Search Results bom_dependent_desc_elements




Overview
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Overview

The BOM_DEPENDENT_DESC_ELEMENTS table is a core data structure within the Oracle E-Business Suite Bills of Material (BOM) module. It is specifically designed to support the configuration of complex, customizable products by storing descriptive elements assigned to model and option class bills of material. This table plays a critical role in enabling the Configurator functionality, allowing organizations to define and manage the descriptive attributes (such as color, size, or material) that are associated with dependent items in a configurable product structure. Its existence is fundamental to managing the relationships between a parent model and its constituent components within an ATO (Assemble-to-Order) or PTO (Pick-to-Order) environment.

Key Information Stored

The table stores the mapping between a specific bill of material and its associated descriptive elements. The primary key, composed of BILL_SEQUENCE_ID and ELEMENT_NAME, ensures uniqueness for each element assigned to a bill. The BILL_SEQUENCE_ID is a foreign key that links directly to the BOM_STRUCTURES_B table, identifying the exact model or option class bill. The ELEMENT_NAME column stores the identifier for the descriptive element itself, which corresponds to a user-defined descriptive flexfield segment. This structure allows multiple descriptive elements to be defined for a single bill, providing a flexible framework for capturing configuration-specific attributes.

Common Use Cases and Queries

A primary use case is the generation of configuration-specific reports or the validation of configured items. For instance, a query might retrieve all descriptive elements available for a particular model to drive a user interface in a configurator. Developers often join this table with BOM_STRUCTURES_B and inventory item tables to build comprehensive views of configurable product data. A typical SQL pattern involves filtering by a specific bill or item to list its dependent descriptive elements:

  • SELECT element_name FROM bom_dependent_desc_elements WHERE bill_sequence_id = (SELECT bill_sequence_id FROM bom_structures_b WHERE assembly_item_id = :p_item_id AND organization_id = :p_org_id);

This data is also crucial during the order entry process, where the values for these descriptive elements are captured and subsequently used to determine the specific components required for the configured assembly.

Related Objects

The BOM_DEPENDENT_DESC_ELEMENTS table has a direct and documented foreign key relationship with the BOM_STRUCTURES_B table, which is the base table for all bills of material. The relationship is defined as follows:

  • Foreign Key to BOM_STRUCTURES_B: The BILL_SEQUENCE_ID column in BOM_DEPENDENT_DESC_ELEMENTS references the BILL_SEQUENCE_ID column in BOM_STRUCTURES_B. This link ties each descriptive element assignment to a specific bill of material record for a model or option class.

Consequently, any process or report querying dependent descriptive elements will typically involve a join to BOM_STRUCTURES_B to obtain bill details and, subsequently, to MTL_SYSTEM_ITEMS_B to retrieve item information. The table is central to the Configurator model and is referenced by various internal APIs and user interfaces within the BOM and Order Management modules.