What is Routing?
Routing, process order
The sequence of processes an item goes through.
What it means
Routing is a record of which processes are performed in what order when making an item, which workshop each process takes, and how long it takes.
If BOM is “what is made of it,” then routing is “how it is made.” They need to be together so work orders can tell the shop floor what to do next.
At the pen factory
Routing of black ballpoint pen is refill filling → assembly → inspection → packaging. Once this order has been established on the 16th day, the order will begin to appear in the work instructions on the shop floor terminal.
Why it matters
If the order isn't on screen, newcomers won't know what to do next, and unassembled items end up on the packaging rack.
How this differs from BOM
BOM is a list of items that go in, and routing is the order of work.