Unit of measure conversions

Eliminate manual calculations by automatically converting between supplier units (boxes, pallets, cases) and your inventory units (each, kg, litres). This guide explains how to set up and use unit of measure conversions to save time, reduce errors, and maintain accurate pricing throughout your procurement process.

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Best practices

• Set up unit of measure conversions for regularly ordered items to streamline procurement
• Verify conversion factors carefully to maintain pricing integrity
• Use supplier-specific conversions when the same item is packaged differently by different suppliers
• Review unit of measure configurations periodically to ensure they remain accurate

Understanding unit of measure conversions

Unit of measure conversions in Zudello automatically translate between the units your suppliers use and the units your inventory system uses. This feature is particularly valuable when:

• Suppliers deliver items in packaging units (cases, boxes, pallets) while your inventory system tracks individual units or measurements
• You need to maintain pricing integrity regardless of how units are expressed
• You want to eliminate error-prone manual calculations
• You need to reconcile supplier documents accurately with your internal records

For example, if you order toner cartridges that come in boxes of 5, Zudello can automatically calculate that 10 boxes (supplier unit) equals 50 cartridges (your inventory unit). When the supplier invoices you for 10 boxes at $100 per box, Zudello will show both the supplier view (10 boxes at $100 each) and your inventory view (50 cartridges at $20 each).

Setting up unit of measure conversions

Configuring units of measure

Before setting up conversions, ensure you have the necessary units of measure configured:

1. Navigate to Relationships > Dimensions > Unit of Measure
2. Check that both your base units (each, kg, litres) and supplier units (box, case, pallet) exist
3. If needed, add new units by clicking Add:
   • Enter the Code (e.g., BX for box)
   • Enter the Name (e.g., Box)
   • Add any Keywords that might appear on supplier documents (e.g., bx, boxes)
   • Set the status to Active
4. Click Save

Setting up item conversion factors

To configure conversion factors for specific items:

1. Navigate to Inventory > Items
2. Find and open the item you want to configure
3. In the Base Unit of Measure field, select your standard inventory unit for this item
4. Scroll to the Item Conversion section
5. Click Add to create a new conversion:
   • To Unit: Select the supplier unit (e.g., Box)
   • Factor: Enter the numerical conversion value (e.g., 10)
   • Operation: Select whether to multiply or divide when converting supplier units to base units
   • Supplier: Optional - select a specific supplier if this conversion only applies to them
   • Allow fraction: Toggle on if partial units are permitted (e.g., 2.5 boxes)
6. Click Save

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Conversion operations

The Operation field determines how Zudello calculates between supplier units and base units:

• Multiply: Use when the supplier unit contains multiple base units
  • Example: 1 box = 10 each (Converting from box to each: multiply by 10)
• Divide: Use when the base unit contains multiple supplier units
  • Example: 1 kg = 1000 grams (Converting from grams to kg: divide by 1000)

Using unit of measure conversions

When processing documents with unit of measure conversions enabled:

During document extraction

1. When a purchase order, receipt, or invoice is uploaded, Zudello automatically:

   • Extracts the unit of measure from the document
   • Matches it to the appropriate unit of measure dimension
   • Applies the relevant conversion factor based on the linked item and supplier

2. Zudello displays both the original supplier values and the converted values:

   • Supplier unit:
     • Quantity converted: The quantity in supplier units (e.g., 5 boxes)
     • Unit of Measure: The supplier's unit (e.g., Box)
     • Unit price converted: The price per supplier unit (e.g., $100 per box)
   • Base unit:
     • Quantity: The quantity in your base units (e.g., 50 each)
     • Base UOM: Your inventory unit (read-only)
     • Unit price: The price per base unit (e.g., $10 per each)

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During manual editing

When editing documents with unit of measure conversions:

1. If you change the Quantity, Zudello automatically updates the Quantity Converted
2. If you change the Quantity Converted, Zudello automatically updates the Quantity
3. If you change the Unit Price Converted, Zudello automatically updates the Unit Price
4. If you change the Unit of Measure, Zudello displays a filtered list of available unit options for the item:
   • Units configured for the specific supplier
   • Units configured without a specific supplier
   • The base unit of measure

The dropdown shows the conversion factor for each unit to help you make the right selection.

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Example scenarios

Supplier delivers in boxes, you track individual items

Setup:

• Base Unit of Measure: Each
• Conversion: 1 Box = 12 Each (Operation: Multiply, Factor: 12)

Scenario:

• Supplier invoice shows: 5 Boxes at $60 per box
• Zudello displays:
  • Supplier view: 5 Boxes at $60 per box
  • Your inventory view: 60 Each at $5 per each

Supplier delivers in kilograms, you track in grams

Setup:

• Base Unit of Measure: Gram
• Conversion: 1 KG = 1000 Grams (Operation: Multiply, Factor: 1000)

Scenario:

• Supplier invoice shows: 2.5 KG at $15 per KG
• Zudello displays:
  • Supplier view: 2.5 KG at $15 per KG
  • Your inventory view: 2,500 Grams at $0.015 per gram

Need help?

Contact your organisation administrator or Zudello support for assistance with unit of measure conversions.