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Administrator Guide
Last Updated: 2026-05-15
Create Purchase Items

Create Purchase Items

  • Review setup considerations for purchase items with supplier information.
  • Configure the
    Purchase Item Event
     business process and security policy.
  • Security:
    Set Up: Purchase Item
     domain in the Procurement functional area.
Create and edit purchase items for your company. You can set up general item attributes and specific supplier attributes related to the purchase item, such as units of measure (UOMs).
You also can configure alternate item identifiers and worktags for your purchase items.
  1. Access the
    Create Purchase Item
     task.
  2. As you complete the task, consider:
    Option Description
    Manufacturer Part Number
    Manufacturer
    Workday only displays these options when you:
    • Configure
      Manufacturer Part #
       and
      Manufacturer
       as primary item identifiers from the
      Item Management
       type on the
      Maintain Item Identifier Type Display Options
       task.
    • Enable manufacturer options on the item's spend category.
    To display manufacturer and manufacturer part number as primary attributes on the purchase item's header, you can only define 1 manufacturer and manufacturer part number per item. If you have multiple manufacturers or manufacturer part numbers on an item, they display on the
    Alternate Item Identifiers
     tab.
    Spend Category
    Spend categories on purchase items require the
    Procurement
     spend category usage.
    The spend category determines the accounting treatment for all supplier items associated with this category.
    Item Status
    The
    Restricted from Purchasing
     status filters out items from these transactions:
    • Change orders
    • Purchase orders
    • Requisitions
    • Source requisitions
    • Supplier backorders
    You can't use substitute items for requisitioning, but you can use them for purchase orders, invoice, and receipts.
    Use the
    Inactive
     status in combination with the
    Restricted from Purchasing
     item status to more granularity manage item statuses to better support purchasing and End-of-Life processes and strategies.
    Item URL
    You can define an external link validation on the
    Maintain External Link Validation
     task using the
    Procurement Item URL Link
     type.
    Preferred
    Select to set the purchase item as preferred during requisitions. Workday displays
    Preferred
     on the:
    • Requisition Worklet
       on the item icon. You can sort by preference in the worklet.
    • Search Catalog
       next to the item name with a badge icon. You can filter your results by preferred items.
    Classification
    Select Goods or Services to classify purchase items as either goods or services. Use this for tax reporting and tax defaulting rules.
    Commodity Code
    Select a standard product taxonomy code.
    Example: UNSPSC or NIGP.
    Currency
    Enter the currency of the purchase item price.
    When you add a purchase item to a supplier invoice or invoice adjustment line, Workday converts the item unit price to the transaction currency.
    Packaging String
    Packaging strings provide better visibility to the different units of measure and their conversion factors for the item.
    Populate UOMs
    Workday populates the
    Units of Measure
     table when you enter values on the
    Packaging String
     field in the supported format.
    Example:
    Case/10 Box/200 eaches
    Default Ordering Price
    When you update this price, you also update all pricing in the
    Units of Measure
     grid based on the conversion factor.
    Default as Service Request
    Select to specify this item as a service item (only for Procurement). The item will default to a service line. When you use the requisition Workbench, you can access this item using the
    Search Catalog
     option.
    You can use service items for both goods and service lines in procurement documents.
    Default Tax Applicability from Spend Category
    Displays when you define spend categories with a
    Default Tax Applicability
    .
    Default Tax Applicability
    Select the tax applicability code to associate with this
    Item
     on procurement lines.
    The
    Default Tax Applicability
     overrides the
    Default Tax Applicability from Spend Category
    value on procurement lines.
    Define tax applicability codes using the
    Maintain Tax Applicability
     task.
    Worktags
    Set up related worktags for this object using the related worktag types that you configure on the
    Maintain Related Worktag Usage
     task. Workday automatically populates transactions with the values in the
    Default Worktag
     column when you select the object on the transaction.
    Workday also populates the worktags of the transaction with the related spend category and its worktags. When a related worktag from the purchase item and spend category are the same type, the value from the purchase item takes precedence because it’s more specific.
    Comments
    You can use this field to add and update comments about item changes as different end users interact with it.
    You can also view comments made on purchase items on these pages:
    • Item preview in the related actions menu.
    • View Purchase Item
       report.
    Requesting Entities
    Select the requesting entities that you wish to limit the purchase item to. Once selected, only those entities can requisition the item.
    Restricted Purchase Item Lists
    Select the existing purchase item list to add the item to. Workday restricts the requisitioning on the item to the requesting entities selected on that list.
    Serial Control Type
    Select the serial control type you want to use for the purchase item:
    • Full Serial
      : A permanent serial number applied during manufacturing, to allow tracking of an item throughout its entire lifecycle.
