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Settings & Configuration
Managing Units of Measure
Creating units, managing conversions, and using UoMs with inputs and products
8 min read
Creating units, managing conversions, and using UoMs with inputs and products
Units of measure (UoMs) define how you measure ingredients and recipe outputs in MenuM8. This guide explains how to create, edit, and use UoMs effectively.
Units of Measure in MenuM8:
Why UoMs Matter:
Example UoMs:
Weight: kg, g, lb, oz
Volume: L, ml, gal, pt, fl oz
Time: hr, min
Count: pc (pieces)
Custom: dozen, bunch, case, sheet
Pre-loaded UoMs: When you create an account, MenuM8 loads 13 common units of measure covering weight, volume, time, and count. You can edit or delete these and create your own.
MenuM8 provides these common UoMs when you create an account:
| Name | Symbol | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Kilogram | kg | weight |
| Gram | g | weight |
| Pound | lb | weight |
| Ounce | oz | weight |
| Name | Symbol | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Litre | L | volume |
| Millilitre | ml | volume |
| Gallon | gal | volume |
| Pint | pt | volume |
| Fluid Ounce | fl oz | volume |
| Name | Symbol | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Hour | hr | time |
| Minute | min | time |
| Name | Symbol | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Piece | pc | count |
These UoMs come with pre-configured conversions (e.g., 1 kg = 1000 g). You can edit, delete, or add to these as needed.
Step-by-Step:
Example - Creating "Dozen":
Name: Dozen
Symbol: doz
Type: count
Name (required):
Symbol (required):
Type (required):
Count-based:
Dozen (doz) - 12 items
Case (case) - varies by product
Box (box) - varies by product
Sheet (sheet) - pastry, nori, etc.
Produce:
Bunch (bunch) - herbs, greens
Head (head) - lettuce, cabbage
Clove (clove) - garlic
Bakery:
Loaf (loaf) - bread
Slice (slice) - bread, cake
Roll (roll) - bread rolls
Inline Creation: You can also create UoMs while adding an input. If the UoM you need isn't in the dropdown, click the option to create a new one.
To edit an existing UoM:
What You Can Edit:
Impact on Data: Editing a UoM updates it everywhere it's used. If you rename "kg" to "Kilo", all inputs and products using that UoM will show the new name.
To delete a UoM:
Deletion Rules:
Example - Deleting "Gallon":
Before deleting, check:
- Which inputs use "gal" as their UoM?
- Which products use "gal" for output?
- Are there any conversions referencing "gal"?
If the UoM is in use:
1. Edit affected inputs/products to use a different UoM
2. Then delete the UoM
Conversions define relationships between UoMs, enabling:
Example Conversions:
1 kg = 1000 g
1 L = 1000 ml
1 hr = 60 min
1 dozen = 12 pc
To add a conversion:
Example - Adding "Dozen to Pieces":
From: Dozen (doz)
To: Piece (pc)
Factor: 12
Meaning: 1 dozen = 12 pieces
Conversions work both ways automatically:
You only need to define the conversion once.
To edit a conversion factor:
When to Edit:
Accuracy Matters: Incorrect conversion factors will cause calculation errors throughout your recipes and costings. Double-check your numbers.
The Base Time Unit is an account setting that controls how labour time is displayed throughout MenuM8.
Options:
With Minutes as base unit:
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Total Labour: 75 min
With Hours as base unit:
Prep Time: 0.5 hr
Cook Time: 0.75 hr
Total Labour: 1.25 hr
Calculation Consistency: Regardless of display setting, calculations remain accurate. The base time unit only affects how values are shown, not how they're calculated.
Use Minutes when:
Use Hours when:
Every input (ingredient) requires a UoM:
Example:
Input: All-Purpose Flour
UoM: kg
Price: £1.20 per kg
Input: Eggs
UoM: pc (piece)
Price: £0.15 per piece
Input: Olive Oil
UoM: L
Price: £8.00 per litre
For tracking labour costs, create inputs with time-type UoMs:
Example:
Input: Prep Time
UoM: min
Price: £0.25 per minute (£15/hr)
Input: Chef Time
UoM: hr
Price: £18.00 per hour
Time UoMs Only: Labour time inputs are restricted to time-type UoMs. You won't see weight or volume options when creating a labour input.
If you need a UoM that doesn't exist:
This inline creation saves time when you encounter a new measurement need.
Every product (recipe) has an output quantity with a UoM:
Example:
Product: Tomato Soup
Output Quantity: 4
Output UoM: portions
Product: Pizza Dough
Output Quantity: 1
Output UoM: kg
Product: Chocolate Cake
Output Quantity: 12
Output UoM: slices
Choosing Output UoM:
When adding ingredients to a recipe, you specify quantities with UoMs:
Example - Tomato Soup Recipe:
Components:
- Tomatoes: 500 g
- Onion: 200 g
- Garlic: 10 g
- Olive Oil: 30 ml
- Vegetable Stock: 750 ml
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
Output: 4 portions
The UoM for each component should match how you purchase or measure that ingredient.
For accurate cost calculations, component UoMs should be convertible to the input's UoM:
Works well:
Input: Flour (priced per kg)
Recipe uses: 500 g
→ Automatic conversion: 500 g = 0.5 kg
→ Cost calculated correctly
Requires conversion:
Input: Flour (priced per kg)
Recipe uses: 2 cups
→ Needs cup-to-kg conversion defined
→ Otherwise, calculation may fail
Be Consistent:
Good Examples:
Kilogram (kg)
Gram (g)
Litre (L)
Millilitre (ml)
Piece (pc)
Avoid:
Multiple versions: "kg", "Kg", "KG", "kilo"
Unclear names: "unit", "each", "item"
Overly long: "individual piece"
Create new UoMs for:
Avoid creating UoMs for:
Double-check conversions:
Common Conversion Errors:
Wrong: 1 lb = 500 g (should be ~454 g)
Wrong: 1 gal = 4 L (US gal = 3.785 L, UK gal = 4.546 L)
Wrong: 1 oz = 30 g (should be ~28.35 g)
Regional Differences: Some units vary by region (e.g., US vs UK gallons, cups). Ensure your conversions match your suppliers and recipes.
Yes. All UoMs are fully editable. You can delete any UoM as long as it's not being used by inputs or products.
The new symbol will appear everywhere that UoM is used - in inputs, products, recipes, and reports. Existing data is updated automatically.
You can only convert between UoMs where a meaningful relationship exists. For example:
For ingredients where weight-to-volume matters (like flour), consider pricing by weight consistently.
Labour time inputs only allow time-type UoMs (hours, minutes). This ensures labour calculations work correctly with the account's base time unit setting.
Not directly. Each UoM has one set of conversions. If suppliers use different pack sizes, consider:
When you scale a recipe, MenuM8 uses conversions to calculate accurate quantities. If a conversion is missing or incorrect, scaling may produce unexpected results.