Converting units of measure: from m² and metres to sales units

Why does the BoQ quantity not always match your sales unit?

Because the bill of quantities describes the work and your item master describes the product. The planner specifies how much surface is insulated or how much pipe is laid. You deliver boards in packs, pipes in bars and screws in boxes.

A conversion sits between the two views. It decides whether the delivery quantity is enough, whether the unit price is right and whether the quote goes through without questions. How unit price and total price relate in a BoQ is covered in Unit price, total price, lump sum.

Which units do you need to keep apart?

Four details per item form the basis of every conversion. The terms come from the catalogue standard BMEcat 2005.2 published by BME, the German Association of Materials Management, Purchasing and Logistics:

• Order unit (ORDER_UNIT): the unit in which the product is ordered, for example a pack. According to the specification only multiples of it can be ordered, and the price always refers to it.
• Content unit (CONTENT_UNIT): the unit of the product inside the order unit, for example one board.
• Packing quantity (NO_CU_PER_OU): how many content units are in one order unit, for example six boards.
• Price quantity (PRICE_QUANTITY): how many order units the price applies to. If nothing is given, it is one.

Then there is the unit of the BoQ line item, for example m². The conversion factor links it to the order unit: six boards of 0.72 m² each make 4.32 m² per pack.

How do you convert in four steps?

Divide the requested quantity by the content per order unit and round up to whole order units. In detail:

1. Read the unit: which unit does the line item use, and does it match your item?
2. Apply the factor: requested quantity divided by the content per order unit.
3. Round up: to whole order units, then check the minimum quantity and quantity steps.
4. Convert the price back: turn the price per order unit into a price per BoQ unit.

Worked example: area and length

Two fictitious line items: 1,240 m² of insulation boards, sold in packs of 4.32 m², and 137 m of pipe, sold in 5 m bars.

The difference from the BoQ quantity is rounding to whole packages. It belongs in the quote as a note, not in the unit price.

The unit price stays in the BoQ unit. If a pack costs EUR 43.20, that is EUR 10.00 per m². The client can then compare your quote with others, and the rounding stays visible.

Price per 100 pieces: the hidden factor

For small parts, the price may apply to several pieces. A fictitious example: screws cost EUR 12.40 per 100 pieces, the BoQ asks for 1,850 pieces and a box holds 200.

That is 9.25 boxes, rounded up to 10 boxes with 2,000 pieces. The unit price per piece is EUR 0.124. Enter EUR 12.40 as the price per piece and you are 100 times too high.

Unit conversion belongs in your product data, not in the head of whoever happens to be writing the quote.

Which conversion mistakes happen?

A quick look at unit, content and price basis catches them. These are the five patterns to know:

• Price basis missed: a price per 100 or per 1,000 pieces is taken as a price per piece.
• Wrong rounding: rounded down instead of up, so the delivery falls short.
• Rounding in the price: the extra quantity is built into the unit price and skews the comparison.
• One factor for all variants: pack content can differ by thickness or format, but only one value is maintained.
• Units mixed up: roll instead of m², bundle instead of m, bag instead of kg.

You catch the first one by checking prices against a benchmark per BoQ unit before sending. A complete data record per item takes care of the rest.

What belongs in your product data?

For every item that is requested in a different unit from the one you sell it in, these six details:

1. Order unit and content unit
2. Packing quantity, meaning content per order unit
3. Conversion factor to every BoQ unit you come across, such as m², m or kg
4. Price quantity, if the price does not apply to one order unit
5. Minimum quantity and quantity steps
6. Separate values for variants whose content differs

BMEcat provides the fields QUANTITY_MIN and QUANTITY_INTERVAL for minimum quantity and steps. If they are missing, each defaults to 1; a step of 2 with a minimum of 4 allows 4, 6, 8 and so on (BMEcat 2005.2). Which classification and attributes to maintain is covered in the guide product data for tenders.

Which unit symbols apply in a quote?

In Germany, commercial transactions must state quantities in legal units with their defined names and symbols (Section 1 EinhZeitG). Paragraph 3 of the same section cites EU Directive 80/181/EEC of 20 December 1979 on units of measurement.

The basis is the international system of units, the SI, with seven base units; the symbol for the metre is m (BIPM). “Linear metre” in construction simply means a length in metres, so write m in your quote. For data exchange and your ERP, use the codes of your catalogue format, in BMEcat for example C62 for piece.

How does Scalera handle different units?

If a conversion factor is specified in your product data, Scalera automatically converts the BoQ quantity into your unit. If not, Scalera notifies you and you can add the converted quantity manually (FAQ).

The matching itself is based on specification, application context and standard, not just keywords, according to the product page. When a request arrives by email without an attachment, Scalera reads the positions from the email text and extracts quantities and units where available (FAQ); more in tender requests from the email inbox.

You upload your product data manually or connect it via an interface (FAQ). Checked line items are exported via CSV, XML, GAEB or API into ERP, CPQ or CRM systems (product page). Scalera is used by 150+ manufacturers, distributors and general contractors across Europe.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a unit of measure and a packaging unit?

The unit of measure says what is measured, such as m², m or pieces. The packaging unit says how you deliver, such as a pack of six boards. BMEcat calls the counterparts content unit, order unit and packing quantity (BMEcat 2005.2).

What is a conversion factor?

A conversion factor states how much of one unit is contained in another, for example 4.32 m² per pack or 5 m per bar. Every item that is requested in a different unit from the one you sell it in needs one.

Do I quote the BoQ quantity or the rounded-up delivery quantity?

Price the quantity in the unit the bill of quantities specifies and show the rounded-up delivery quantity as a note. How unit price and total price relate in a BoQ is explained in prices in the BoQ.

What does “price per 100 pieces” mean?

The price covers 100 pieces, not one. BMEcat uses the price quantity PRICE_QUANTITY for this; if it is missing, the price applies to one order unit (BMEcat 2005.2). To get the unit price per piece, divide by 100.

Which unit codes does BMEcat use?

Order units are coded with up to three characters under UN/ECE Recommendation 20, for example C62 for piece; for units of measure the specification gives MTR for metre (BMEcat 2005.2).

Which unit do I write for linear metres?

The metre, with the symbol m. In Germany, commercial transactions must state quantities in legal units with their defined names and symbols (Section 1 EinhZeitG); the symbol for the metre is m (BIPM).

What does Scalera do when the BoQ unit does not match my product data?

If a conversion factor is specified in your product data, Scalera converts automatically. If not, Scalera notifies you and you can add the converted quantity manually (FAQ).

Key takeaways

• The bill of quantities measures the work, you sell packaged goods. When units differ, a conversion factor links them.
• Divide, round up to whole order units, check minimum quantity and quantity steps.
• The unit price stays in the BoQ unit, with the rounding shown as a note.
• Check the price basis: “per 100 pieces” means a factor of 100 on the piece price.
• Order unit, content, factor, price basis, minimum quantity and steps belong in the product data for each item.

Next steps

• Take the ten items you are asked for most and check whether factor and packing quantity are maintained.
• Search your price list for prices per 10, 100 or 1,000 pieces and flag them.
• Read which other data matching needs in the guide product data for tenders, and how accessories get into the quote in accessories and add-ons.
• Test how Scalera converts your units with one of your own bills of quantities: book a demo.