Units of Measurement let you define how a material is counted (each, box, pallet, etc.). Multi UoM takes it further, letting you build conversions between those units — like 1 pallet = 25 boxes = 250 pieces — so purchasing, transfers, and stock tracking stay accurate.
Part 1: Create Your Custom Units of Measurement
Go to Settings → Catalog → Units of Measurement.
To create a custom unit, just enter a name and abbreviation.
Part 2: Assign a Unit to a Material
Open your catalog and click the three-dot menu (...) next to the material
Select: Edit Material.
Scroll down to the Measurement unit section:
Bulk Edit
To update multiple materials at once, use Bulk Edit Mode. You'll see a Measurement Units column — just select the correct unit for each material. Changes save automatically as you edit; there's no separate save step.
Part 3: Set Up a Multi UoM Conversion Tree🌳
Once a material has its unit set up, you can build a conversion tree so it can be received, moved, and sold in different units.
When to use this?
If you buy items in bulk (e.g., 1 bag = 10 units) but you use/sell them one at a time, Multi UoM lets you:
Receive inventory in bags
Move/consume inventory in units (EA)
Keep stock accurate automatically
Steps to set it up
Open your Catalog.
Click the three-dot menu (...) next to the item and select Alternate UoM.
You'll see your material's base unit (e.g., "each" or "bag").
Click Add Unit to define your hierarchy — for example:
- 1 pallet = 25 bags
- 1 bag = 10 units
Ply automatically calculates the full conversion (in this example, 1 pallet = 250 pieces).
What happens in Ply?
The material will always move in the Base Measurement Unit you assigned to the item — that’s the primary UoM. (Part 2 ⬆️)
Practical examples:
Material with EACH as its Base Measurement Unit.
Transfers to a job: deduct 1 EACH, 2 EACH, etc.
Deductions/usage: always in EACH
Part 4: Using Multi UoM in Purchase Orders
Once a material's UoM tree is set up, you can:
Create a PO and add the material line item.
Choose the ordered unit from the units you've defined (e.g., pallet, box, each).
Enter the quantity in that unit — Ply converts it automatically (e.g., 2 boxes = 24 EA).
Ply automatically adjusts the unit cost based on the baseline cost. You can also override the cost manually — for example, when buying in bulk at a discount.
How to handle cost (recommended)
Track cost per unit.
Example:
If 1 box costs $94 and it has 12 units
Unit cost = 94 / 12 = $7.83 (rounded)
Set that unit cost in Cost to Business for that material.
Where It’s Supported
✅ Currently supported in:
Catalog items
Stock location transfers
Purchase Orders
⚙️ Coming soon:
Cycle counts
Picklists
These areas are still being developed for full Multi UoM compatibility.
Bulk Uploads for Multi-UoM
Ply does not currently support adding multiple units of measurement through the bulk upload tool. If you need to apply UoM trees to several materials, this must be done manually, one by one, from the Catalog page.
For large catalogs or onboarding, our team may be able to assist with bulk setup in special cases. If you're interested, contact Ply Support. When requesting assistance, please organize your units in a format like this beforehand:
Material Name | UoM 1 | Qty 1 | UoM 2 | Qty 2 | UoM 3 | Qty 3 |
PVC 90° Elbow | Pallet | 25 | Box | 10 | Each | 1 |
This structure allows the system to map each relationship properly. Future releases will include this mapping option directly in the bulk upload tool.
Tips & Best Practices
Start with your most commonly used unit as the base unit (e.g., “each”).
Avoid duplicate or overlapping names when creating UoM trees.
If you see a sync error on an item, resolve that before editing its UoM.
For bulk updates, contact Ply Support, we can assist with backend uploads in special cases.