Skip to content
SmartPOSHubDocs

Bottle shop step 2: bottles, cases and packs

View as .mdUpdated

A bottle shop sells the same drink in different sizes: one bottle or a case of six, a single can or a 12-pack. SmartPOS Hub has two tools for this, sub-units and variations. This page shows when to use each.

Before you start

Section titled “Before you start”
  • Enable Sub Units is on (step 1).

Wine and spirits: bottle and case sub-units

Section titled “Wine and spirits: bottle and case sub-units”
  1. Open Products › Units. Add Bottle (short name btl, Allow decimal No).
  2. Add Case (6): tick Add as multiple of other unit, enter 6 times base unit, base unit Bottle. Do the same for Case (12).
  3. On each wine, set Unit to Bottle and Related Sub Units to the case sizes it comes in.
  4. Enter prices for one bottle.
Units list with Bottle, Case (12) of 12 bottles, Case (6) of 6 bottles, Pack, Pieces, Service and Ticket
Products › Units in a bottle shop.

At the till the line shows a unit dropdown; choose Case (6) and stock goes down by six bottles.

POS line for Albariño with Case (6) selected and a Lot & Expiry selector
Selling a case. The price follows the six bottles, minus any active discount.

Beer: one variation per pack

Section titled “Beer: one variation per pack”
  1. Open Products › Add Product, choose Product Type Variable.
  2. Add a variation Pack with values Single, 4-Pack, 12-Pack, Case (24).
  3. Give each its own SKU (the pack barcode), purchase price and selling price.
  4. Save, then add opening stock per variation.

Tapping the beer in POS V2 opens a window with each pack and its price; scanning a pack barcode adds that pack directly.

POS V2 window for American Lager 12 oz with Pack 12-Pack at 15.99 and Pack Case (24) at 27.99, each with stock
A beer with two packs, each with its own price and stock.

Tips and mistakes to avoid

Section titled “Tips and mistakes to avoid”
  • Don’t mix the two methods on one product. Pick sub-units or variations per product.
  • Put the size in the name (“12 oz”, “750 ml”, “1.75 L”); cashiers search by it.
  • Print shelf labels with Products › Print Labels, choosing the variation or unit price to show.

Next: step 3: age-restricted sales.

Categories, brands and units
Variable products
Barcodes and labels

Frequently asked questions

When should I use sub-units and when variations?

Use sub-units (Bottle and Case (6)) when the case price is simply bottles × price and stock is shared. Use variations (Single, 4-Pack, Case (24)) when each pack has its own barcode and price, as with most beer.

Can a case be cheaper than six bottles?

With sub-units the case price is 6 × the bottle price; give a case discount with Sell › Discounts or a price group. With variations, enter the cheaper case price directly.

Do variations share stock?

No. Each variation has its own stock. If you break a case into singles, record it with a stock adjustment on the case and opening stock or a purchase on the singles, or sell singles and cases from separate stock.

Which unit should wine use?

Bottle as the base unit, Case (6) and Case (12) as sub-units. Stock and stock reports are in bottles.

Can I scan the case barcode?

With variations, yes, each pack has its own barcode. With sub-units the product has one barcode; the cashier changes the unit to Case on the line.