ABSS Books · Settings
Item unit
An item unit is the measure you stock and price an item in, such as PCS, BOX or KGS. You keep the list here and pick a unit on every item. That unit then travels with the item onto your stock and your document lines.
- Who it's for
- Admins, and anyone whose role includes Item Unit
- Where to find it
- SettingsItem unit
- What you need
- The Admin role, or the Item Unit permission: View to open the screen, and Create or Edit for those actions
Item unit walkthrough
Coming soon
What you can do here
- Keep the list of units you stock and price items in, such as PCS, BOX or KGS.
- Start with the units Books gives you, and add your own.
- Rename a unit you added, as long as nothing uses it yet.
- Pick a unit on each item, and offer the same item in up to two other units.
Before you start
- How to open Settings
- Choose the Settings gear icon in the top bar. It opens All settings. Item unit is under Setup and Configuration. The screen itself is titled Item Unit.
- The Admin role or the Item Unit permission
- Admins always see Item unit. Other roles need the View permission for Item Unit, which sits under Other Settings on the role. Adding needs Create and renaming needs Edit. Buttons you cannot use are greyed out.
- The names you want
- Check the built-in units first. Add one only for a unit they do not cover, because every name must be different.
Note: ABSS Books comes with these units: NOS, PCS, BOX, KGS, GMS, MTR, FT, LTR, MLT, OTH, BTL, CAN, CMS, DOZ, CTN, MTS, PAS, PRS, QTL, ROL, SET, TBS, TON, TUB, UNT and YDS.
If you also use ABSS CRM, this is the same list, and it works the same way there. See Item Unit in ABSS CRM.
Add an item unit
A unit is just a name. You add it in a small window, without leaving the list.
Open the Add Item Unit window
Go to Settings → Item unit and choose Add Item Unit.
Enter the Name
Required. For example Kilogram. It must be different from every other unit you have.
Choose Save
The window closes and the new unit joins the list as Active. Cancel closes the window without saving.
Warning: A unit cannot be deleted from this screen. Check the spelling before you save, and rename it straight away if it is wrong.
Find and rename an item unit
The list shows every unit, a page at a time. There is no detail page: everything about a unit is on its row.
- Name
- The name of the unit. The list is sorted by name.
- Status
- Active or Inactive.
- Action
- One icon on each row: Edit. It is greyed out on the built-in units. Hover over it and Books says it is a system generated item unit and cannot be modified.
Choose the Edit icon on the row
The Edit Item Unit window opens with the current name.
Change the Name and choose Save
You can rename a unit you added until something uses it. After that, Books tells you the unit cannot be edited because it is already used, and names where.
See where an item unit is used
A unit does nothing on its own. It is there to be picked on an item, and it travels with the item onto your stock and documents.
| Where | What happens |
|---|---|
| Items | The Item Unit field on the item form. It is required, it is the unit stock is kept in, and it cannot be changed after the item is created. Only Active units are offered. |
| Unit conversion on an item | The Unit you add beside the Item Unit, so the same goods can be bought or sold in up to two other units. The choices come from this list. Default Unit For Stock In and Default Unit For Stock Out are then picked from the item's own units. |
| Document lines | The unit column on each item line of your sales and purchase documents. It offers the item's own Item Unit and any unit conversions set on that item, and the rate follows the unit you pick. An item with one unit shows that unit only. |
| Item bulk import | The Item Unit in your file must be a unit on this list. If it is not, the check step shows Assign Item Unit, where you pick an Active unit for those rows. |
For the item form and unit conversions, see Items.
Rules to know
The rules behind this screen, in one place.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who sees it | Settings → Setup and Configuration → Item unit. You need the Admin role or the View permission for Item Unit. |
| Built-in units | ABSS Books comes with NOS, PCS, BOX, KGS, GMS, MTR, FT, LTR, MLT, OTH, BTL, CAN, CMS, DOZ, CTN, MTS, PAS, PRS, QTL, ROL, SET, TBS, TON, TUB, UNT and YDS. They cannot be renamed. |
| Unique name | Two units cannot share a name, whatever the capital letters. Books shows: An item unit with this name already exists in the company. |
| Renaming | Blocked once the unit is in use, on an item or on any document or stock record. Books tells you the unit cannot be edited because it is already used, and names where. |
| No delete | This screen has no Delete icon and no way to change a unit's status. A unit you add stays on the list, so check the name before you save. |
| Status | A new unit is Active. Only Active units are offered when you pick a unit on an item. |
| ABSS CRM | If your company also uses ABSS CRM, both products work from the same list of units. |
| View-only mode | If your plan period has ended and Books is view-only, Add Item Unit and Edit are greyed out. |