in the MRP module. Why for an assembly item without BOM is Netsuite asking to manufacutre instead of purchase

AI generated answer (using internal Slack threads):

In NetSuite, an assembly item without a Bill of Materials (BOM) is typically considered as a manufactured item. This is because assembly items are usually composed of multiple components (as defined in the BOM), and the process of assembling these components is considered a manufacturing process. When you create an assembly item without a BOM, NetSuite assumes that you are manufacturing the item in-house, hence it asks to manufacture instead of purchase. This is because, in the absence of a BOM, NetSuite has no way of knowing the individual components that make up the assembly item, and therefore cannot generate a purchase order for these components. However, there is a configuration in NetSuite that allows you to purchase assembly items. This can be found under Setup > Accounting Preferences > Items/Transactions tab > Items subtab, and check the box for 'Allow Purchase of Assembly Items'. This setting allows you to purchase the assembly item as a whole, instead of its individual components. Please note that this setting should be used with caution, as it can affect your inventory tracking and costing. If you purchase an assembly item as a whole, you won't be able to track the inventory of its individual components, and the cost of the assembly item will be the purchase cost, not the sum of the costs of its components. ****** Disclaimer: This response was generated by an artificial intelligence assistant based on previous conversations from multiple Slack channels, and may contain inaccuracies or mistakes. ******