Manufacturing Unbuild Orders Odoo 18
By Braincuber Team
Published on December 29, 2025
Manufacturing company discovers defective product crisis: customer returns 100 finished products due quality defects but unable recovering valuable components locked inside assembled items, quality team identifying manufacturing errors after products completed but lacking ability reverse production reclaiming components for rework, inventory showing completed products stock but needing component materials new orders forcing new purchases despite components sitting idle within defective finished goods, warranty returns arriving with single faulty component but entire product scrapped unable disassembling recovering usable parts, and over-production situation creating excess finished inventory but shortages component materials needed current orders lacking ability converting finished products back into components—creating material waste financial loss sustainability issues missed component reuse opportunities and inability managing reverse logistics requiring unbuild capability finished product disassembly component recovery inventory adjustment traceability maintenance and sustainable manufacturing supporting resource optimization waste reduction operational flexibility.
Odoo 18 Manufacturing unbuild functionality enables reverse production through unbuild orders disassembling completed products recovering original components reversing production activities, component recovery removing finished product from stock restocking component parts based bill materials, complete traceability linking unbuild orders original manufacturing orders specific lot serial numbers maintaining history, automatic calculation determining component quantities based BoM adjusting inventory levels accurately, quality management addressing defective products customer returns warranty issues systematic disassembly, resource reuse recovering valuable components damaged returned products reducing waste, inventory adjustment correcting finished product quantities restocking components, sustainable manufacturing promoting material reuse reducing environmental impact, flexible operations handling returns defects excess production scenarios, direct integration creating unbuild orders directly manufacturing orders maintaining workflow, serial lot tracking unbuilding products tracked unique serial numbers lot identifiers maintaining traceability, and product moves visibility tracking component movements during unbuild process ensuring transparency—reducing material waste 80 percent through component recovery minimizing costs via resource reuse improving sustainability via material recycling enhancing inventory accuracy through systematic adjustments and achieving operational flexibility efficient reverse logistics quality management supporting resource optimization waste reduction business success.
Unbuild Features: Unbuild orders, Component recovery, Complete traceability, Automatic calculation, Quality management, Resource reuse, Inventory adjustment, Sustainable manufacturing, Flexible operations, Direct integration, Serial lot tracking, Product moves visibility
Understanding Unbuild Process
Reverse manufacturing operations:
What is Unbuilding:
Unbuild manufacturing order Odoo 18 process disassembling completed product recovering original components. Feature especially useful situations managing product returns defects excess manufacturing. Unbuild process essentially reverses production activity taking completed product out stock restocking component parts.
How It Works:
- Select finished product unbuild
- System references bill materials
- Automatically determines component quantities
- Removes finished product from inventory
- Adds component parts back inventory
- Maintains complete traceability throughout
When and Why Unbuild:
| Scenario | Unbuild Purpose |
|---|---|
| Product defects discovered | Recover usable components damaged products |
| Customer returns | Reuse components new production |
| Over-production | Convert excess finished stock components |
| Wrong assembly | Disassemble reassemble correctly |
| Component shortage | Recover components finished inventory |
Advantages:
- Waste Minimization: Accurate inventory levels resource usage
- Cost Reduction: Recovery valuable parts defective returned goods
- Sustainability: Material reuse waste reduction
- Traceability: Links unbuild orders original manufacturing orders
Creating Unbuild Orders
Standalone unbuild creation:
Access Unbuild Interface:
- Navigate to Manufacturing:
- Go to: Manufacturing module
- Manufacturing menu displays
- Open Operations Menu:
- Menu: Operations → Unbuild Orders
- Unbuild Orders dashboard displays
- View Dashboard:
- Order references
- Product
- Bill materials
- Manufacturing order links
- Lot/serial numbers
- Quantity
- Company
- Status information
Create New Unbuild Order:
- Click New:
- Button: New top left
- Configuration form opens
- Configure Unbuild Details:
- Product: Select finished product unbuild
- Bill of Materials: Choose appropriate BoM
- System automatically suggests BoM
- Quantity: Enter quantity unbuild
- Manufacturing Order: Optional link original MO
- Source Location: Where finished product located (e.g., WH/Stock)
- Destination Location: Where components placed (e.g., WH/Stock/Shelf 1)
- Lot/Serial Number: If product tracked
- Company: Select company
- Execute Unbuild:
- Click Unbuild button
- System processes disassembly
- Finished product removed inventory
- Components added back stock
Unbuild from Manufacturing Order
Direct MO integration:
Creating Unbuild from MO:
- Open Manufacturing Order:
- Navigate completed manufacturing order
- MO details display
- Click Unbuild:
- Button: Unbuild manufacturing order
- Unbuild form appears
- Verify Pre-filled Information:
- Product automatically populated from MO
- Quantity pre-filled
- Source Destination locations suggested
- Add Additional Details:
- Adjust quantity if needed
- Confirm locations
- Add lot/serial if applicable
- Execute Unbuild:
- Click Unbuild button
- Unbuild order created linked MO
Viewing Unbuild from MO:
- Return manufacturing order
- Smart tab: Unbuild appears
- Click smart tab view unbuild orders
- Shows all unbuild orders linked MO
- Maintains traceability connection
Product Moves Tracking
Component movement visibility:
Accessing Product Moves:
- Complete Unbuild:
- After clicking Unbuild button
- Unbuild order stored database
- Smart Button Appears:
- Button: Products Move
- Located unbuild order form
- View Component Details:
- Click Products Move smart button
- Dashboard displays each component
- Shows movements during unbuild
Information Displayed:
- Component product names
- Quantities moved
- Source locations
- Destination locations
- Movement timestamps
- Status each movement
Unbuild Serial Tracked Products
Unique serial number handling:
Product Configuration:
Company tracking product Wood Table using unique serial number. Product configuration Track Inventory set By Unique Serial Number.
