Pre-assembly Kits
A pre-assembly kit (also called a finished good or kit) is physically built ahead of demand and stored as a standalone SKU. The parent SKU holds real inventory. When a customer orders it, inventory is deducted from the parent — not the components. Components are consumed during the assembly run, not at point of sale.
How It Works
During assembly: You run a production batch before orders arrive. Components are consumed and the parent SKU's inventory increases. For example, building 50 "Candle Kits" consumes 50 Candles, 50 Boxes, and produces 50 units of the Candle Kit SKU held in stock.
At point of sale: When a customer orders the kit, inventory is deducted from the parent SKU only. The individual components are not touched at the moment of sale.
When to Use This Type
Use pre-assembly when:
- You build in batches (weekly, monthly production runs)
- The finished product has branded packaging requiring assembly
- You hold finished goods stock to fulfil orders immediately
- Assembly lead time is long enough to require advance planning
- You want to track finished goods inventory as a single SKU
Step-by-Step: Setting Up a Pre-assembly Kit in Synplex
Step 1: Create the BOM
Navigate to Product BOMs in the main menu and click Create BOM.
| Field | What to enter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Parent variant | Search for and select the finished good SKU (e.g. "Candle Kit") | Must be an existing Shopify variant |
| BOM type | Pre-assembled | Tells Synplex this is a finished goods product |
| Assembly time (days) | Number of days one production run takes (e.g. 3) | Used to time replenishment recommendations |
| Status | Draft | Activate after adding components |
Step 2: Add Components
Click Select components, then search and select each component. For each component, set the quantity required per finished unit.
Example — "Candle Kit" (1 unit) requires:
- Candle × 1
- Box × 1
- Ribbon × 2
- Card × 1
Once components are added, Synplex displays:
- Buildable quantity — how many kits you can build right now with current component stock
- Bottleneck component — which component is limiting your buildable quantity
- Component stock — current inventory per component
Step 3: Activate the BOM
Click Activate BOM. Status changes from Draft to Active.
On activation, Synplex:
- Marks all component inventory levels as BOM-relevant
- Triggers a demand recalculation for all components
- Calculates and displays buildable quantity in the BOM table
Once active, Synplex will:
- Include component demand in forecasts and replenishment plans
- Flag when component stock falls below what is needed for the next production run
- Show buildable quantity and bottleneck component in the BOM table
Step 4: Raise a Production Order
When you are ready to build a batch, navigate to Production Orders in the main menu and click Create Production Order.
Select the BOM, enter the quantity to build, and set an expected completion date.
When the Production Order is marked complete:
- Components are consumed (e.g. Candle −50, Box −50, Ribbon −100, Card −50)
- Parent SKU inventory increases (e.g. Candle Kit +50)
Synplex adjusts inventory for both components and the parent SKU automatically.
Worked Example
| Setup detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Finished good | "Winter Starter Kit" (parent SKU) |
| Components | Gloves × 1, Scarf × 1, Beanie × 1 |
| Assembly time | 2 days |
| Current component stock | 200 units each |
| Current finished goods stock | 30 units |
| Synplex calculates: |
- Buildable quantity: 200 kits (limited by components, all equal)
- Bottleneck: None — all components have equal stock
- Finished goods assessment: Low (30 units)
- Recommendation: Build 120 units based on demand plan
Action taken:
- Raise Production Order for 120 units
- Components consumed: Gloves −120, Scarf −120, Beanie −120
- Finished goods produced: Winter Starter Kit +120
Typical Examples
- Branded starter kits assembled in weekly batches
- Gift sets with custom packaging requiring manual assembly
- Subscription box products built monthly ahead of dispatch
- Hardware products requiring component testing before boxing
Related Pages
Questions? Contact support@synplex.dev