The materials list represents all materials that could conceivably be consumed, regardless of whether they are kept in inventory or not.
It's for things that will be consumed on during the maintenance of an asset and when you're chiefly concerned with tracking the quantity that was used, via a task.
Only those materials that exist in the materials list can:
Be consumed via a task;
Have inventory tracked to a store;
Be added to an order and then received via shipment;
Be transferred between stores.
Therefore, the materials list is a collection of any material that can be consumed, purchased, transferred or installed on an asset. This will include any item that you're chiefly concerned about the quantity that is consumed and not necessarily about tracking its individual movement and whereabouts.
Material numbers & internal reference
By default, each new material that is created will be automatically assigned a unique material number. It is highly recommended to utilise this numbering system to avoid potential conflicts between supplier material numbers (that conceivably are not unique).
If it becomes necessary to use an alternate numbering system (eg. if there is an alternate inventory management software in use) then the Internal Reference field can be utilised.
If used, the number entered into the internal reference field will overwrite the Maintainly material number for that material.
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