Preparing BOM data

There is no standard or conventional format for BOM lists, so it is usually necessary to specify several parameters to insure that the content of the imported file is interpreted correctly. Generating a well-structured BOM makes this process easier. Follow these guidelines:

• The data should be in a spreadsheet file or a text file.
  • Spreadsheet files must be in Excel (.xls or .xlsx), or LibreOffice/OpenOffice (.ods) format
  • Text files must be in a csv (comma-separated variable) format, with Tab or Space or , (comma) or ; (semicolon) as the delimiter character, and ' (single-quote) or " (double-quote) as the escape character. Each variable which contains any of the possible delimiter or escape characters must begin and end with the chosen escape character.
• There should be one row for each component
• There should be one column for each parameter. A column must not contain different or multiple parameters.
• At the minimum, the BOM must specify the Designator, Manufacturer Part Number (MPN), and Manufacturer Name for each component. Parameters such as Value, Package, Description, Mounting Style, and Alternate MPN/Manufacturer pairs are recommended. Height, Do Not Place (DNP), Additional Info, and Supplier/SKU pairs are also supported.
• There must be one and only one column for each of the following parameters:
  • Designator
  • MPN
  • Manufacturer name
• If provided, there must be only one column for the following parameters:
  • Mounting style
  • DNP
  • Height
• There may be one row for each component, or one row for each designator.
  • If one row per component, then all designators for that component must be listed in the designator column.
    • Separate designators with a Space or , (comma) or ; (semicolon). The same delimiter must be used for all components.
    • Ranges of designators may be specified as D2-5 or D2..5 either of which will be interpreted as D2, D3, D4, and D5.
    • If any designators contain - (hyphen) or . (period) as part of the designator, then you should not specify any designator ranges.
  • If one row per designator, then all columns for the component must be filled out, even if they have been previously specified for a different designator.
• It is recommended to only use one column each for Value, Package, Description and Additional info. However, multiple columns for any of these parameters are supported.
• Supplier names and Stock numbers (SKUs) must be specified as pairs, using one of the following conventions:
  • Single column, single pair: Name<delimiter>SKU
  • Single column, multiple pairs: Name<delimiter>SKU<delimiter>Name<delimiter>SKU...
  • Two columns, single pair: Name in one column and SKU in the other.
  • Two columns, multiple pairs: Name<delimiter>Name... in one column and SKU<delimiter>SKU... in the other.
  • Multiple pairs in multiple columns: There must be two columns for each pair; Name in one column and SKU in the other.
  • The same delimiter must be used for all components.
• Alternate MPNs and Manufacturers must be specified as pairs. They may be specified in the same manner as for supplier/SKU pairs.