Adding Consumables and Components

Beyond standard raw materials, products often include consumables (supporting supplies used in small quantities) and components (pre-built sub-assemblies). Both are added through the Materials tab, but they behave differently.

Consumables

A consumable is a material used in the production process that is difficult to measure precisely per product. Examples:

• Sandpaper — one sheet may be used across 20 items
• Polishing compound — a small amount per item, hard to weigh
• Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning surfaces before adhesion
• Glue applied with a brush (where some glue is lost to the brush)
• Printer paper for packing slips included in shipments

In CrafterBy, consumables are set up as regular materials — the difference is how you estimate the quantity. You have two options:

1. Estimate the fraction: If one sheet of sandpaper is used across 20 items, add it with a quantity of 0.05 (1/20). The cost will be 5% of one sheet's cost.
2. Bundle consumables into overhead: Very small consumables (a few cents of tape, a tiny amount of cleaning fluid) are sometimes more practically handled as part of your overhead allocation rather than line items per product. Use whichever approach gives you a more accurate and maintainable cost.

Components (sub-assemblies)

A component is a finished sub-assembly that you make yourself before incorporating it into a product. Components have their own cost breakdown (materials + labour + machines) and are added to products as a single line item.

Examples:

• A hand-fabricated clasp that goes on multiple jewellery pieces
• A custom-dyed leather strap used in several bag designs
• A pre-wired electronics module built into multiple products

Adding a component to a product:

1. Go to the product's Materials tab (components are added here).
2. Click Add Material.
3. In the search box, the results include both materials and components. Components are labelled so you can distinguish them.
4. Select the component.
5. Enter the quantity used (usually 1, but can be more).
6. Click Add.

Material vs. component: when to use which

• Use a material for things you buy from a supplier.
• Use a component for things you make yourself before assembling them into the final product.

If your process has no sub-assemblies, you do not need components at all — just add all materials directly to the product.