HotWax Accelerator is an enhanced platform built on the open-source Apache OFBiz by HotWax Systems. It modernises the standard Apache OFBiz experience by replacing the legacy user interface with a clean, intuitive, and responsive design, while adding powerful capabilities through integrations such as Apache Solr for fast search and faceted navigation, and Apache NiFi for seamless data flows and real-time synchronisation.
The key feature in this guide is the Marketing Package Auto workflow, based on Apache OFBiz's auto-manufacture function. The customer order triggers a production job automatically to manufacture the kit, ideal for lightweight assembly of products.
In contrast, the Marketing Package Pick-Assembly workflow is for kits where separate products are simply picked and assembled during fulfillment without oversight or production jobs. This guide focuses on the auto-manufacture setup, configuration, and its impact on the fulfillment cycle.
Although both setups support the same kit, the difference is when and how the kit is assembled.
Auto-Manufacture (Pre-assembled kits):
Example: A BOM is created for the kit (finished product) with the kit items listed as components. You assemble 1,000 gift sets (belt + wallet + pen) in advance through a production run and store them as ready kits. Orders are fulfilled by picking and shipping one complete kit. Best for high-volume, standard bundles where speed matters.
Pick-Assembly (Assemble on fulfillment):
Example: The gift set is assembled only after an order is placed. The kit is created at the packing station, and no BOM or production run is required. The picker gathers the belt, wallet, and pen and packs them together during fulfillment. Best for low-volume or flexible bundles where you want to avoid pre-stocking kits.
In short
The decision comes down to your operational priorities: speed and pre-built availability vs. flexibility and minimal finished-goods inventory. Both approaches are fully supported in HotWax Accelerator, and you can configure either type based on how your business handles bundling and fulfillment.
The Marketing Package Auto workflow automates kit assembly, ensuring components are pulled and the finished kit is produced once a customer order is placed. This guide covers setting up the kit product, linking components, and observing its effects on fulfillment. It's user-friendly for manufacturers/merchandisers and warehouse teams, with all steps performed in the intuitive HotWax Accelerator interface.
In this guide, we will demonstrate how to set up and assemble a Vacuum Pump Set as a marketing package in HotWax Accelerator. The kit consists of the following components:
This example illustrates a typical kit product used in industrial or technical applications, where components are combined into a single sellable unit.
Step 1: Create a new product
From the main menu, click + Create in the top-right corner. Under the PIM (Product Information Management) section, select Product.
Step 2: Enter product details
The Product creation screen opens (shown below). Fill in basic details like name, store group, weight, category, and price. Check the box for Is Kit Product, select Auto as the kit type (for automatic manufacturing), and click Create.
Step 3: Configure additional product attributes
To set up the kit, on the Product setup screen, you have various different functions highlighted in the screenshot given below with corresponding actions detailed below. These attributes ensure the kit is easy to search, categorise, and manage in inventory.
a. Click Add Product Tags + to include searchable identifiers (e.g., "vacuum pump"). In the pop-up, type tags separated by commas or press Enter/Return (for Windows and Mac respectively) after each, then click Add.
b. Click Add Identification + to include SKUs, UPCs, or other IDs. In the pop-up, select the ID type from the dropdown, enter the value, and click Add.
c. Click Add Product Feature + to define key attributes (e.g., "waterproof" or "compatible-with-X"). In the pop-up, select or add the feature and click Add.
d. Assuming that you will be selling the set in a box, you can also choose to add dimensions of the sellable box. To do so click the pencil icon in the Dimensions box to enter physical size, weight, and other specs and click Save.
e. Click the pencil icon next to Qty UOM to edit or set the unit of measurement (e.g., "Each" or "Set") and click Add.
Step 4: Monitor product setup progress
Hover your cursor over the progress bar at the top of the screen. A tooltip appears, showing the completion percentage and highlighting any missing fields or sections still required for full product setup. This visual guide helps ensure nothing is overlooked before proceeding.
Step 5: Configure sales channel settings
From the list of incomplete sections (visible in the progress tooltip or product setup navigation), click Channel Settings to begin configuring where and how the kit will be sold.
Step 6: Set publication date for the sales channel
A new table appears under the Sales Channel section. Click Set Date next to the desired channel, then select the publication date from the calendar popup. This schedules the kit to become automatically available for purchase in that channel on the chosen date, allowing precise control over launch timing and essentially makes it available for sale.
Step 7: Configure inventory settings
Scroll to the Inventory Configuration section and click Add Facility to specify the warehouse where the finished kit will be stored after assembly.
Step 8: Add facility details
In the pop-up, select the appropriate facility from the dropdown list. Click Add to save.
Step 9: Define storage location
Click Add Location to specify the exact bin, aisle, or shelf where the completed kit will be placed after manufacturing and before picking.
Step 10: Configure location details
A pop-up screen appears (shown below). Enter the location details (e.g., aisle, bin, level), select any required attributes, and click Add to register the location.
Step 11: Add final product information
Scroll to the bottom of the product setup screen to complete the remaining essentials:
a. Add product summary — Click to open a text editor pop-up (shown below). Enter a concise summary of the kit (e.g., key features or benefits) and click Save.
b. Add description — Click to open a text editor pop-up (shown below). Provide a detailed description, including technical specifications, usage instructions, or marketing highlights, then click Save.
c. Add product image — Click to open the upload pop-up (shown below). Choose and upload a high-quality image file for the kit, then click Save to associate it with the product.
These final touches ensure the kit is fully documented, searchable, and visually appealing across sales channels and customer-facing interfaces. Once complete, we can now move on to component setup.