    • Ship Serial
      : A serial number applied during shipping, to allow tracking of an item through its shipping and distribution.
    The serial control type you select on the
    Item Overview
     tab specifies the default serial control type for all inventory sites, but you can override the default by selecting different serial control types for individual inventory sites, on the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab.
    For existing purchase items, access the
    Edit Purchase Item
     task to make changes to the serial control type on the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab.
    When the serial control type setting is different between the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab and the
    Item Overview
     tab, you can delete the item inventory site on the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab. The inventory at the site must be zero to delete the site.
  3. As you complete the
    Units of Measure
     table, consider:
    Option Description
    Usage
    You can select these usages for a UOM:
    • Ordering
       to populate the UOM on the
      Supplier Information
       tab.
    • Stocking
       to populate the UOM on the
      Inventory Site Options
       tab and par transaction prompts.
    • Unit of Use
       to identify the measurement in which your business or customers consume the product.
    Default for Ordering
    Select the UOM that you want to populate on Procurement transactions, when the purchase item doesn't have a valid ordering UOM on the
    Supplier Information
     tab.
    Default for Issuing
    Select the UOM that you want to populate on Inventory transactions when the purchase item doesn't have a default issue UOM for the inventory site.
    You can select a default issue UOM on the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab.
    Default for Stocking
    Select the UOM that you want to populate on Inventory transactions when the purchase item doesn't have a default stocking UOM for the inventory site.
    You can select a default stocking UOM on the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab.
    Default for Unit of Use
    Select the UOM that you want to populate on Inventory transactions when the purchase item doesn't have a default unit of use UOM for the inventory site.
    You can select a default unit of use UOM on the
    Inventory Site Options
     tab.
    Allow Decimal Stocking Quantities
    Select to allow decimal stocking quantities for the base UOM. This enables more precision in the UOM for the item.
    Accepting decimal quantities in UOMs determines the reserve quantity in base UOM during the reservation process. The reserve quantity is a whole number if the corresponding stocking UOM on the stock request is a whole number.
    Workday automatically converts existing stocking UOMs to accept decimal stocking quantities.
  4. (Optional) On the
    Alternate Item Identifiers
     tab, configure values for alternate item identifier types which:
    • Establish a link between your internal purchase items and manufacturer information.
    • Enable you to search for the purchase item in
      Item
       prompts using the alternate item identifier.
    Example:
    Item Identifier Type
     =
    UPN
    ;
    Value
     =
    H7493808120500
    .
    Workday displays this tab when you configure item identifier types and assign them to spend categories associated to the purchase item.
  5. (Optional) Configure your supplier sourcing priorities on the
    Supplier Information
     tab. Workday displays a procurement option on the
    Search Catalog
     task for each unique buying option you add.
    If you opt into the
    Requisitions Experience Unification
     feature from the
    Maintain Feature Opt-Ins
     report, we direct you from the
    Search Catalog
     task to the catalog search in the
    Requisitions
     worklet for a more streamlined requisitioning process. See Create Requisitions in the Requisitions Worklet.
    As you complete the tab, consider:
    Option Description
    Catalog Item
    If you enable catalog item maintenance on purchase items, Workday leaves all fields editable and syncs changes made to catalog items with supplier catalogs.
    Sourcing Priority
    Rank your suppliers for sourcing items by setting these sourcing priorities:
    • 1
      : Primary supplier.
    • 2
       and greater: Secondary supplier.
    • 0
      : Unranked.
    Rank suppliers for purchase items by priority to enable buyers to use primary suppliers when creating requisitions, and switch to secondary suppliers when required.
    When you don't want to display supplier information as separate procurement options on the
    Search Catalog
     task, enter zero for each supplier entry. Then, use the
    Maintain Requisition Sourcing Rules
     task to populate suppliers on orders.
    If you opt into the
    Requisitions Experience Unification
     feature from the
    Maintain Feature Opt-Ins
     report, we direct you from the
    Search Catalog
     task to the catalog search in the
    Requisitions
     worklet for a more streamlined requisitioning process. See Create Requisitions in the Requisitions Worklet.
    Preferred Supplier Contracts
    Workday populates preferred supplier contracts on valid spend transactions, while using the contract to track company spend.
    Lead Time
    Specify a value for the number of days between the
    Document Date
    of the purchase order and the expected delivery date.
    • Workday uses the
      Lead Time
      plus
      Document Date
      to calculate the
      Due Date
      on the purchase order.
    • When there are multiple lead times, Workday selects the lead time based on these, in order of priority. Lead time specified on:
      • The supplier item or catalog item.
      • The supplier.
      • The tenant.
