Blackpurl supports tracking relationships between parts — including supersessions (where one part replaces another) and alternates (where a different part can substitute). These relationships appear across Part Records, Customer Orders, and Vendor Orders (VO) / Vendor Receiving (VR) to help staff make informed decisions when a part is unavailable or discontinued.
Part Record — Alternate Parts
Every Part Record in Blackpurl includes a Related > Alternate Parts section. This section lets you define relationships between parts so staff can quickly identify replacements or substitutes.
Relationship Types
The Alternate Parts section supports three relationship types:
Replaced By — The part has been superseded by another part. For example, Part# ABC has been Replaced By Part# 123 because the vendor no longer manufactures Part# ABC.
Replaces — The part is the newer replacement for an older part. Using the same example, Part# 123 will show that it Replaces Part# ABC.
Alternate — A different part can be used as a substitute. For example, Part# GHI (Oil) can be used instead of Part# JKL (Oil Filter A) — both exist in Blackpurl and reference each other as alternates. You can also record an alternate that does not have a Part Record in Blackpurl, using a vendor and vendor part number for reference only.
How to Set Up Part Relationships
Via Vendor Price Files
Supersession relationships (Replaced By and Replaces) can be set up automatically when importing a Vendor Price File that includes a supersession column.
Processed Price Files — When imported into Blackpurl, if a supersession column exists, the relevant Part Records are automatically updated with Replaced By and Replaces relationships.
Manual Price Files — When mapping the Price File import, you must manually map the supersession column for the relationships to be applied.
For example, if a Price File line item for Part# ABC indicates it has been superseded by Part# 123, and the supersession column is mapped or processed:
Part# ABC will show a Replaced By relationship pointing to Part# 123.
Part# 123 will show a Replaces relationship pointing to Part# ABC.
Manually Adding an Alternate Part — Example 1: Supersession (Replaced By)
In this scenario, Part# ABC has been superseded by Part# 123 and the dealership is recording this relationship manually.
1. Navigate to the Part Record for Part# ABC and open the Alternate Parts section.
2. Click + to open the Add Alternative Part dialog.
3. Set Type to Replaced By.
4. Leave the Reference an existing part record? toggle enabled — this confirms the replacement part exists in Blackpurl.
5. In the Alternative Part field, search for and select Part# 123.
6. Click Save.
Result: Part# ABC will show a Replaced By relationship pointing to Part# 123, and Part# 123 will automatically show a Replaces relationship pointing to Part# ABC.
Tip: To edit or delete a relationship at any time, navigate to the relevant Part Record and use the edit (pencil) icon or delete (trash) icon next to the relationship entry.
Manually Adding an Alternate Part — Example 2: Alternate (Existing Part Record)
In this scenario, Part# Filter Test and Part# T168T2025220 are interchangeable alternatives — if one is out of stock, the dealership can sell the other instead.
1. Navigate to the Part Record for Part# Filter Test and open the Alternate Parts section.
2. Click + to open the Add Alternative Part dialog.
3. Set Type to Alternate.
4. Leave the Reference an existing part record? toggle enabled — this confirms the alternate part exists in Blackpurl.
5. In the Alternative Part field, search for and select Part# T168T2025220.
6. Click Save.
Result: The Alternate Parts section on Part# Filter Test will show T168T2025220 as an Alternate. Blackpurl will also automatically update the Part Record for T168T2025220 to show Part# Filter Test as an alternate in return.
Manually Adding an Alternate Part — Example 3: Alternate (No Part Record in Blackpurl)
If you want to record an alternative part from a vendor that does not have a Part Record in Blackpurl, you can add it as a reference-only entry using the vendor and vendor part number.
1. Navigate to the relevant Part Record and open the Alternate Parts section.
2. Click + to open the Add Alternative Part dialog.
3. Set Type to Alternate.
4. Disable the Reference an existing part record? toggle — this indicates the part does not exist in Blackpurl.
5. In the Vendor field, search for and select the relevant vendor.
6. In the Vendor Part# field, type the part number. This is for reference only and does not create a Part Record.
7. Click Save.
Result: The Part Record will display the alternate part entry showing the vendor and part number, with an indication that this vendor part does not exist as a record in Blackpurl.
Customer Order — View Related Parts
When parts with alternate relationships are added to a Customer Order, Blackpurl surfaces those relationships so staff can act on them at the point of sale.
After adding a part that has alternate relationships, click View Related Parts on the order line to review the related part options.
The Related Part Selection dialog will load for you to review the available alternatives.
If you search for and select a part that has been superseded and there is no stock on hand, Blackpurl will automatically open the Related Part Selection dialog, advising that you have selected a superseded part and automatically checking the replacement part for you.
There will also be a notification on the Customer Order when you add a superseded part — letting the user know which part it has been superseded to. It is up to the user to action any change, such as swapping to the superseding part.
Vendor Order (VO) and Vendor Receiving (VR) — Superseded Parts
On a Vendor Order (VO) or Vendor Receiving (VR), Blackpurl displays a notification on any line item where the part has been superseded by another part.
For parts that are Needed for Stock, there is an option to swap to the superseding part directly from the VO or VR:
1. Click on the relevant part line item to open the Action box.
2. Select Supersede Part.
This action is available even if a supersession relationship has not yet been set up on the Part Record — allowing you to create the supersession relationship directly from the Vendor Order or Vendor Receiving screen.
Note the following restrictions on this action:
The Supersede Part action is only available for parts that are Needed for Stock / Required for Stock.
If the VO or VR line item is linked to a customer special order, this action will not be available. In that case, modify the Customer Order directly to update the part being purchased by the customer to the superseding part.