How to Route Product Variant Production to Multiple Work Centers in Odoo 18
By Braincuber Team
Published on February 24, 2026
StoneCraft Ceramics makes handmade mugs in their Austin studio. They sell two variants of the same product — a Glazed Mug and a Matte Mug — under a single product listing called "Artisan Mug." Both variants share the same handle, clay body, and packaging, but they go through different finishing processes. The glazed version needs to be dipped in a glaze solution and then fired in a high-temperature kiln. The matte version skips the glaze entirely and instead goes through a sandblasting station to get that raw, textured surface.
For the first year, the production team created two completely separate Bills of Materials — one for the glazed mug, one for the matte. It worked technically, but it was a headache. Whenever the studio changed the clay mix or updated the handle design, someone had to remember to update both BoMs. Inevitably, one got missed. The breaking point was a batch of 200 matte mugs that shipped with the old handle because the matte BoM had not been updated. After that, studio manager Priya rebuilt everything using a single BoM with variant-based component filtering and variant-specific operations routed to different work centers. One BoM to maintain, zero duplication. This guide shows exactly how she set it up.
What You Will Learn: How to create product variants using attributes, how to build a single Bill of Materials that serves multiple variants, how to use the "Apply on Variants" field to assign variant-specific components, how to route different operations to different work centers based on variant, how to manufacture each variant through a sales order using the Product Configurator, and how the Shop Floor module handles variant-specific work orders.
Why Variant-Based Routing Matters
One BoM, Zero Duplication
Maintaining separate BoMs for each variant multiplies update work. Change the clay formula once in a shared BoM and it applies to every variant. StoneCraft went from 2 BoMs to 1 and eliminated sync errors overnight.
Right Equipment, Right Variant
Different variants may need specialized equipment. The glazed mug requires a high-temp kiln; the matte mug requires a sandblaster. Routing each to the correct work center prevents equipment misuse and ensures quality.
Operator-Level Control
Each work center can have designated operators. At StoneCraft, Priya assigned the glazing kiln to kiln specialist Devon and the sandblasting booth to finishing artist Mika. The Shop Floor app enforces this with PIN-based login.
Step 1: Create the Product with Variants
Create the product "Artisan Mug" as a Storable Product. In the Attributes & Variants tab, add an attribute called "Finish" with two values:
| Attribute | Values | Resulting Variants |
|---|---|---|
| Finish | Glazed, Matte | Artisan Mug (Glazed), Artisan Mug (Matte) |
In the Inventory tab, enable the Manufacture route and Replenish on Order (MTO) so that sales orders automatically trigger manufacturing.
Step 2: Set Up Work Centers
StoneCraft needs four work centers. Two are shared between variants, and two are variant-specific:
| Work Center | Purpose | Assigned Operator | Used By |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forming Station | Shape clay on the wheel | Priya Desai | Both variants |
| Glazing Kiln | Dip in glaze & fire at high temp | Devon Marshall | Glazed only |
| Sandblasting Booth | Blast for matte texture | Mika Hayashi | Matte only |
| Packing Station | Inspect, wrap & box | All staff | Both variants |
Step 3: Build a Single Bill of Materials
Create one BoM for "Artisan Mug." Do not select a specific variant in the Product Variant field — leave it blank so the BoM applies to all variants. Set BoM Type to Manufacture this product and Quantity to 1.
Components Tab — Using "Apply on Variants"
Add all components to the BoM. For variant-specific materials, use the Apply on Variants column to restrict which variant uses that component:
Component | Qty | Apply on Variants -----------------------|-----|------------------- Stoneware Clay (1 kg) | 1 | (blank — both) Mug Handle (pre-formed)| 1 | (blank — both) Ceramic Glaze (100 ml) | 1 | Artisan Mug (Glazed) Matte Sealant (50 ml) | 1 | Artisan Mug (Matte) Gift Box | 1 | (blank — both)
Glazed Variant — Odoo pulls these components:
Stoneware Clay, Mug Handle, Ceramic Glaze, Gift Box
Matte Variant — Odoo pulls these components:
Stoneware Clay, Mug Handle, Matte Sealant, Gift Box
Operations Tab — Variant-Specific Routing
Add all operations and use the Apply on Variants field to route variant-specific steps to the correct work center:
Operation | Work Center | Duration | Apply on Variants --------------------|--------------------|----------|------------------- Form on Wheel | Forming Station | 20 min | (blank — both) Glaze & Fire | Glazing Kiln | 45 min | Artisan Mug (Glazed) Sandblast Finish | Sandblasting Booth | 15 min | Artisan Mug (Matte) Inspect & Pack | Packing Station | 10 min | (blank — both)
Key Insight: "Form on Wheel" and "Inspect & Pack" have no variant filter, so they appear in every manufacturing order. "Glaze & Fire" only appears when producing the Glazed variant. "Sandblast Finish" only appears for the Matte variant. This is how one BoM drives two distinct production workflows.
