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Units

Menu Location: Products > Settings > Units

Last Updated: 2026-07-27


Overview

The Units page manages the list of measurement units used on your product listings, such as "lb", "each", "bag", or "bunch". Each entry is just a name; when a product is priced or displayed as "2 lb" or "1 each", it's referencing an entry from this list.

Units aren't only created here. When you type a new unit name into the Units field while editing a product, Kiva Logic adds it to this list automatically if it doesn't already exist. This page is where you review the full list, clean up or rename entries, and delete ones you no longer use.

Primary Functions:

  • View every unit currently in your unit list
  • Add a new unit by name
  • Rename an existing unit
  • Delete a unit you no longer need

Page Layout

Add New

A small form at the top of the page with a text field and a Create button for typing in a new unit name.

Unit List

Below the Add New form, a table lists every unit (name only), with Edit and Delete action buttons on each row.


Creating Units

Add a New Unit

Steps:

  1. Type the unit's name into the Add New text field (e.g., "Pound" or "lb")
  2. Click Create

There is no separate abbreviation, plural form, or display-format field on this page. The unit list holds a single name per entry, so however you type it is exactly how it will appear.

Tip: You often don't need to create units here at all. Typing a new unit name directly into a product's Units field (on the product edit page) creates the entry for you automatically if it doesn't already exist.


Editing Units

Modify an Existing Unit

Steps:

  1. Find the unit in the list
  2. Click its Edit (wrench) icon
  3. Update the name in the field that appears
  4. Click Save

Impact: Products reference a unit by its internal ID, not its text. Renaming a unit updates the label everywhere it's used without having to touch individual products.


Deleting Units

Remove a Unit

Steps:

  1. Click the Delete icon next to the unit
  2. Confirm the prompt

Caution: Deleting a unit is immediate and does not check whether any products are currently using it. If a unit still assigned to products is deleted, those products will show a blank unit instead of the deleted name. Reassign any products off a unit (by editing them and typing a different unit name) before deleting it.


Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Clean Up Duplicate Units

Goal: Merge accidental duplicates (e.g., "lb" and "Lb" both created from typos on product pages)

Steps:

  1. Edit one duplicate's name to match the other, or
  2. Edit products off the unwanted duplicate, then delete it

Use Case 2: Rename a Unit Across All Products

Goal: Change how a unit's name displays everywhere at once

Steps:

  1. Find the unit in the list
  2. Click Edit, change the name
  3. Click Save

Result: Every product using that unit ID immediately shows the new name, since products don't store the name, they store the unit's ID.


Troubleshooting

A Unit Keeps Getting Recreated

Cause: Typing a unit name on a product's edit page auto-creates the unit if the exact name doesn't already exist in this list. Slightly different spellings (e.g., "lb" vs "Lb" vs "lbs") each create a separate entry.

Solution: Standardize on one spelling and edit products to match it, rather than retyping variants.

A Product Shows No Unit / Blank Unit

Cause: The unit that product referenced was deleted from this list.

Solution: Edit the affected product and type a valid unit name back in (this will either match an existing unit or create a new one).


  • Products (product_classifications_active.php) - the products list; unit assignment happens on individual product edit pages, not here
  • Product Edit (add-product.php) - has the free-text Units field for a product; typing a new name here creates a unit automatically

Typical Workflow:

  1. Type a unit name directly on a product's edit page (it's created automatically), or create it in advance on this page
  2. Use this page later to rename or clean up entries

Quick Reference Card

Task Action/Location
Add a new unit Type name in "Add New" field > Click Create
Edit a unit's name Click Edit icon > Update name > Save
Delete a unit Click Delete icon > Confirm
Assign a unit to a product Edit the product, type the unit name in its Units field

FAQs

Do I need to create units here before using them on a product?

No. Typing a new unit name into a product's Units field creates the unit automatically if it doesn't already exist. Use this page mainly to review, rename, or delete entries afterward.

What happens to products if I delete a unit they're using?

They lose their unit display (it shows blank), since the product only stores the unit's ID, not its name. Reassign those products to a different unit name first.

Can I set an abbreviation, plural form, or display format separately from the name?

No. Each unit is a single name field. However you type it (e.g., "lb" vs "Pound") is exactly what displays.

Why do I have near-duplicate units like "lb" and "Lbs"?

Because units can be auto-created from whatever text is typed on a product's edit page, slightly different spellings become separate entries. Standardize on one and edit products to match it.


Change Log

2026-07-27

  • Rewritten to match the actual page: a simple name-only unit list (add, rename, delete), with units also auto-created from the product edit page
  • Removed invented fields (abbreviation, plural name, display format, conversion factor, product-count-gated delete) and an invented role/permission tier system that this page does not have

2026-03-01

  • Initial documentation created

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.