Set Up Unit of Measure Conversion (e.g., KG → Pieces)
In some business scenarios, the purchase unit of measure for an item differs from its base unit of measure. A common example is fasteners such as nails, which are purchased in kilograms (KG) but tracked in inventory as pieces. To enable Business Central to automatically convert quantities to the base unit of measure when entering purchase orders, a dedicated unit of measure with a corresponding measure calculation is required.
This guide describes the setup using nails as an example (purchased in KG, base unit of measure is pieces).
Prerequisites
- The item is set up with the base unit of measure Pieces (e.g.,
PCS). - The weight of a single piece is known (e.g., 0.00003 kg per nail).
Step 1: Create a New Unit of Measure
Create a new unit of measure that will be used for purchase quantity entry in kilograms.
- Choose the
icon, enter Units of Measure, and then choose the related link. - Choose New to create a new unit of measure.
- Fill in the fields as follows:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Code | KG-STK |
| Description | KG per Piece |
Important
Ensure the unit of measure is configured with a sufficient number of decimal places. This is required for the conversion from kilograms to pieces to be accurate enough. Configure the decimal places using the Qty. Decimal Places field on the unit of measure card.
Step 2: Create a Measure Calculation
The standard measure calculation KG is not suitable for this scenario because it includes dimension factors (length, width, thickness) in the calculation. For a pure weight-based conversion using the piece weight, a dedicated measure calculation is required with all dimension factors set to 0.
- Choose the icon, enter Measure Calculations, and then choose the related link.
- Choose New to create a new measure calculation.
- Configure the fields in the General section as follows:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Code | KG-STK |
| Description | KG per Piece |
| Measure 1 | Quantity |
| Measure 2 | None |
| Measure 3 | None |
| Measure 4 | None |
- Configure the fields in the Calculation section as follows:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Calculation Type | Weight (Kg) |
| Length Factor | 0 |
| Width Factor | 0 |
| Thickness Factor | 0 |
| Diameter Conversion Factor | 0 |
| Diameter Factor per Length | 0 |
| Factor | 1 |
- Assign the new measure calculation to the unit of measure:
- Open the unit of measure
KG-STKcreated in step 1. - In the Measure Calculation Code field, enter the code
KG-STK.
- Open the unit of measure
Note
By using the calculation type Weight (Kg) with Factor = 1 and all dimension factors = 0, only the piece weight is used for the conversion. Dimension values (length, width, thickness) do not affect the calculation.
Step 3: Configure the Item Card
Configure the relevant fields on the item card so that Business Central automatically converts the purchase quantity to the base unit of measure.
- Choose the icon, enter Items, and then choose the related link.
- Open the item card for the relevant item.
- In the Defaults/Tracking FastTab, make the following settings:
Purchase
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Purch. Unit of Measure | KG-STK |
Volume & Weight
| Field | Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Mass Calc. Weight | 0.00003 |
The weight of a single piece in kilograms (e.g., one nail). |
| Weight Unit Type | Pieces | Specifies that the value in Mass Calc. Weight refers to a single piece. |
How It Works
Business Central uses the following formula for the conversion:
\(\text{Quantity (Pieces)} = \frac{\text{Quantity (KG)}}{\text{Mass Calc. Weight (kg per piece)}}\)
Example: A nail weighs 0.00003 kg. When ordering 1 kg:
\(\frac{1}{0.00003} = 33{,}333.33 \text{ pieces}\)
Result
After completing the setup, you can enter purchase orders where:
- the price per kilogram is specified, and
- the quantity in KG is entered – Business Central automatically converts it to pieces.
Tip
Verify the conversion by creating a test purchase order before using the setup in production. This ensures that the decimal places and the piece weight produce accurate results.
Note
The unit of measure and measure calculation created in steps 1 and 2 can be reused for multiple items. For example, if you also purchase screws or bolts in KG, you only need to configure the Purch. Unit of Measure and Mass Calc. Weight on each item card. There is no need to create the unit of measure or measure calculation again.