The quick answer
Open the bill of materials, choose Actions > Make Copy, enter a new Name and Save. The copy carries every revision, with the same names, effective dates and component lines. Edit each revision to change what differs, then add the copy to the second assembly's Bills of Materials sublist on its Manufacturing subtab.
The screenshots show sample data. Person and operating-company names are fictional. Use your own records and values when following the steps.
Before you start
You need Advanced Bill of Materials and Assembly Items enabled, an existing BOM to copy, and permission to create BOMs. The second assembly item must already exist, because Make Copy creates only the BOM. This example copies Trail Bike Red BOM for a Trail Bike Blue that differs only by its paint.
01. Open the BOM to copy
Open Trail Bike Red BOM. On the Revisions subtab it lists Trail Rev 2026 and Trail Rev 2027, each effective for one calendar year.
02. Make the copy
Choose Actions, then Make Copy. A new bill of materials form opens with the original's values, and Name still reads Trail Bike Red BOM. Replace it with Trail Bike Blue BOM and click Save.
03. Check the copied revisions
The saved copy lists Trail Rev 2026 and Trail Rev 2027 with the original effective dates. Used On Assembly is not checked because the copy is not assigned to an assembly yet. Every revision still lists Trail Bike Red's components.
04. Change the part that differs
Click Trail Rev 2026, then Edit. Click the PT-RED Paint Red line, choose PT-BLU Paint Blue, set BOM Quantity to 2 and click OK, then Save. Repeat for Trail Rev 2027. Reopen Trail Rev 2026 to confirm the paint line reads PT-BLU Paint Blue with quantity 2 and the other four lines are unchanged. Trail Bike Red BOM is not affected, because the copy is a separate record.
05. Assign the copy to the assembly
Go to Lists > Accounting > Items, click Edit beside Trail Bike Blue and open the Manufacturing subtab. On Bills of Materials, add a line, choose Trail Bike Blue BOM, check Master Default, click Add and Save. The item now lists the BOM, and Current Revision shows Trail Rev 2026 because its dates include today.
Check the result
- Trail Bike Blue BOM lists the same revisions and dates as the original.
- Each revision shows PT-BLU Paint Blue with quantity 2 and the other four lines unchanged.
- Trail Bike Red BOM still lists PT-RED Paint Red.
- The item's Bills of Materials sublist shows Trail Bike Blue BOM with a Current Revision.
Common questions
Does Make Copy also copy the revisions?
Yes. The copy gets the same revisions, with their names, effective dates and component lines. Open each one and change what differs. If the original is restricted to particular assemblies or locations, those restrictions are copied too.
Does Make Copy copy the routing?
No. A routing is a separate record, so a copied BOM has none. Set up or copy the routing for the new assembly separately.
What do Master Default and Default for Location mean?
Master Default marks the BOM an assembly uses when no location-specific BOM applies. Default for Location sets a BOM for one location and takes precedence there. A BOM cannot be both at once.
Why does my new assembly say No Active Revision?
Current Revision is the revision whose effective dates include today. A BOM whose revisions are all future-dated, expired or separated by a gap shows No Active Revision. Check the dates on the BOM's Revisions subtab.
Does editing the copy change the original BOM?
No. The copy is a separate record. Editing its revisions leaves the original untouched.