    Note: When there are no due dates populated in the goods lines, Workday uses the
    Header Due Date
    in purchase orders to populate the corresponding goods lines.
    Apply Purchase Item Updates
    Workday displays this button on the
    Edit Purchase Item
     task.
    Click this button to apply updates made on the
    Units of Measure
     table on the
    Item Overview
     tab onto the
    Ordering Pricing
     table below.
    When you apply purchase item updates, Workday:
    • Updates the conversion factor when the
      Item Overview
       and
      Supplier Information
       tabs have the same UOM.
    • Adds new UOMs with all their attributes.
    • Inactivates UOMs inactive on the
      Item Overview
       tab.
    Calculate Price based on Conversion Factor
    Select to enable linear price calculation. (You pay a fixed price for the base unit of an item, regardless of the UOM and quantity on orders.)
    With linear price calculation:
    • Enter a price for only the default UOM on the
      Ordering Pricing
       and
      Just in Time
       tables. Workday calculates the price for the rest of the UOMs.
    • Don't create the same price rule for different UOMs on the
      Advanced Pricing
       table. Workday populates pricing from the
      Advanced Pricing
       table for alternate UOMs on procurement transactions.
    Ordering Pricing
    Enter the ordering UOMs you want to populate on procurement documents with matching supplier information.
    Just In Time
    Enter the UOMs the supplier accepts for just-in-time procurement.
    Workday populates just-in-time UOMs on just-in-time procurement documents with matching supplier information.
    Advanced Pricing
    Set up price rules with a start and end date. Workday populates
    Advanced Pricing
     on procurement transactions with the same values.
    When more than 1 Advanced Price applies to a transaction, Workday populates
    Advanced Pricing
     on procurement transactions in this order of priority:
    • Ship-to Location
    • Supplier Contract
    • Company
  6. (Optional) On the
    Item Substitutes
     tab, add items to use as substitutes for the purchase item.
    As you complete the tab, consider:
    Ordering Start Date
    Ordering End Date
    Enter dates to automatically substitute items on purchase orders during automatic sourcing. Note that these dates do not apply to inventory substitute items.
    Usage
    Select:
    • Procurement
       to enable the substitute for ordering.
    • Inventory
       to enable the substitute for picking.
    Company
    Select the company or company hierarchy where this substitute is accepted.
    Deliver-To Location
    Select the deliver-to or location hierarchy that accepts this substitute.
    Substitute Priority
    Enter a numerical order for your item substitutes.
    Exclude Company
    Enables you to restrict this item substitute from being sent to specific companies.
    Exclude Deliver-To
    Enables you to restrict specific locations from receiving this substitute.
    You can’t use a catalog item as an item substitute. When you need to substitute items with specific pricing, we recommend you use a supplier item.
    You can configure substitute items with different base UOMs to help account for differences in item packaging. When you have substitutes with differences between the ordering UOM and the base UOM, Workday recalculates ordering quantity based on the item's conversion factor to preserve the requested base quantity upon submission of the transaction, minimizing over ordering or under ordering in the auto-sourcing process.
    Example for item substitutes with different base UOMs:
    • You create a purchase item named
      Primary - Exam Gown
       with a
      Base UOM
       of
      Each
       and a secondary UOM of
      Case
      , with a conversion factor of 10.
    • You create a second purchase item named
      Sub - Exam Gown
       with a
      Base UOM
       of
      Unit of One
       and a secondary UOM of
      Case
      , with a conversion factor of 5.
    • You then set the items as substitutes of one another on the
      Item Substitute
       tab. Workday notifies you that the primary and substitute item conversion factors are different, but allows the configuration to continue.
    • You set up a stock request for 5 cases of the primary exam gown item and create a picking list from the stock request. The inventory site is set to pick substitutes first. The lines for the substitute exam gown are then listed with the
      Quantity to Pick
       as
      5 Case
      , even though the base quantity is different on the primary exam gown item. Workday preserves the requested quantity over the base quantity of items.
    Workday doesn't support substitute items that have their own substitute items configured. Example:
    Item 1
     has an active substitute
    Item 2
    , and
    Item 2
     also has an active substitute. Workday won't automatically source a requisition for
    Item 1
     to a purchase order.
When you don't set up contract pricing for the purchase item, Workday populates primary supplier information associated to the selected purchase items on these documents:
  • Requisitions
  • Purchase Orders
  • Receipts
  • Invoices
When the supplier information on the document doesn't match the supplier information on the purchase item, Workday populates item information from the
Overview
 tab.
Configure how primary and secondary supplier information displays for requestors on the
Edit Company Procurement Options
 task.
Access the
Item Change Log
 report to track any changes made to your purchase item attributes.