Once the kit itself is created, the next step is to set up each individual component that will form the kit. This allows the system to manage supplier procurement, inventory, and cost tracking separately for each part, while the kit assembly pulls them together on demand.
Follow the same general product setup process as the kit (from the Create > Product menu), with the following key differences:
Point 1: Set up as an independent product
On the Product creation screen, do NOT check the Is Kit Product box. This ensures the component is created as a standard, buyable item (not a manufactured kit). Fill in all other required fields (name, description, category, price, etc.) and click Create.
Point 2: Add supplier information
Step 1: Setup supplier
On the resulting Product setup screen, scroll to the Supplier Products section and click Add to link one or more suppliers for this component.
Step 2: Configure supplier details
The Supplier Product pop-up opens (shown below). Fill in the required fields:
Click Add to save the linkage.
Point 3: Verify the component setup
Once complete, the Product setup screen for the component should look similar to the example below — showing supplier details, inventory settings, features, tags, and other configurations.
Repeat these steps for every component required in your kit. This ensures each part is fully ready for procurement and inventory management, with accurate costing and supplier information tied directly to the finished kit.
With components set up, proceed to link them to the kit in the Kit Components section of the main kit product.
Now that the kit product and its individual components are fully set up, the final step is to link the components to the kit. Because you selected the Is Kit Product option with Auto manufacture type during the kit's initial creation, an additional Kit Components section automatically appears on the kit's product setup screen. This is where you define exactly which components are required and in what quantities to assemble the finished kit.
Step 1: Access the kit components section
On the kit product's setup screen, scroll down to the Kit Components section (shown below). Click Add + to begin linking components.
Step 2: Add each component
A pop-up window appears (shown below).
Click Add to save the component to the list.
Repeat this process for every component needed in the kit.
Once all components are added, the Kit Components section will display a complete list with each item, its ID, name, and required quantity (example shown below).
Final verification
The kit product's setup screen now shows the full configuration, including the linked Kit Components list. This confirms the kit is ready for on-demand assembly.
Additional visibility
1. On each component's individual product screen, a new reference line appears beside In Kits, listing the kit(s) it belongs to (shown below). This bidirectional linking makes it easy to trace dependencies.
2. When searching for the kit in the Product Search screen, it will appear with the type Marketing Package and subtype Make (indicating it is manufactured/assembled on demand, not purchased as a finished product from the vendors).
With components now linked, the kit is fully configured for the Marketing Package Auto workflow. When a customer places an order for the kit, the system will automatically trigger a production job to assemble it from the defined components, ensuring just-in-time manufacturing and accurate inventory deduction.
When a customer places an order containing a Marketing Package Auto Manufacture kit, HotWax Accelerator exhibits unique behaviours that simplify fulfillment while maintaining precise inventory control. The kit is treated as a single, finished product throughout the process, even though the system automatically handles component assembly behind the scenes. This creates a seamless experience for warehouse teams, who pick and pack the kit as one unit without needing to manage individual components manually.
Here are the key behaviours observed in the fulfillment cycle:
Behaviour 1: Order placement and automatic production job
Upon creating and approving the sales order, the kit appears in the Item List section as a single line item with quantity = 1 and NOT the number of components (e.g., 3 or 4). The system does not break down the kit into its parts at this stage.
Additionally, in the References section, a production job is automatically created and linked (with its unique ID visible). This triggers the on-demand assembly process, reserving the required components from inventory and manufacturing the kit specifically for this order.
Behaviour 2: Production job completion and reservation
Once the production job is completed (components are deducted and the finished kit is added to stock), the resulting kit is automatically reserved for the sales order. This ensures the assembled kit is dedicated to this customer and cannot be allocated elsewhere, even in high-demand scenarios.
Behaviour 3: Picklist generation
When the picklist is created, the kit is displayed as a single unit with quantity = 1 (not the individual components). Warehouse staff simply pick the completed, assembled kit from its designated location.
This streamlines operations, no need to pick multiple components separately, reducing errors and speeding up fulfillment.
(Printable picklist sample shown below.)
Behaviour 4: Packing slip
The packing slip also reflects the kit as a single item with quantity = 1, listing it as the complete product being shipped. This keeps documentation clean and customer-facing, while the system maintains accurate component-level tracking internally for inventory and cost purposes.
These behaviours deliver real-world benefits: reduced handling time, lower pre-assembly inventory risk, and just-in-time manufacturing that aligns perfectly with customer demand. The kit behaves like any standard product from the warehouse perspective, while the auto-manufacture engine ensures components are consumed correctly and the finished item is ready for dispatch. This makes Marketing Package Auto ideal for lightweight, on-demand bundling of kits.
For the contrasting pick-assembly workflow (pre-built kits picked and bundled during fulfillment without production jobs), refer to the separate Marketing Package Pick-Assembly Guide.
The Marketing Package Auto workflow in HotWax Accelerator leverages Apache OFBiz's auto-manufacture function to enable automatic kit assembly, providing businesses with a powerful tool for lightweight manufacturing. By triggering production jobs upon order receipt, it minimises pre-built inventory, reduces waste, and ensures components are only assembled when needed — offering advantages like cost savings, faster customisation, and improved cash flow.
This guide serves as a practical reference for setting up and using auto kits. Combined with broader Customer to Cash workflows, it demonstrates how HotWax Accelerator empowers teams to handle complex product bundling, drive operational efficiency, and adapt to unique organizational needs in a competitive business landscape.
To Learn more about HotWax Accelerator, click here.
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