A logical inventory mechanism takes components in assemblies into account when determining purchase requirements. The inventory control system determines assemblies that are available, determines their components and whether or not each component may be reused, then adjusts physical inventory to generate therefrom logical inventory based on physical inventory plus parts in the assemblies that may be reused if the assemblies are disassembled. By computing logical inventory that would be available by disassembling assemblies, inventory levels may be reduced, thereby enhancing the efficiency of an inventory control system that includes the logical inventory mechanism. Assemblies in inventory thus may be used in two very different matters, as the starting point for a higher-level assembly, or to be disassembled to use one or more reusable components in the assembly in a different assembly.