BOM manager vs spreadsheet
A spreadsheet is fine for one board. Once a project has several boards and revisions, the same problems come back every build. Here is what changes with a BOM manager.
Side by side
| Task | Spreadsheet | BOM Manager |
|---|---|---|
| The same part on several boards | Spreadsheet: Copied into every sheet, often under different part numbers | BOM Manager: Stored once and shared; duplicates are found and merged |
| Which board still uses an old part | Spreadsheet: Search every file and hope they're current | BOM Manager: Each part lists every board and revision that uses it |
| What changed between revisions | Spreadsheet: Compare two files by hand | BOM Manager: Snapshots and a diff, including swapped parts |
| Prices and stock | Spreadsheet: Out of date the day you paste them | BOM Manager: Live from LCSC, DigiKey and TME |
| Quantities for a build | Spreadsheet: Formulas across sheets, rounded by hand | BOM Manager: Any mix of boards, minus your stock, rounded to price breaks |
| What's in the drawer | Spreadsheet: A separate inventory sheet nobody updates | BOM Manager: Received orders add stock, builds subtract it |
| Working as a team | Spreadsheet: Several copies, one of them right | BOM Manager: One shared workspace |
When a spreadsheet is still enough
For a single board you build once, a spreadsheet is fine. A BOM manager starts paying off when you have several boards, several revisions, or you order and build again.
Questions and answers
Can I import my existing spreadsheets?
Yes. Any CSV or Excel BOM with a header row can be imported. Columns are detected, parts are matched to your library by supplier part number or MPN, and parts you already have are reused.
What happens to the duplicate parts in my old sheets?
Imports reuse a part however its number is written. Parts that are still duplicated, like the same 10k resistor under five part numbers, show up under Possible duplicates, where you merge them into one.
Can I get my data out again?
Yes. Every board can be exported as CSV, in JLCPCB's format, or as a purchasing list.
More about BOM Manager
- All features Everything BOM Manager does: one part library with duplicate merging, consolidated BOMs across boards, revision history, live LCSC, DigiKey and TME prices, orders, builds and stock tracking.
- Import a KiCad BOM How to import a KiCad, JLCPCB or spreadsheet BOM into BOM Manager: automatic column detection, matching parts by LCSC number or MPN, and exporting back to JLCPCB's assembly format.
Try it with your own BOM
Open the live demo without signing up, or create a free account and import your first BOM.