What Is Item Revision?
Also known as: part revision, revision level, rev level, item revision control
Definition
An item revision is a label, such as A, B or 02, that identifies a specific released version of a part or assembly, so that drawings, BOMs, inventory and orders can all reference exactly which version they mean.
Item Revision Explained
The usual rule is that a change affecting form, fit or function requires a new part number if the old and new are not interchangeable, and a new revision if they are interchangeable or the old is superseded. Cosmetic or documentation-only changes may revise a drawing without changing the item revision.
ERP handling differs. Some systems carry revision on the item master, with a new revision replacing the old across the board. Others carry revision as a separate dimension on BOMs, work orders and inventory lots, so two revisions can coexist in stock. Infor LN supports item revisions and effectivity units, NetSuite supports BOM and assembly revisions with effective dates, and SyteLine often manages revision through item fields and date effectivity on the BOM.
Revision must follow the product to the customer. Aerospace and medical customers require the shipped revision on certificates, and traceability records link serial or lot to the revision built.
The main failure mode is mixed-revision stock. If inventory does not carry revision, the floor can pull rev A material onto a rev B work order with no system warning.
Why It Matters
- Shipping the wrong revision is a quality escape and may breach the customer contract.
- Interchangeability decisions decide whether stock can be consumed or scrapped.
- Service and warranty need to know what revision a unit was built to.
- Audit trails of revision history are required under AS9100 and ISO 13485.
In Practice
Revision B of a manifold changes a port thread. It is not interchangeable with A for customers with existing mating parts. Engineering therefore assigns a new part number for the new customer and a revision B only for the improved internal casting. Stock of A can still ship to service orders, so the ERP must hold both.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should a part get a new revision instead of a new part number?
When the new version is interchangeable in form, fit and function with the old. If not interchangeable, a new part number is normally required.
Can ERP hold two revisions of one item in stock?
Only if revision is tracked on inventory, lots or locations. Otherwise the system treats them as the same stock.
Is revision the same as effectivity?
No. Revision names the version. Effectivity defines when or at what serial or order the version takes effect.
Related Terms
Engineering Change Order (ECO)
An engineering change order (ECO) is the formal, approved document that authorizes a change to a part, bill of materials, drawing or routing, defines when it takes effect, and says what happens to existing stock and open orders.
BOM (Bill of Materials)
A BOM (bill of materials) is the structured, hierarchical list of components, sub-assemblies, and quantities required to produce one unit of a parent item, and it is the primary input MRP explodes to calculate material requirements.
Traceability
Traceability is the ability to follow the history, location, and application of a part or material through the supply chain and production process, both backward to its sources and forward to every product and customer it reached.
PLM (Product Lifecycle Management)
Product lifecycle management (PLM) is software that manages product definition data from concept through design, release and retirement: CAD models, engineering BOMs, documents, revisions and change approvals, then hands released data to ERP for production.
Go Deeper
Infor LN Engineering Change Management Guide
Manage engineering changes in Infor LN with ECO/ECN workflows, BOM effectivity, revision control, and impact analysis for controlled product change processes.
ERP-PLM Integration Guide
ERP-PLM integration guide: sync engineering BOMs, item masters, ECOs, and CAD documents between PLM and Infor SyteLine or LN without duplicate data entry.
Working with Item Revision in a live environment? Our engineers do this every day - and our AI agents automate most of it.