3 Unit conversion mistakes that cost manufacturers big [and how to fix them in Odoo]

Ask any seasoned operations or sales lead in manufacturing, and they’ll tell you – the devil is in the details. 

And few details are as deceptively dangerous as unit conversions.

From kilograms to tons, meters to feet, cartons to pieces – selling the same product in multiple units is business as usual. But when your system fails to keep up with these conversions, the fallout is anything but usual :  incorrect pricing, wrong shipments, stock misalignment and frustrated customers.

The problem?
Most ERP systems either oversimplify or completely ignore the complexity of multi-UoM (Unit of Measure) sales – forcing teams to manually adjust figures, double-check spreadsheets or worse… guess.

In this blog, we’re exposing 3 costly unit conversion mistakes that manufacturers unknowingly make — and showing you how they can be solved, once and for all, with a purpose-built Odoo module designed for the realities of modern manufacturing.

Let’s get into it.

Mistake #1 Manual Quantity Conversions Lead to Shipment Errors

In industries like plastics, textiles, chemicals or construction, the same product can be sold in multiple units — say, meters, feet and inches. 

But relying on manual calculations or spreadsheets for quantity conversions leaves too much room for human error.

The result?

Customers receive the wrong quantity.
Warehouses lose track of what’s actually shipped.
Teams waste hours correcting orders that should’ve been right the first time.

 The Fix : Real-Time UoM Conversion in Odoo

With the Multi Sales UoM module for Odoo 18, quantities are converted dynamically across three units : the standard unit and two alternate sales units.

You input one quantity — say 10 feet — and the system instantly adjusts values in meters and inches, based on predefined ratios.

No math. No mess. No mismatches.

Mistake #2
Price Mismatches Between Units Confuse Customers and Kill Margins

Even when quantities are right, pricing mistakes still happen. Why?

Because most systems don’t auto-adjust prices across units — meaning sales teams either overcharge (killing trust) or undercharge (killing profit).

Example 

A product priced at $10/kg should auto-adjust to $0.01/g or $10,000/t — but in many cases, it doesn’t.

✅ The Fix : Dynamic Price Conversion

Multi Sales UoM uses this pricing formula –

Unit Price in Sales UoM = Standard Unit Price × [Sales UoM Ratio / Standard UoM Ratio]

Which means – 

1. You set the price once in your base UoM.
2. The module calculates alternate prices accurately, every time.
3. Your sales reps stay fast. Your pricing stays consistent.

This prevents pricing disputes, protects your margin and simplifies billing downstream.

Mistake #3
No Access Control = Too many hands in the system

When every sales rep can freely change UoMs during order entry, it opens the door to inconsistencies. And when UoM changes don’t follow strict conversion categories, your reports, inventory levels and invoicing go out of sync fast.

✅ The Fix : Role-Based Access + Category-Locked UoMs With Multi Sales UoM 
✅ Only authorized users can change Sales UoM fields.
✅ UoMs must stay within the same unit category (e.g., length to length, not length to weight).
✅ Default UoMs are automatically applied during product creation — reducing clicks and errors.

It’s everything a fast-moving team needs to work accurately – without micromanaging every step.
Meet the app behind these incredible fixes
Multi Sales UoM for Odoo 18

Developed by our brilliant Odoo experts at Pragmatic Techsoft, Multi Sales UoM is a lightweight but powerful app that solves a real problem faced by sales and operations teams in manufacturing.

Core Highlights –

Works with Sales, Inventory, Invoicing, and Mail modules
Available for Odoo Online, Odoo.sh and On-Premise
Automatically syncs quantities and prices across 3 units of measure
Ideal for industries selling by length, volume, weight or pieces

Interested to see how it works? Request our team for a quick demo.

Final thoughts
Small fix, huge impact

The best manufacturing workflows run on precision.
And yet, too many businesses are losing money and trust over something as basic – and fixable – as unit conversions.

With tools like Multi Sales UoM, you don’t have to overhaul your system or retrain your teams. You just plug in the module, configure your units once and let Odoo do the rest.

At Pragmatic TechSoft, we build apps that solve the overlooked-but-costly gaps in ERP workflows.

From unit conversions to data synchronization, we’re on a mission to make Odoo smarter, leaner and more adaptable for real-world use.

Whether you’re managing complex sales units, automating HR, or syncing accounting systems – our apps are built with one goal in mind: to help manufacturers run faster and smoother without compromising accuracy.

Looking for tailored Odoo solutions to streamline your operations?
Talk to our experts at Pragmatic Techsoft today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does the Multi Sales UoM module handle rounding errors during unit conversions?

The module ensures precise conversions by adhering to predefined ratios and rounding precision settings in Odoo. This minimizes discrepancies and maintains consistency across different units.

2. Can I customize the units of measure for different product variants?

Yes, the module allows you to define multiple units of measure for each product variant, enabling flexibility in sales and inventory management.

3. Is the Multi Sales UoM module compatible with Odoo’s eCommerce platform?

Absolutely. The module integrates seamlessly with Odoo’s eCommerce, allowing customers to view and select products in their preferred units of measure.

4. How does the module ensure data consistency across different units of measure?

By enforcing category-locked UoMs and role-based access controls, the module maintains data integrity and prevents unauthorized or inconsistent unit changes.