---
title: Managing Units of Measure in Sortly (Standard, Custom, and Partial Quantities)
description: Sortly lets you track inventory using both standard and custom units of measure. You can also use partial quantities to track fractions or decimals.
---
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# Managing Units of Measure in Sortly (Standard, Custom, and Partial Quantities)
Sortly lets you track inventory using both standard and custom units of measure. You can also use partial quantities to track fractions or decimals. This guide explains how to create, edit, and delete units, assign them to items, and use partial quantities.
**In this article**
1. [What are units of measure?](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#what-are-units)
2. [Standard units of measure](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#standard-units)
3. [Custom units of measure](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#custom-units)
4. [Assign a unit of measure](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#assign-unit)
5. [Change the unit of measure](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#change-unit)
6. [Partial quantities](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#partial-quantities)
7. [FAQ](https://help.sortly.com/managing-units-of-measure-in-sortly-standard-custom-and-partial-quantities#faq)
## **What are units of measure?**
Units of measure help you define how your inventory is tracked: by weight, volume, count, area, or length. For example: pounds, meters, boxes, or liters.
You can choose a unit of measure when creating or editing an item. The selected unit will appear across Sortly, including on item pages, reports, activity history, and the dashboard.
## **Standard units of measure**
Sortly includes a built-in list of commonly used units, each defined by a name, abbreviation, and type. All standard units support up to four decimal places for precision.
Examples of standard units you can select:
The full list appears in-app when adding an item and selecting a unit of measure.
## **Custom units of measure**
If Sortly's standard units don't meet your needs, you can create custom units that better reflect your workflows, such as "Tube," "Panel," or "Pouch."
💡 Only Admins and Owners can create and manage custom units of measure.
### **Create a custom unit**
1. 1Go to **Settings** in the web app.
2. 2Select [Units of Measure](https://app.sortly.com/manage-units).
3. 3Click **Add Custom Unit**.
4. 4Enter the **name**, **abbreviation**, and select a **type** (for example, Count, Volume, Weight).
5. 5Click **Create**.
The custom unit will now be available when creating or editing items.
### **Delete a custom unit**
1. 1Go to **Settings**, then **Units of Measure**.
2. 2Find the custom unit you want to delete.
3. 3Click the trash icon next to the unit.
⚠️ You can only delete a custom unit if it's not currently assigned to any items. Deleted units cannot be restored, and Sortly-provided (default) units cannot be deleted.
## **Assign a unit of measure**
1. 1In the web app, click **Add Item**.
2. 2Fill out the item details.
3. 3Use the **Unit of Measure** dropdown to select a unit. If the unit you need isn't listed, click **Manage Units** from the dropdown to add it.
4. 4Click **Add** to add the item.
## **Change the unit of measure**
You can update the unit of measure associated with any item, whether it's a standard unit or a custom unit. For example, you can change an item listed as "1 unit" to "1 pack" by editing the unit of measure.
### **To change the unit on a single item**
1. 1Open the item from the item list or folder view.
2. 2Click **Edit**.
3. 3In the **Unit of Measure** dropdown, select the new unit.
4. 4Click **Save**.
All items that share the same SID (Sortly Item ID) will also be updated with the new unit of measure.
### **To change the unit for multiple items (bulk edit)**
1. 1In the item list view, hover over each item and check the box in the top-left corner.
2. 2Once items are selected, the **Bulk Edit Bar** will appear.
3. 3Click **Edit** to begin updating fields.
4. 4Select the new **Unit of Measure**.
5. 5Click **Apply** to save the change across all selected items.
You can bulk edit up to 100 items at a time. All items in the selection that share the same SID will also reflect the change.
⚠️ You cannot edit the name, abbreviation, or type of a custom unit once it has been created. Editing the custom unit definition is not currently supported and is planned for a future release.
## **Partial quantities**
Partial quantities let you track items in decimals (up to four places). This is useful for raw materials, bulk goods, or anything measured by weight, volume, or length rather than sold as whole units.
### **Enter partial quantities**
You can enter quantities using up to four decimal places (for example, 2.3750) when creating or editing an item.
1. 1Open the **Add Item** screen or an existing item.
2. 2In the **Quantity** field, enter a fractional value.
3. 3Select a unit of measure (for example, lbs, liters).
4. 4Save the item.
💡 Partial quantities are supported for all units except the default unit labeled "unit."
### **Moving partial quantities**
You can move part of an item's total quantity from one folder to another.
1. 1Navigate to the item.
2. 2Click **Move**.
3. 3Enter the partial quantity to transfer (for example, 1.25).
4. 4Choose the destination folder.
5. 5Confirm the move.
The source and destination item quantities will update accordingly.
## **Frequently Asked Questions**
How many custom units can I create?
You can create up to 25 custom units per account.
Can I rename or edit a custom unit's name or abbreviation?
No. Once created, the name, abbreviation, and type cannot be edited.
Can I bulk update units of measure for multiple items?
Yes. You can bulk update the unit of measure for up to 100 items at a time. All items that share the same SID will also be updated.
Can I delete Sortly's default units?
No. Only unused custom units can be deleted.
Can I set a default unit of measure for my account or items?
Not at this time. This is planned for a future update.
Can I hide, reorder, or filter units of measure?
No. All units appear in a fixed list and cannot be hidden or reordered.
What happens when I add a new custom unit?
It will appear at the bottom of your active list and be available immediately for use.
Can I manage custom units in the Sortly mobile app?
No. You can only manage custom units from the web app. Mobile users can select from existing units when creating or editing items.
Can Free plan users create custom units?
No. Only users on paid plans can create and manage custom units. Free users can only use the default Sortly-provided units.
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