System and Method for Bill-of-Materials Low-Level Code Harmonization
Techniques for bill of material (BOM) low-level code harmonization are disclosed. The BOMs from different sources for each product are ranked according to corresponding low-level codes of the end product. The BOMs are scanned in order to determine the lowest low-level code for all BOMs for a particular product. The BOMs for the particular product are then associated with the lowest low-level code. Once all the BOMs for each product are assigned the lowest low-level code for that product, then the BOMs are rescanned in the ranked order to determine the lowest low-level code associated with each end product in BOMs in which the end products are included as components. Each BOM for each end product is then associated with lowest low-level code from the BOM in which the end product is listed as a component. The harmonized low-level codes are used for determination of eligibility for preferential customs duties.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving, in a computer system, a plurality of bills of materials (BOMs), wherein the plurality of BOMs are associated with a plurality of corresponding products and a plurality of corresponding low-level codes; wherein the low-level codes classify the plurality of products according to a plurality of manufacturing levels;
sorting, in the computer system, the BOMs according to the plurality of corresponding low-level codes into an order;
scanning, in the computer system, through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a first portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with a first product in the plurality of products;
determining, in the computer system, a first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the first portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining, in the computer system, a lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating, in the computer system, the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.
2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
scanning, in the computer system, through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with second product in the plurality of products;
determining, in the computer system, a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining, in the computer system, a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating, in the computer system, the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the second portion of the plurality of BOMs.
3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
scanning, in the computer system, through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs having the first product in the plurality of products as a component;
determining, in the computer system, a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining, in the computer system, a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating, in the computer system, the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the order ascends from a low manufacturing level value to a high manufacturing level value.
5 . A method of claim 1 wherein the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes is used for determination of eligibility for preferential customs duty for the first product or another product in the plurality of products.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of BOMs are received from a plurality of different sources, and wherein the plurality of manufacturing levels differ from one another according to the different sources.
7 . A method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of BOMS associated with a first corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products comprises a second corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products as a component.
8 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed, control a computer processor to be configured for:
receiving a plurality of bills of materials (BOMs), wherein the plurality of BOMs are associated with a plurality of corresponding products and a plurality of corresponding low-level codes; wherein the low-level codes classify the plurality of products according to a plurality of manufacturing levels;
sorting the BOMs according to the plurality of corresponding low-level codes into an order;
scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a first portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with a first product in the plurality of products;
determining a first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the first portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining a lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.
9 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further containing instructions that, when executed, control the computer processor to be configured for:
scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with second product in the plurality of products;
determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the second portion of the plurality of BOMs.
10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further containing instructions that, when executed, control the computer processor to be configured for:
scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs having the first product in the plurality of products as a component;
determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.
11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the order ascends from a low manufacturing level value to a high manufacturing level value.
12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes is used for determination of preferential customs duty for the first product or another product in the plurality of products.
13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the plurality of BOMs are received from a plurality of different sources, and wherein the plurality of manufacturing levels differ from one another according to the different sources.
14 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein at least one of the plurality of BOMS associated with a first corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products comprises a second corresponding product in the plurality of corresponding products as a component.
15 . A system comprising:
one or more computer processors; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for:
receiving a plurality of bills of materials (BOMs), wherein the plurality of BOMs are associated with a plurality of corresponding products and a plurality of corresponding low-level codes; wherein the low-level codes classify the plurality of products according to a plurality of manufacturing levels;
sorting the BOMs according to the plurality of corresponding low-level codes into an order;
scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a first portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with a first product in the plurality of products;
determining a first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the first portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining a lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further contains instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for:
scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs associated with second product in the plurality of products;
determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the second portion of the plurality of BOMs.
17 . The system of claim 15 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further contains instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for:
scanning through the plurality of corresponding low-level codes incrementally in the order to determine a second portion of the plurality of BOMs having the first product in the plurality of products as a component;
determining a second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes associated with the second portion of the plurality of BOMs;
determining a lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes; and
associating the lowest low-level code in the second portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes with each of the first portion of the plurality of BOMs.
18 . The system of claim 15 wherein the order ascends from a low manufacturing level value to a high manufacturing level value.
19 . The system of claim 15 wherein the lowest low-level code in the first portion of the plurality of corresponding low-level codes is used for determination of eligibility for preferential customs duty for the first product or another product in the plurality of products.
20 . The system of claim 15 wherein the plurality of BOMs are received from a plurality of different sources, and wherein the plurality of manufacturing levels differ from one another according to the different sources.