You can master schedule base items, options, and accessories for configured products using either single-level or multilevel scheduling.

Configured items can be planned directly using single-level master scheduling techniques, or they can be planned using planning bills and forecast percentages to create production forecasts.

Option bills are treated in the same way as planning bills by master scheduling. The forecast percentage and quantity per for the option determines the production forecast. However, unlike components in a planning bill, independent demand can often exist for an option.

For example, a DVD burner is an option for a computer model. You enter a forecast percentage indicating how frequently a DVD burner is included when a computer is purchased. DVD burners can also be sold as a separate item.

When you sell a DVD burner separately, it does not consume production forecast. If, however, you have an independent forecast for the DVD burner, not derived from upper-level requirements, it will be consumed.

If you know that an option will be sold both by itself and as part of another item, you can plan production by either increasing the forecast percentage associated with the product structure or entering independent forecast in Forecast Maintenance.