Step 4: Manufacture Through a Sales Order
With MTO enabled, a confirmed sales order automatically creates the manufacturing order for the correct variant.
Create a Sales Order
Go to Sales > Orders > New. Add the customer, then click Add a Product in the order lines. The Product Configurator window pops up — select the variant (e.g., Artisan Mug, Finish: Glazed) and quantity, then click Confirm.
Confirm the Sales Order
Two smart buttons appear: Delivery and Manufacturing. Click Manufacturing to open the MO. Notice that Odoo has auto-selected only the components and operations for the Glazed variant — Ceramic Glaze is listed (not Matte Sealant), and the operations are Form on Wheel, Glaze & Fire, and Inspect & Pack (not Sandblast Finish).
Execute Work Orders on the Shop Floor
Click Plan, then open the Shop Floor smart button. The operator for the Glazing Kiln — Devon — logs in with his PIN and sees only the "Glaze & Fire" work order. He clicks Start, processes the batch, and clicks Mark as Done. The next operators complete their respective tasks.
If someone else orders the Matte variant, the Shop Floor shows "Sandblast Finish" at the Sandblasting Booth with Mika as the operator. Different variant, different work center, different operator — all from the same BoM.
Complete and Deliver
After all work orders are done, click Produce All on the MO. The finished mugs are added to inventory. Go back to the sales order and open the Delivery smart tab to ship the order.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Here is what each variant looks like when manufactured — all generated from the same BoM:
| Aspect | Artisan Mug (Glazed) | Artisan Mug (Matte) |
|---|---|---|
| Components | Clay, Handle, Ceramic Glaze, Gift Box | Clay, Handle, Matte Sealant, Gift Box |
| Operation 1 | Form on Wheel (Forming Station) | Form on Wheel (Forming Station) |
| Operation 2 | Glaze & Fire (Glazing Kiln) | Sandblast Finish (Sandblasting Booth) |
| Operation 3 | Inspect & Pack (Packing Station) | Inspect & Pack (Packing Station) |
| Operator for Op 2 | Devon Marshall | Mika Hayashi |
| Duration (total) | 75 min | 45 min |
Best Practices
Never Duplicate BoMs for Variants
If you find yourself creating a second BoM for a variant, stop. Use the Apply on Variants field instead. Priya's rule: if the base product is the same, it gets one BoM. StoneCraft now has 12 mug variants (colors, finishes) and still uses a single BoM.
Assign Work Center Operators Carefully
The "Allowed Employees" field on work centers controls who can log in on the Shop Floor. This is not just about organization — it is about safety. The glazing kiln reaches 1,200°C, and only certified operators should use it. Restricting access through the work center settings enforces this at the system level.
Use MTO for Build-to-Order Variants
Enabling Replenish on Order (MTO) alongside the Manufacture route means Odoo creates a manufacturing order only when a sales order comes in. This is ideal for variant-heavy products where you do not want to stock every combination. StoneCraft builds to order — they never hold more than 20 mugs of any single variant.
Summary
Key Takeaways: Odoo 18 lets you route different product variants to different work centers using a single Bill of Materials. Create the product with variant attributes, set up specialized work centers with designated operators, then build one BoM where you use the "Apply on Variants" field on both the Components and Operations tabs to filter which materials and processes apply to each variant. When a manufacturing order is created for a specific variant — either manually or through a sales order with MTO — Odoo automatically selects only the relevant components and routes the work orders to the correct work centers. The Shop Floor module enforces operator assignments through PIN-based login.