Unit Management

Unit of Measurement Setup

Unit of Measurement Setup in EquiBillBook allows you to configure and manage different units for measuring items. This guide will help you understand how to set up units of measurement, configure unit conversions, and manage multiple units for your inventory items.

Accessing Unit Settings

To configure units of measurement:

1. Navigate to Settings → Item Settings
2. Look for the Unit of Measurement or Units section
3. Configure units according to your business needs
4. Click "Update" to save your changes

Understanding Units of Measurement

Units of measurement help you:

• Track inventory in appropriate units
• Convert between different measurement units
• Handle items sold in different quantities
• Maintain accurate inventory records
• Simplify purchasing and sales operations

Types of Units

EquiBillBook supports multiple unit levels:

Primary Unit (Base Unit)

• The main unit for measuring items
• Examples: Piece, Kilogram, Liter, Meter, Box
• Required for all items
• Used as the base for all conversions

Secondary Unit

• First alternative unit
• Examples: Dozen (for Pieces), Ton (for Kilogram), Carton (for Box)
• Optional - enable in item settings
• Automatic conversion from primary unit

Tertiary Unit

• Second alternative unit
• Examples: Gross (for Dozen), Pallet (for Carton)
• Optional - enable in item settings
• For businesses needing three levels of units

Quaternary Unit

• Third alternative unit
• Highest level unit
• Optional - enable in item settings
• For complex inventory with multiple unit levels

Setting Up Units

Creating Unit Master

Before using units, create unit masters:

1. Navigate to Item Settings → Unit Master
2. Click "Add New Unit"
3. Enter unit name (e.g., Piece, Kilogram, Liter)
4. Enter unit symbol (e.g., Pcs, Kg, L)
5. Save the unit

Common Units to Create

• Weight Units: Kilogram (Kg), Gram (g), Ton (T), Pound (lb), Ounce (oz)
• Volume Units: Liter (L), Milliliter (ml), Gallon (gal), Cubic Meter (m³)
• Length Units: Meter (m), Centimeter (cm), Foot (ft), Inch (in)
• Count Units: Piece (Pcs), Dozen (Dz), Gross, Box, Carton, Pack
• Area Units: Square Meter (m²), Square Foot (ft²)

Configuring Default Unit

Set default unit for new items:

• Select a default unit from unit master
• All new items will use this unit by default
• Can be changed per item if needed
• Common defaults: Piece, Kilogram, Liter

Enabling Multiple Units

Enable additional unit levels in item settings:

Enable Secondary Unit

• Check "Enable Secondary Unit" option
• Allows items to have a secondary unit
• Useful for items sold in different quantities
• Example: Pieces (primary) and Dozen (secondary)

Enable Tertiary Unit

• Check "Enable Tertiary Unit" option
• Allows items to have a tertiary unit
• For businesses needing three unit levels
• Example: Pieces → Dozen → Gross

Enable Quaternary Unit

• Check "Enable Quaternary Unit" option
• Allows items to have a quaternary unit
• For complex inventory scenarios
• Example: Pieces → Dozen → Gross → Case

Unit Conversion Setup

Configure conversion rates between units:

Primary to Secondary Conversion

• Set conversion rate: How many primary units = 1 secondary unit
• Example: 12 Pieces = 1 Dozen
• Example: 1000 Grams = 1 Kilogram
• System automatically calculates conversions

Secondary to Tertiary Conversion

• Set conversion rate: How many secondary units = 1 tertiary unit
• Example: 12 Dozen = 1 Gross
• Example: 10 Cartons = 1 Pallet
• Only needed if tertiary unit is enabled

Tertiary to Quaternary Conversion

• Set conversion rate: How many tertiary units = 1 quaternary unit
• Only needed if quaternary unit is enabled
• For complex multi-level conversions

Using Units in Items

When creating items:

• Select primary unit for the item
• If secondary unit enabled, select and set conversion rate
• If tertiary unit enabled, select and set conversion rate
• If quaternary unit enabled, select and set conversion rate
• System will handle conversions automatically

Unit Conversion Examples

Example 1: Pieces and Dozen

• Primary Unit: Piece
• Secondary Unit: Dozen
• Conversion: 12 Pieces = 1 Dozen
• When selling 2 Dozen, system records 24 Pieces

Example 2: Kilogram and Gram

• Primary Unit: Kilogram
• Secondary Unit: Gram
• Conversion: 1000 Grams = 1 Kilogram
• When purchasing 5000 Grams, system records 5 Kilograms

Example 3: Box, Carton, and Pallet

• Primary Unit: Box
• Secondary Unit: Carton (12 Boxes = 1 Carton)
• Tertiary Unit: Pallet (20 Cartons = 1 Pallet)
• System handles all conversions automatically

Best Practices for Unit Setup

• Plan your units: Decide which units you need before creating items
• Use standard units: Use commonly recognized units (Kg, L, Pcs)
• Set accurate conversions: Ensure conversion rates are correct
• Enable only what you need: Don't enable unnecessary unit levels
• Test conversions: Test unit conversions with sample transactions
• Document conversions: Keep a record of conversion rates
• Train your team: Ensure users understand unit conversions
• Review regularly: Review units as your business grows

Common Unit Scenarios

Retail Store

• Primary: Piece
• Secondary: Dozen (optional)
• Simple unit structure
• Most items sold by piece

Wholesale Business

• Primary: Piece
• Secondary: Box (12 Pieces = 1 Box)
• Tertiary: Carton (12 Boxes = 1 Carton)
• Multiple unit levels for bulk operations

Food & Beverage

• Primary: Kilogram or Liter
• Secondary: Gram or Milliliter (for small quantities)
• Or: Kilogram and Ton (for large quantities)
• Weight/volume-based units

Textile Business

• Primary: Meter
• Secondary: Yard or Foot
• Length-based units
• Conversion between metric and imperial

Troubleshooting

Unit conversion not working?

• Verify conversion rates are set correctly
• Check if multiple units are enabled in settings
• Review unit selection for the item
• Test with simple conversions first

Cannot select secondary unit?

• Check if secondary unit is enabled in item settings
• Verify unit master is created
• Check item configuration
• Ensure proper permissions

Stock showing incorrect quantities?

• Verify unit conversions are correct
• Check which unit is being displayed
• Review stock entries and conversions
• Ensure consistent unit usage

What's Next?

After setting up units of measurement, you should:

1. Create all required unit masters
2. Set default unit for your business
3. Enable multiple units if needed
4. Test unit conversions with sample items
5. Configure units for existing items
6. Train your team on unit usage
7. Document your unit structure

Proper unit of measurement setup simplifies inventory management and ensures accurate tracking. Take time to configure units that match your business needs and enable smooth operations.