Product setup
A product becomes catch-weight when the Catch Weight Item switch is on. It then has two units: the Primary Unit it's counted and ordered in (a case, a bag, a whole fish) and the Secondary Unit it's priced in (LB, KG). Its Price is per secondary unit, for example $9.00 / LB.
Who uses it
Supplier staff who create and edit products. Restaurants never see the setting, only its effect: a per-pound price and an estimated total.
How it works
On the product form (new product and edit product):
| Field | Shown when | Required | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catch Weight Item (switch) | Always | Tooltip: "This item will be priced by actual weight. Quantity and weight will both be tracked across procurement, inventory, and sales." | |
| Primary Unit | Always | Only for catch-weight ("Primary Unit*") | The box unit the product is ordered and counted in, e.g. CS. Pick an existing one or type a new one |
| Secondary Unit | Switch on | Yes ("Secondary Unit*") | The weight unit the price is per, e.g. LB. Free text: the app doesn't check it's a real unit |
| Standard weight | Switch on | No | The expected weight of one box, e.g. 10 (LB). Used to estimate an order before weighing |
| Price / Cost | Always | Per secondary unit when the switch is on: the field shows "/LB" instead of "/CS" | |
| Weight (LB) under Available Inventory | Switch on, new product only | No | The weight already in stock, next to the box quantity |
Validation messages
| Situation | Message |
|---|---|
| Switch on, Secondary Unit blank | "Secondary Unit is required" |
| Switch on, Primary Unit blank | "Primary Unit is required" |
| Standard weight 0 or negative | "Standard Weight must be positive" (minimum 0.01) |
| Weight on hand negative | "Weight on hand must be non-negative" |
Turning it off
Turning Catch Weight Item off and saving erases the product's secondary unit, standard weight and weight on hand. Turning it back on starts them blank.
| Before (catch-weight on) | After switching off and saving | |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary Unit | LB | (blank) |
| Standard weight | 10 | (blank) |
| Weight on hand | 214.6 LB | (none) |
| Price | $9.00 / LB | $9.00 / CS, per box from now on |
| Orders already placed | Priced by weight | Unchanged. Each order line keeps the catch-weight details it was ordered with (verify) |
Calculations
The standard weight drives the estimate: estimated weight = boxes × standard weight, and estimated line total = estimated weight × price per unit, rounded to the cent.
| Product | Price | Standard weight | Ordered | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon Fillet | $9.00 / LB | 10 LB | 2 CS | 20 LB → $180.00 |
| Whole Fish | $6.00 / LB | (none) | 3 EA | No estimate: $0.00 until weighed |
| Lamb rack | $16.299 / LB (a line price) | 3.2 LB | 1 CS | 3.2 LB → 52.1568 → $52.16 |
A product's catalog Price has 2 decimals. A rate below the cent ($16.299) is typed on the order line. See Money & rounding.
Where it shows up
Product form · Products list · Product bulk upload and product copy (all catch-weight fields are copied) · every order, invoice and purchase order line for the product.
Permissions
Anyone who can create or edit products (verify role list on the Products page).
Decisions
- Standard weight is optional. Not every catch-weight product has a known weight per box. Without one, the line is $0.00 until weighed instead of guessing. (#2109)
- Units are free text. Suppliers use their own units (LB, KG, and others). The app reuses the units a supplier has already typed as suggestions.
- The catalog price is per weight unit. So a catalog, a promotion or a markup changes the per-pound price, not a box price.
Known limitations
- No unit list. "LB", "lb" and "Lbs" are three different units to the app.
- Weight on hand can only be typed on a new product. After that it changes through stock movements (orders, returns, purchase orders, adjustments).
- The catalog price can't go below the cent. Set a $16.299/LB rate on each order line instead.
FAQ
Why does my catch-weight product's order line say $0.00? The product has no standard weight, so nothing estimates the line until you weigh it. Enter the weight on the order, or set a standard weight on the product for future orders.
Can I price a catch-weight product per case? No. A catch-weight product is always priced per weight unit. If it has a fixed case price, turn Catch Weight Item off.
I switched Catch Weight Item off by mistake. Can I get the weights back? No. Saving with the switch off erases the secondary unit, standard weight and weight on hand. Re-enter them.