# Materials simulation

> Try out styles and quantities to see the materials they would need and what you would have to buy, before you create any order.

Source: https://docs.vestislabs.com/production/materials-simulation/

**Materials Simulation** answers the question "what would it take to make this?" before any order exists. You pick styles, colours and a number of garments, and Vestis Labs shows the materials needed, what is already in stock or on order, and what you would still have to buy. Nothing is saved until you choose to create an order.

**Where to find it:** Production → Order Management → Materials Simulation
**Requires:** permission `VIEW_BRAND_PRODUCTION`

## Before you start

- The materials tools are switched on per brand. If you do not see **Materials Simulation**, ask your Brand Admin.
- The button needs only the view permission, because a simulation creates nothing. Creating material orders from it also needs permission to create material production.
- Styles need a bill of materials (BOM). Styles without one are listed as not counted.

## Run a simulation

1. **Click "Materials Simulation"**
   In the left sidebar, expand **Production**, click **Order Management**, then click **Materials Simulation** at the top of the page. The dialog opens on the step *Pick styles and quantities to see what materials they would need. Nothing is created until you choose to.*

   ![The Materials Simulation dialog with the Style, Color and Garments fields and an empty list of lines](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/60-open.webp)

2. **Select a style**
   In **Style**, select a style. Each entry shows the style code and name.

   ![The Style dropdown open with each style shown by its code and name](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/61-style.webp)

3. **Select a colour**
   In **Color**, select a colour. The dropdown reads *Pick a style first* until you have chosen a style. Colours that were retired are still available, so you can ask what a re-run of an earlier season would cost.

   ![The Color dropdown open with the colours of the chosen style](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/62-color.webp)

4. **Enter the garments**
   In **Garments**, type the number of garments. It is one number per line, not a size breakdown, because a bill of materials does not depend on size.

   ![The Garments field filled with the number of garments for the chosen style and colour](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/63-garments.webp)

5. **Click "Add"**
   Click **Add**. The line appears in the list with the style, colour and garments. Adding the same style and colour again adds to the existing line. Use the bin icon to remove a line. **Total garments** is shown under the list.

   ![The added line in the list with the style, colour and garments, and Total garments under it](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/64-add-line.webp)

6. **Click "Simulate"**
   Click **Simulate**. It is disabled until you have added a line. Click **Cancel** to close and discard everything.

   ![The Simulate button now enabled at the bottom right of the dialog](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/65-simulate.webp)

## Read the result

The result step shows the same figures as the [Materials breakdown](https://docs.vestislabs.com/production/materials-breakdown/): the summary of **materials**, **materials to buy**, **to buy** and **garments across N styles**, a notice for styles without a BOM, the table of materials with **Required**, **On hand**, **Reserved**, **On order**, **Incoming**, **To buy**, **Unit price** and **Cost to buy**, and **Total to buy**. A line confirms *Simulation only — nothing is saved.* The assumptions are listed under *To buy may be lower than actual*.

![The simulation result with the summary figures, the table of materials and the line Simulation only, nothing is saved](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/66-result.webp)

Click **Back** to change the styles and run it again.

## Export the result

Click **Export to Excel** in the footer. The file is named as a simulation, not as an order.

## What to do with the result

- **Create Material Order** (only if you can create material production, and when there is something to buy): opens the shortfall grouped by supplier. Choose the materials and click **Create order** on a supplier to open the material order form. Click **Back** to return to the result. The step reminds you *Simulation only — nothing is saved until you create an order.*
- **Create Production Order**: opens the production order form with the styles and quantities from your simulation already added. See [Create production order](https://docs.vestislabs.com/production/create-production-order/).

![The footer of the result with Back, Export to Excel, Create Material Order and Create Production Order](https://docs.vestislabs.com/assets/production/assets/materials-simulation/67-next.webp)

> [!NOTE]
> Closing the dialog discards your simulation. The next time you open it, it starts empty.

## Related

- [Materials breakdown](https://docs.vestislabs.com/production/materials-breakdown/)
- [Create production order](https://docs.vestislabs.com/production/create-production-order/)