturing organisations.

10. Katana MRP

Katana software positions itself as the go-to MRP solution for modern manufacturers looking for a user-friendly and visually intuitive platform. Importantly, it caters to both small manufacturers and large factories. Furthermore, Katana ensures real-time insights into production progress, design alterations, and raw materials consumption.

The BOM module delivers significant value through auto-allocation of available raw materials and products, providing a resource allocation method that prioritizes schedules. Additionally, Katana’s commitment to precise costing is evident in its ability to track sales and production orders in real-time, allowing businesses to adjust raw material and resource costs for more straightforward pricing decisions.

Features

  • Real-time inventory tracking across locations to optimize stock levels and avoid shortages or overstocking.
  • Provides shop floor control to monitor task-level manufacturing progress.
  • Integrated bill of materials with automatic material requirement calculations based on production runs.
  • Provide a visual production planning dashboard that provides a clear view of the manufacturing operations.
  • Auto-booking system that allocates raw materials to orders, ensuring priority fulfillment.

Pricing

Starting price: $399 per month

Best For

Katana is particularly suited for small to medium-sized businesses that require a straightforward and effective solution to oversee and integrate their manufacturing operations without investing in bulky, traditional ERP systems.

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