Hi Ricardo,

While Odoo's PLM module doesn't natively look at real-time stock levels to dynamically automate a component switch mid-production, you can easily achieve this using standard Odoo features without any custom development.

Here are the two best, simple workarounds to handle this "Phase-Out / Phase-In" process effectively:

Option 1: The "Flexible Consumption" Approach (Recommended)

Instead of forcing the Bill of Materials (BoM) to automate the switch, you can manage it dynamically directly on your Manufacturing Orders (MO) using inventory rules.

1. Keep the Old Component Active: Do not apply the Engineering Change Order (ECO) to remove the old component yet. Leave it as the primary component on your master BoM.

2. Enable Flexible Consumption: Ensure that your BoM or Manufacturing settings allow for "Flexible Consumption" (set to Allowed or Allowed with warning). This permits your production team to consume components that weren't originally listed on the BoM.

3. The Switch Process:

   • When a new MO is generated, Odoo will automatically attempt to reserve the old component.

   • If Odoo only reserves a partial amount (because stock is running out), your production operator simply edits the MO components list.

   • They reduce the old component line to match what was actually available, and manually add a new line for the new component to cover the deficit.

4. Finalize the ECO: Once your inventory app shows exactly $0$ units on hand for the old part, you can officially approve and apply your PLM ECO to permanently update the master BoM for all future production.

Option 2: The "Two-Line BoM" (For Better System Visibility)

If you want the system to explicitly "suggest" the new part on the MO without operators having to manually search for the new part number, use this method:

1. Add Both Lines to the Master BoM: Temporarily add both the old and the new components to the master BoM.

2. Check Availability: When a Manufacturing Order is created, click Check Availability. Odoo will automatically reserve whatever remains of the old component.

3. Operator Adjustment: * If the old component is fully available, the operator simply deletes or zeros out the line for the new component.

   • If the old component is partially available or entirely empty, the operator adjusts the quantities on both lines accordingly before hitting Produce.

4. Clean up the BoM: Just like Option 1, once the old stock is permanently depleted, finalize your ECO in the PLM app to strip the old component off the master BoM.

Both methods allow you to cleanly use up your remaining warehouse capital without stalling production or relying on complex automated code.

Bonus Tip for Materials Planning (Procurement Visibility):

To prevent your purchasing team from accidentally buying more of the "old" component while you are trying to bleed down the stock, you can create a simple visibility layer using Odoo Studio:

1. Add a custom Boolean checkbox to the Product Template called "Pending ECO".

2. Add a custom selection field called "Revision Disposition" with options like "Phase-Out Existing Stock" or "Hold Reordering".

When your engineering team initiates the phase-out process, they flag the old component. This alerts your buyers to stop replenishing the old inventory and lets them know exactly what the game plan is while production consumes the remaining balance on the shop floor.