> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.fairmarkit.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.fairmarkit.com/glossary/glossary/unit-of-measure-overview.md).
# Unit of Measure overview
A unit of measure (UOM) is the unit that a good or service can be packaged into for sale. For example, you could purchase a ream of paper, a coil of wire, or a square foot of flooring.
Additionally, you can also use UOMs on line items to request additional data about the goods or services, collect insights about the supplier, or ask questions related to the sourcing process.
### How do UOMs work?
Line items outline a good or service you need to purchase. For most line item, you'll need to add a description, UOM, and quantity. The UOM combined with the quantity describes how much of each item you want.
The UOM describes the unit of the item (e.g., a *box* of nails) and the quantity is the number of that unit (e.g., *10* boxes of nails).
You can also add line items to learn more about the supplier and their offerings. This could include different types of questions, such as multiple choice, text, or yes/no. For these line items, a quantity isn't set and suppliers will respond with information or attachments. See How to pick a UOM for a line item.
### What if a supplier sells in a different UOM?
To make it easier to send proposals in business-defined units of measure, suppliers can convert the line item UOM of value based UOMs to the measurement they use to sell their items.
#### What suppliers see
For example, if you want to buy 1,000 pens, but the supplier sells them in packs of 20, the supplier can respond with their price for 20-packs of pens.
#### What you see
So it is easier for you to review, you will see their responses in the UOM you used when creating the event (e.g., the price per pen). Fairmarkit automatically does this calculation for you. Just hover over the indicator to see how it was calculated.
### What if I need a new UOM?
A set of [common UOMs ](/glossary/glossary/unit-of-measure-overview/uoms.md)are available for each line item type. If a necessary UOM is not available, you can contact and request it be added.
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:
```
GET https://docs.fairmarkit.com/glossary/glossary/unit-of-measure-overview.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
