Purchase Units and Conversions

Set up purchase units to match how you actually buy ingredients
Configure conversion factors so BakeOnyx tracks costs accurately
Use unit conversions to convert between weight, volume, and other measurements

Why Purchase Units Matter

When you buy flour, you probably order it in 25kg bags—not in grams. When you buy eggs, they come in cases of 360, not individually. BakeOnyx needs to know this so it can calculate the true cost per ingredient when you use it in recipes.

Purchase units are the units you actually buy in. Conversion factors tell BakeOnyx how to convert those purchase units into your base units (the standard measurement you use in recipes).

Setting Up a Purchase Unit

Go to Inventory from the main menu.
Find and click on the ingredient you want to set up a purchase unit for.
Scroll to the Purchase Units section.
Click Add Purchase Unit.
Enter a name for the purchase unit (e.g., "25kg Bag", "Case of 360", "10lb Box").
Enter the conversion factor—how many base units are in one purchase unit. For example:
- If your base unit is grams and you buy flour in 25kg bags, enter 25000
- If your base unit is units and you buy eggs in cases of 360, enter 360
Click Save.

Purchase unit form showing name field and conversion factor input

Tip: Set up multiple purchase units for the same ingredient if you buy it in different ways. For example, you might buy butter in 10kg boxes for regular orders and 500g packs for specialty items. This helps you track costs accurately no matter how you're sourcing.

Understanding Conversion Factors

The conversion factor is the bridge between how you buy and how you bake. It answers the question: "How many base units are in one purchase unit?"

Example 1: Weight-based ingredient

Base unit: grams
Purchase unit: 25kg bag
Conversion factor: 25000 (because 25kg = 25,000 grams)

Example 2: Count-based ingredient

Base unit: individual eggs
Purchase unit: case of 360
Conversion factor: 360

Unit Conversions (Weight, Volume, and More)

BakeOnyx includes built-in conversions for common measurements like kilograms to pounds, liters to cups, and grams to ounces. If you need to convert between units that aren't in the system, you can create custom conversions.

Custom conversions are useful if you work with unusual measurements or if you need conversions specific to your bakery's practices.

Note: When converting between weight and volume (like grams to cups), BakeOnyx uses ingredient density data. Make sure your ingredients have density values set so these conversions are accurate. For example, flour has a different density than honey, so 100 grams of each takes up different volumes.

Best Practices

Use standard units: Stick to metric (kg, grams, liters) or imperial (pounds, ounces, cups) throughout your bakery. Mixing them makes conversions harder.
Match your suppliers: Create purchase units that exactly match what your suppliers sell. This makes ordering and receiving easier.
Check density values: If you're doing weight-to-volume conversions, verify that your ingredients have accurate density data. This is especially important for flour, sugar, and liquids.
Review costs regularly: After setting up purchase units, check your ingredient costs in reports to make sure they're calculating correctly.

Warning: If you change a purchase unit's conversion factor after you've already recorded purchases with it, your historical cost data may shift. If you need to adjust a conversion factor, consider creating a new purchase unit instead and using it going forward.

Next Steps

Creating a Recipe — Learn how to use purchase units when building recipes and calculating ingredient costs.
Tracking Expenses — Record purchases using your purchase units to get accurate cost tracking.
Reports Overview — View ingredient costs and usage reports based on your purchase units.