diff --git a/KiBOM/preferences.py b/KiBOM/preferences.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1ccd4f9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/KiBOM/preferences.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+
+import sys
+
+if sys.version_info.major >= 3:
+    import configparser as ConfigParser
+else:
+    import ConfigParser
+import os
+from columns import ColumnList
+
+class BomPref:
+    
+    SECTION_IGNORE = "IGNORE_COLUMNS"
+    SECTION_GENERAL = "BOM_OPTIONS"
+    
+    OPT_IGNORE_DNF = "ignore_dnf"
+    OPT_NUMBER_ROWS = "number_rows"
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.ignore = [
+            ColumnList.COL_PART_LIB,
+            ColumnList.COL_FP_LIB,
+            ] #list of headings to ignore in BoM generation
+        self.ignoreDNF = False #ignore rows for do-not-fit parts
+        self.numberRows = True #add row-numbers to BoM output
+        
+    #read KiBOM preferences from file
+    def Read(self, file):
+        file = os.path.abspath(file)
+        if not os.path.exists(file) or not os.path.isfile(file):
+            print("{f} is not a valid file!".format(f=file))
+            return
+            
+        with open(file, 'rb') as configfile:
+            cf = ConfigParser.RawConfigParser(allow_no_value = True)
+            
+            cf.read(file)
+            
+            #read general options
+            if self.SECTION_GENERAL in cf.sections():
+                if cf.has_option(self.SECTION_GENERAL, self.OPT_IGNORE_DNF):
+                    self.ignoreDNF = (cf.get(self.SECTION_GENERAL, self.OPT_IGNORE_DNF) == "1")
+                if cf.has_option(self.SECTION_GENERAL, self.OPT_NUMBER_ROWS):
+                    self.numberRows = (cf.get(self.SECTION_GENERAL, self.OPT_NUMBER_ROWS) == "1")
+                    
+            #read out ignored-rows
+            if self.SECTION_IGNORE in cf.sections():
+                self.ignore = [i for i in cf.options(self.SECTION_IGNORE)]
+            
+    #write KiBOM preferences to file
+    def Write(self, file):
+        file = os.path.abspath(file)
+        
+        cf = ConfigParser.RawConfigParser(allow_no_value = True)
+        
+        cf.add_section(self.SECTION_GENERAL)
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_GENERAL, "; General BoM options here")
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_GENERAL, "; If ignore_dnf option is set to 1, rows that are not to be fitted on the PCB will not be written to the BoM file")
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_GENERAL, self.OPT_IGNORE_DNF, 1 if self.ignoreDNF else 0)
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_GENERAL, "; If number_rows option is set to 1, each row in the BoM will be prepended with an incrementing row number")
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_GENERAL, self.OPT_NUMBER_ROWS, 1 if self.numberRows else 0)
+        
+        cf.add_section(self.SECTION_IGNORE)
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_IGNORE, "; Any column heading that appears here will be excluded from the Generated BoM")
+        cf.set(self.SECTION_IGNORE, "; Titles are case-insensitive")
+        
+        for i in self.ignore:
+            cf.set(self.SECTION_IGNORE, i)
+            
+        with open(file, 'wb') as configfile:
+            cf.write(configfile)
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