Papaya ships with a standard set of units — weight (kg, g), volume (l, ml), package (bottle, box), and count (each, dozen). Custom inventory UOMs let you add units we don’t offer — a Tray, Bundle, or Crate — or control exactly how a unit’s name appears when you set up a product.
‼️ Set these up first. A product’s Inventory UOM can’t be changed after the product is created — to switch it you’d have to archive and recreate the product. So decide on your units before you start adding products.
Why use a custom UOM
Reason | Example |
You need a unit Papaya doesn’t offer | Tray, Bundle, Crate, Sheet, Portion |
You want to control how the unit displays | You want the picker to read simply KG instead of the built-in Kilogram (kg) |
How standard vs custom units display
Built-in units always show as “Name (abbreviation)” — for example Kilogram (kg) or Bottle (bottle). You can’t edit that label. A custom unit shows exactly the name you type — so if you want it to read just KG, create a custom UOM named “KG”.
⚠️ Custom units don’t auto-convert. Standard metric units (kg↔g, l↔ml) convert automatically. A custom unit has no built-in conversion — when you add it as a usage or purchase unit you set the conversion factor yourself. So recreating “KG” purely for display means you’ll enter the gram factor manually instead of getting automatic kg↔g.
Create a custom UOM
Go to Inventory → Inventory setup → Custom inventory UOMs (merchant level).
Click Add.
Enter a Name — this is exactly how the unit appears in dropdowns.
Save. Name is the only field — there’s no abbreviation or conversion factor here.
Use it on a product
When you create or edit a product, your custom units appear at the top of the Inventory UOM, Usage UOM, and Purchase UOM dropdowns under a Custom units group — above the built-in Weight / Volume / Package / Unit groups. For usage and purchase units, set the conversion factor back to the Inventory UOM.
‼️ Pick the Inventory UOM carefully — it’s locked once the product exists. See Inventory Products & Categories.
FAQ
Can I change how a standard unit displays?
No — built-in units always show as “Name (abbreviation)”. Create a custom unit with the exact name you want instead.
Can I rename a custom UOM later?
Yes, on the Custom inventory UOMs page. But you still can’t change a product’s Inventory UOM after the product is created.
Do custom units convert automatically?
No — set the factor when you add them as a usage or purchase unit.
Do I need a custom UOM for kilograms or litres?
Only if you want a different display label — the standard kg/g/l/ml already convert automatically.
Who can manage custom UOMs?
It’s a merchant-level setting, shared across all outlets.