Units and product types — overview
How cartons, packs and pieces work, and the kinds of product — simple, variable, compound and service.
YAZZY OS can count, buy and sell the same item in more than one unit — for example a carton you buy from the supplier and the packs you break it into for customers — and it supports products made of other products or sold in options. This page is the map; each topic has its own step-by-step guide.
Two ways to work with units
Your company picks one in Settings → Product → Units mode. Only the Owner can change it.
| Option 1 — One unit per item | Option 2 — Primary and secondary units | |
|---|---|---|
| Each item has | one unit | a primary unit and, optionally, a secondary unit |
| Quantities | whole numbers only | whole numbers or parts (9.85 cartons) |
| At the till | no unit choice | pick the unit on every line |
| Prices | one price per item | a price for each unit |
| Stock | counted in the item's unit | counted in the item's primary unit, shown like "12 Carton 5 Pack" |
Option 1 is how YAZZY OS has always worked and is what every company starts on. Nothing changes for you unless you choose Option 2.
Guides, in the order you will need them:
- Choose how your company uses units
- Set up an item with two units
- Sell in cartons, packs or pieces
- Buy, receive and return in units
The kinds of product
| Type | What it is | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Simple | One price, one stock count. | Adding a new product |
| Variable | One product with options (size, colour), each with its own stock and price. | Adding a new product, Selling products with options |
| Compound | Made of other products (a gift hamper, a wiring kit). It holds no stock itself; selling it uses up its parts. | Compound products |
| Service | Something you charge for that has no stock. | Adding a new product |
Words used in these guides
- Primary unit — the unit an item's stock is counted and stored in. You choose it for each item. Nothing is fixed: a hardware shop might count in pieces, a wholesaler in cartons.
- Secondary unit — another way to buy or sell the same stock. It is not extra stock; selling 3 packs takes 3/20 of a carton out of the same pool.
- Conversion — how many of the secondary unit make one primary unit (20 packs in 1 carton).
- Entered unit — the unit a line was typed in. Receipts and invoices print it as entered ("ABC (Pack) 3 × 650").