Example Scenario:
- 4 quantities table warehouse
- On-hand shows 4 quantities
- Serial numbers: T0001 T0002 T0003 T0004
Unbuild Serial Tracked Product:
- Create Unbuild Order:
- Select product: Wood Table
- Choose bill materials
- Select source destination locations
- Select Serial Number:
- Field: Lot/Serial Number
- Choose specific serial (e.g., T0002)
- Quantity automatically set 1
- Serial tracking allows one unit per serial
- Execute Unbuild:
- Click Unbuild button
- Process completes
- Verify Results:
- Check Product Moves tab movements
- Check on-hand quantity again
- Now shows 3 quantities warehouse
- Product serial number T0002 removed
Unbuild Lot Tracked Products
Lot number management:
Product Configuration:
Product Steel Table tracked by Lot number. Track Inventory set By Lot.
Example Inventory:
- Total on-hand quantities: 14
- 9 quantities Lot number TC1
- 5 quantities Lot number TC2
Unbuild Lot Tracked Product:
- Create Unbuild Order:
- Product: Steel Table
- Bill materials selected
- Specify Lot and Quantity:
- Lot Number: Select lot (e.g., TC1)
- Quantity: Enter quantity unbuild (e.g., 4)
- Source destination locations added
- Execute Unbuild:
- Click Unbuild button
- Process completes
- Product Moves smart tab appears
- Verify Inventory:
- Check on-hand quantities Steel Table
- Reduced from 14 to 10 quantities
- 4 units from lot TC1 removed
- Components restocked inventory
Best Practices
Always Link Unbuild Orders Original Manufacturing Orders When Possible Maintaining Traceability: Creating unbuild orders without MO link equals lost traceability unable tracking why product disassembled. Traceability approach: When unbuilding product manufactured your system locate original manufacturing order, create unbuild directly from MO using Unbuild button maintaining automatic link, if creating standalone unbuild reference MO number unbuild order name description, document reason unbuild (defect return over-production) maintaining records, use smart tabs verify unbuild orders properly linked MOs. Proper linkage enables complete production history analysis defect patterns warranty tracking supporting quality management continuous improvement.
Verify Component Quantities Bill Materials Before Executing Unbuild Preventing Inventory Errors: Blindly executing unbuild without checking BoM equals potential inventory inaccuracies if BoM outdated incorrect. Verification workflow: Open product BoM verifying component list quantities current accurate, ensure BoM version matches one used original manufacturing, check engineering changes modifications since original production, if BoM changed update before unbuilding or manually adjust component quantities, review unbuild preview showing expected component additions before confirming. BoM verification ensures accurate component recovery maintains inventory integrity prevents discrepancies.
Use Appropriate Locations Segregating Unbuild Components Quality Inspection: Placing unbuild components directly regular stock without inspection equals risk mixing defective usable materials. Location strategy: Create dedicated location unbuild components (e.g., WH/Stock/Unbuild-Inspection), set destination location inspection area not main stock, inspect components quality before moving approved stock location, segregate components from defective units from usable returns, use different locations different unbuild reasons (returns versus defects versus over-production). Proper segregation enables quality checks prevents contamination maintains material integrity supporting production quality.
Monitor Unbuild Frequency Patterns Identifying Root Causes Quality Issues: Ignoring unbuild trends equals missed opportunities improving manufacturing quality reducing waste. Analysis approach: Monthly review unbuild orders tracking volume reasons, identify products frequently unbuild investigating quality issues, analyze whether unbuild caused defects returns over-production, investigate common components repeatedly appearing unbuild orders, work quality team addressing root causes reducing future unbuild needs. Pattern analysis transforms unbuild data actionable insights supporting quality improvement waste reduction operational excellence.
Conclusion
Odoo 18 Manufacturing unbuild functionality enables reverse production through unbuild orders component recovery complete traceability automatic calculation quality management resource reuse inventory adjustment sustainable manufacturing flexible operations direct integration serial lot tracking and product moves visibility. Reduce material waste through component recovery minimizing costs via resource reuse improving sustainability via material recycling enhancing inventory accuracy through systematic adjustments achieving operational flexibility and achieving competitive advantage efficient reverse logistics quality management supporting resource optimization waste reduction business success operational excellence.
