Units of measure are the units available for selection when you enter various quantities in Comply Plus, such as:
● pct: Selected when you enter a percentage value
● kg: Selected when you enter a quantity of kilograms
● m3: Selected when you enter a quantity of cubic meters
Comply Plus automatically includes many standard units of measure (such as those listed above), but you can also define your own. Different units describe different types of quantities. To ensure only the correct applicable units are available when you enter a quantity, each unit includes the following information:
● Base Type / Scientific Type: The scientific type of quantity described by the unit. This not only categorizes your system's units of measure, but also determines which units are compatible—that is, which units can be converted into one another. (For example: With sufficient supporting data, a Mass value can be converted into a Volume value. However, a Temperature value can never be converted into a Distance value. For more information on converting between units of measure, see Administration: Universal Conversion Factors.) The available base/scientific types are:
● Ambiguous: Units describing physical containers or other measurements of no specific type. Examples: bottles, pct, N/A.
● Density: Units describing substance density and/or vapor density. Examples: g/cm3, AIR=1, lb/gal.
● Distance: Units describing length or other distance. Examples: cm, ft, m.
● Mass: Units describing weight or mass. Examples: kg, lbs, ton.
● Pressure: Units describing pressure. Examples: ATM, mm Hg, psi.
● Temperature: Units describing temperature. Examples: C,F, K.
● Volume: Units describing volume. Examples: gal, ml, m3.
● Usage Types: The type(s) of value in Comply Plus for which the unit is available for selection. Unlike the base/scientific type, a unit can have one or more usage types; this makes it available for all values corresponding to its usage types. The available types are:
● Density: Unit can be chosen for the density value in a product's or chemical's physical properties.
● Exposure Limit: Unit can be chosen for an exposure limit value in an SDS's exposure limits and in an SDS's ingredient's exposure limits.
● Flash Point: Unit can be chosen for the flash point value in a product's or chemical's physical properties.
● Ingredient: Unit can be chosen for the amount value for a product ingredient.
● Obsolete: If a unit has this single usage type only, the unit is currently inactive and unavailable for selection.
● Parts: Unit can be chosen for a part's preferred or restricted units of measure (that is, the units preferred or permitted for a part's transaction quantities). Therefore, any unit with this usage type should also have the Transactions usage type (see next).
● Transactions: Unit can be chosen for the quantity value in a product transaction.
● Vapor Density: Unit can be chosen for the vapor density value in a product's or chemical's physical properties.
Note: Sphera-supplied and Corporate units of measure can be selected for values at any site. A unit created at a local site, however, can be selected for values at that site only. Example: A local unit can be selected for a transaction quantity of an SDS's product, because transactions exist only at the local sites where they are entered. However, a local unit cannot be selected for an SDS's vapor density, because the SDS's vapor density is global data visible from any site.
To view your site's available units of measure:
Starting at the Application Administration page (How do I get there?), do the following:
1. In the menu on the left, under DATA, click Units of Measure.
The administrative Units of Measure page opens, showing all units of measure available at your site, including each unit's name, base/scientific type, and where it was created (its Source).
2. Optional: To view a unit's usage types, click its view (
) or edit (
) icon, depending on whether you have permission to edit the unit.
The resulting display depends on which icon you click:
● View (): The unit's usage types are shown in a simple list. Click Unit of Measure to return to the main unit list.
● Edit (): Two Usage Types lists are shown. The list on the right shows the unit's select usage types; the list on the left shows all other usage types. Click Cancel to close the unit's data.
If you have permission to manage units of measure, see the following topics for details:
● Creating a Unit of Measure: Enable users to enter quantities using a new unit of measure.
● Editing a Unit of Measure: Modify a unit's name, base/scientific type, and/or usage types.
● Deleting a Unit of Measure: Permanently remove a unit of measure from your system.
● SDS Inventory Records and Activities
● Part Inventory Records and Activities
● Lot Inventory Records and Activities
● Chemical Physical Properties
● Administration: Universal Conversion Factors
