This is Part 2 of a 5 Part series on the Dynamics 365 for Sales Product Catalog. Read the Introduction here. 

This blog will cover the details of Unit Group and Unit in Dynamics 365. Unit Group is a container for 1 or more Units, and Unit is the contents.

Unit Group

Field Name	Description
Name*	Name is visible in lists and lookups.
Base Unit Name (Optional in solution but required in record creation)	This will become the first Unit, being the Base Unit for all other Units under this Unit Group.

*Required
+Optional

As you can see, there isn’t much there – just two fields, but these fields pack quite a punch. The Name field will be visible throughout the Product Catalog setup as well as working with Opportunities and the QOI (Quotes, Orders, Invoices). The Base Unit Name field dictates the lowest quantity amount in which you will sell your Products or Services; it is the foundation for all other Units.

Unit

Field Name	Description
Name*	Name is visible in lists and lookups.
Unit Group*	Lookup (This field is not on the form)
Quantity*	How many of Base Units = this Unit. For example, Quantity of 3 Packs (Base Unit) = Box (Name)
Base Unit*	Lookup to Unit, the Base Unit

*Required
+Optional

The Unit record is paramount in the Sales Hub application. It directly connects to the Product and Price List record. As you add Products or Services to your Opportunity during any typical sales process, Unit and Quantity are required fields.

Business Scenario

Remember the business scenario list of how I will sell my products and services?

I sell products in the following quantities:

• Cracker (of different types) – each, pack, box, pallet
• Cheese, block – each, box, pallet (not weight)
• Cheese, cubes – weight (in store only)
• Cheese, cubes – bag, box, pallet (in store and shipping)
• Cheese cutter – each, set, box, pallet
• Cutting board – each, box, pallet
• Cheese-making training videos – each, set

I sell services:

• Displays
• Parties
• Training

Log into your Sales Hub application and enter the following Unit Group and Units:

Unit Group

Name	Primary Unit
Crackers	Each

Units

Name	Base Unit	Quantity
Each1		1.00000
Pack	Each	30.00000
Box	Pack	3.00000
Pallet	Box	48.00000

¹ This Unit was created dynamically when you created the Unit Group; this is the Primary Unit and therefore does not have its own Base Unit.

Here is an understandable way to read the list of Units, using the following format: It takes [Quantity] [Base Unit] to make one [Name].

It takes [30] [Each] to make one [Pack].
It takes [3] [Pack] to make one [Box].
It takes [48] [Box] to make one [Pallet].

You can download the Unit Groups and Unit.xlsx document to view all entered items.

Key Learnings

What can we derive from going through this activity and reviewing the above information?

Unit Group and Unit are independent

Unit Group is a parent to Unit, so between the two, there are dependencies. However, there are no ties to Currency. This is significant in that you can use Unit Groups and Units regardless of what or how many currencies you sell your Products and Services. There are no ties to Discount List, Discount, Product, Price List, or Price List Item. Some of these depend on Unit Group and Unit but not the other way around.

Unit Group and Unit are separate

Even though you may sell your Products and Services in similar units, you must enter them separately.

For example, I sell both Crackers and Cheese, Block in Each, Box, and Pallet Units, but because Unit Groups are containers and they are utilized as a group, I have to add them for each different Unit Group.

Unit Group and Unit define in what quantities we will sell Products or Services

This answers one of our questions from Understanding the Product Catalog – Introduction. In what quantities will I sell my products/services (individual, pack, box, pallet, etc.)?

Unit Group and Unit are required

Unit Group and Unit are required in order for us to work with Opportunities and the QOI.

Coming up next in the Product Catalog blog series will be Discount Lists and Discounts. If you have any questions about Dynamics 365 for Sales, please connect with us.