Item types

The item type is a simple classification system for items. Item types help you organize your items based on their intended function. Each item type has its own set of attributes and behaviors, and your Tenant Administrator may configure further rules for each item type in your workflows. Your Tenant Administrator may also configure specific item numbering rules for each item type if desired.

Upchain supports multiple default item types as outlined below. When you create a new item, it must be assigned an item type, either manually by you or automatically by Upchain. Learn how to create an item in the web application or create an item in the CAD plugin.

At a high level, item types fall into two categories: mechanical and electrical. There are also additional items that do not fall into either category.

Note: The following tables show item type icons for both the old and new Upchain theme. To change the theme, click the chevron next to your profile icon to open the user menu and select Switch theme.

Mechanical

Item types for assemblies

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Product Structure Item
Assembly
Sub Assembly

Each of these item types can be used to represent an assembly. An assembly is a structure of parts and sub-assemblies put together to perform a specific function, and capable of disassembly without destroying each component. An assembly at one location may be a sub-assembly at another.

Of the three assembly item types, the Product Structure Item type does have additional functions. In Upchain, this item type affects how Upchain constructs the kitting number for your items. The kitting number is generated automatically based on the structure of your items, their assigned item number, and their item type. The kitting number is meant to be used by your procurement and assembly teams to understand where the physical components belong. The kitting number allows you to group all items together that belong to the same ‘kit’.

The kitting number is in the form:

R<major revision of the item>; <project number>; <item number of lowest level product structure above current item>; <item number of immediate parent>.

Learn more about the kitting number here.

You should consider why and where you might use each assembly item type. For example, perhaps it makes sense to use the Product Structure item type for your major breaking points in your end item, such as by safety circuits and then by assembly purpose (eg. pick-and-place), then switch to the Assembly or Sub Assembly type when you reach the lower levels in your machine. Perhaps you choose the Assembly item type for assemblies that require a drawing and the Sub Assembly item type as a place to hold a collection of items underneath it that don’t belong to a specific assembly.

In any case, having different item types for different levels of assemblies allows you to organize your items in a logical way and configure specific rules for each one.

Item types for parts

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Manufactured Item

This item type is for parts manufactured within your company or in its defined supply chain. These are parts that are made specifically for use within your assembly and cannot be purchased “as-is” from anywhere else. Typically, you must associate an engineering drawing for this item so that it can be correctly manufactured. The item attribute unique to this item type is Material.

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Purchased Mechanical Part

This item type is for mechanical components purchased and shipped from outside your organization. The item attributes unique to this item type are: Manufacturer, Manufacturer item number, and Manufacturer item description. These three attributes describe who supplies this part and what their catalog number is.

Important: See the section on purchased item types.

Electrical

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Electrical Package

This item type is for the top level item in an electrical assembly. This item contains the eCAD file and the PDF of the electrical schematics, as well as any additional files that describe the full electrical structure. Below this item is the flat structure of electrical items, usually purchased electrical and/or purchased electromechanical item types. Learn more about managing eCAD data here.

Important: Because this item type does not usually contain a 3D CAD model, 3D visualization and translations are not created even though they may appear in the item's Translations section.

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Purchased Electrical Part

This item type is for electrical components purchased and shipped from outside your organization. The item attributes unique to this item type are: Manufacturer, Manufacturer item number, and Manufacturer item description. These three attributes describe who supplies this part and what their catalog number is.

Important: Because this item type does not usually contain a 3D CAD model, 3D visualization and translations are not created even though they may appear in the item's Translations section.

Important: See the section on purchased item types.

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Purchased ElectroMechanical Part

This item type is for components that contain both mechanical and electrical qualities, and is purchased and shipped from outside your organization. The item attributes unique to this item type are: Manufacturer, Manufacturer item number, and Manufacturer item description. These three attributes describe who supplies this part and what their catalog number is.

Note: Because this item type has both mechanical and electrical qualities, this same item may exist in both a mechanical structure and electrical package in the same project. To prevent your team from accidentally purchasing it twice (under an electrical package and again within a mechanical structure), use the Reference Only eBOM attribute in the BOM table, in either the electrical package or the mechanical structure (but not both). This attribute removes the item from Change notices.

Important: See the section on Purchased item types.

A note on purchased items

Important: Each Manufacturer/Manufacturer item number combination may be linked to only one item number. This means that once you register a purchased part into Upchain and fill in its Manufacturer and Manufacturer item number, it cannot be created again under a different item number. However, the purchased item may go through as many revisions as necessary and the item may be used in any of your projects across your tenant.

You can enable an tenant property called enable.manufacturer.on.all.item.types, which enables the Manufacturer/Manufacturer item number attributes on all item types. The rules regarding a unique Manufacturer/Manufacturer item number would then apply to all items.

Other item types

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Purchased Phantom Assembly

This item type is used to indicate that you have a reference assembly in your cBOM, or that you have sub-assemblies that otherwise are saved as phantom in your cBOM and you wish to have them appear in the eBOM for information purposes. If this is the case, it is recommended that you also tag these items as Reference Only in the BOM table so that they are not included in Change notices.

For example, phantom assemblies can be used where several items (like nuts, bolts, or accessories) are required at different levels of the BOM. Instead of repeating these items again and again in the BOM, they are attached to a phantom item and this phantom item represents those items.

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Software Package

This item type is for written programs, procedures, or associated documentation pertaining to the operation and handling of a certain system. In Upchain, it represents a software package that usually accompanies certain mechanical items.

Item type	Old theme icon	New theme icon
Virtual Item

This item type is one that was previously created as a placeholder for files that are missing in the cBOM when importing a new assembly. Upchain would use this item type to indicate to the user that there used to be a corresponding file in the cBOM, but was missing upon import. Currently, Upchain ignores any missing files in a cBOM and does not create this item type anymore. It is available as an item type for legacy purposes only. Should you wish to create items in your eBOM that do not have a corresponding file in the cBOM, it is recommended that you use one of the above item types instead.