Create, Edit, or Delete Custom Items

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Why Create a Custom Item 
While STACK provides thousands of pre-built items that will easily work for most projects, there may be times when those items don't fit your exact need. Creating a custom item allows you to incorporate the unique project costs specific to your work. Once you've created an item, it's available for you to re-use project after project, and you can edit or delete it at any time if needed.

Best Practices
Custom items are created and saved under Libraries/Items. They can be saved to your Company Library or another Custom Library that's been created in your account. We strongly recommend that you create a folder structure within your libraries to help organize your custom items and that you give your items detailed names so you can easily find what you need as your library of custom items grows.

TIP: You can click and drag items to easily move them from one folder to another within a Custom Library.

Ways to Create a Custom Item 

• Create an item from scratch.
• Copy an existing item and customize it to suit your needs.
  This can be an item you've previously created or an item from the STACK, Quick Start, 1build*, BNi*, or other item library.
• Bulk import item information.
  NOTE: This is only advised if you have a large number of custom items to create or edit. See Bulk Import Custom Items to STACK for more info.

*If you copy a BNi or 1build item, the copied item will not be connected to the regional cost database, you will have to manually enter costs.

See below for instructions to:
Create a Custom Item
Customize List of Purchase Units
Copy and Customize an Existing Item
Edit or Delete a Custom Item

Create a Custom Item

NOTE: Only Account Owners and users assigned the necessary permission can create an item. See Custom Libraries for more info.

1. Click Libraries on the main navigation toolbar.
   
2. Click the Items tab.
3. Select the Custom Library where you want to save the item from the Library dropdown.
4. Locate the folder where you want to save the item. (Create a new folder if needed.)
5. Click the green + that appears when you hover over the folder.
   OR
   Click the three dots next to the folder and select Add New Item.
6. Type in a name for the item where it says New Item (highlighted in blue).
7. Enter the item information.
   (See What is an Item for detailed field descriptions.)
   • Item Details
     Enter the Measured Coverage and select the Unit of Measurement from the corresponding dropdown.
     Enter the Purchase Coverage and select the Purchase Unit from the corresponding dropdown.
     TIP: You can add your own custom Purchase Unit to the list for use if needed. (Instructions* below.)
     NOTE: To estimate labor hours for an item in the Estimate Worksheet, the Purchase Unit needs to be Hours.
     (Optional) Enter an Item Number for reference.
     NOTE: If you plan to export item quantities to Acumatica, the Item Number in STACK must match the Inventory ID code for the item in Acumatica.
     (Optional) Enter an Item Description.
   • Cost Types
     Check the box next to each Cost Type you want applied to the item. (You must select at least one.)
     (Optional) Enter an Accounting Code and Unit Cost for each selected cost type.
   • Notes
     (Optional) Click in the Notes section and type any additional item information. You can format as needed.
8. Click Save if this is the only item you want to create.
   OR
   Click Save and Create Another to save the item you just created and quickly create another, similar item.
   Example: If you are creating one item to represent drywall, just click Save and you are done. However, if you are creating several items to represent different drywall sizes, you can click Save and Create Another which will save the item information you entered and leave the Item Information fields populated so you can make the changes you want for the next item without retyping everything. You can click Save and Create Another and repeat the process until you have created all the items you want, then click Save and exit the edit screen.

*To add a custom purchase unit to the list, click on the Purchase Unit dropdown and select + New Unit. Enter the purchase unit Name and Description (optional), then click Save. (You can also create custom purchase units in the Settings section of a Custom Library. See Custom Libraries for more info.)

The new purchase unit will be available in the dropdown for use when creating items. 

Copy and Customize an Existing Item

You cannot edit an item in the STACK, QuickStart, or other vendor supplied library like BNi or 1build.* However, you can copy these pre-built items (or an item you've previously created) to one of your Custom Libraries and customize from there.

 *If you copy a 1build or BNi item, the copied item will not be connected to the regional cost database, you will have to manually enter costs.

NOTE: Only Account Owners and users assigned the necessary permission can copy/edit an item. See Custom Libraries for more info.

1. Click Libraries on the main navigation toolbar.
   
2. Click the Items tab.
3. Click on the Library dropdown and select the library containing the item you want to copy.
4. Locate the item you want to copy.
   • If it is in a STACK supplied or other third party library, click on the item name.
   • If it is in one of your Custom Libraries, click the three dots to the right of the item name.
5. Click Save As. 
   • If the item is in a STACK supplied or other third party library, Save As will be a button at the bottom of the Item Information screen that opens when you click on the assembly name in step 4.
   • If the item is in one of your Custom Libraries, Save As will be an option on the menu that appears when you click the three dots in step 4.
     TIP: If the item is in one of your Custom Libraries and you select Duplicate instead, it will create a copy of the item in the same Custom Library and folder as the original item.
6. Enter a new Item Name. (We recommend changing the name to avoid confusing the new item with the existing item.)
7. Click on the Library dropdown and select the library where you want to save the copied item.
8. Click on the folder in the selected library where you want to save the copied item.
9. Click Save.
   The item will be saved in the selected library folder and the item information screen will open.
10. If you want to edit any of the Item Details, Cost Types data, or add Notes, make those changes. (See What is an Item for detailed field descriptions.)

Edit or Delete a Custom Item

You can only edit or delete items in your Custom Libraries; NOT items in the STACK, QuickStart, 1build, BNi, or other item libraries.

NOTE: Editing or deleting an item will affect ALL projects (future AND existing) that contain that item.*
We recommend that you download and/or Create Snapshot of existing reports, estimates, and estimate worksheets for projects that use the item you want to edit or delete, prior to making the changes, so you have a record of the original reports and estimates.
 
*Changes to Unit Cost are an exception - they will be updated on existing reports and will be applied to estimates and reports created after the edit, but will NOT be updated on existing estimates.

Edit an Item

NOTE: Only Account Owners and users assigned the necessary permission can edit an item. See Custom Libraries for more info.

1. Click Libraries on the main navigation toolbar.
   
2. Click the Items tab.
3. Select the Custom Library that contains the item you want to edit from the Library dropdown.
4. Click on the item you want to edit.
5. Edit the item information you want to change.
6. You must click Save to save your changes. (If you click Cancel, the changes you’ve made will NOT be saved.)

Delete an Item

NOTE: Only Account Owners and users assigned the necessary permission can delete an item. See Custom Libraries for more info.

1. Click Libraries on the main navigation toolbar.
   
2. Click the Items tab.
3. Select the Custom Library that contains the item you want to delete from the Library dropdown.
4. Locate the item you want to delete and click the three dots to the right of the item name.
5. Click Delete. 
6. Click the red Delete button to confirm.

Next Steps

Add or Remove Items from a Takeoff
Add, Edit, or Remove an Assembly on a Takeoff
Create, Edit, or Delete Custom Assemblies

Related Articles

What is an Item
Custom Libraries
Bulk Import Custom Items to STACK
Export Your Custom Items from STACK

If you need additional assistance, please Contact Us.

 
What is an Assembly

If you need additional assistance, please Contact Us.