FAQ — What Is the Difference Between a Kit and an Assembly?
Both Kits and Assemblies are package items that bundle multiple products together, but they handle stock and sales very differently.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Kit (Virtual Bundle) | Assembly (Pre-Built Unit) |
|---|---|---|
| Has its own stock? | No — stock is virtual | Yes — tracks physical built units |
| When is component stock consumed? | At the time of sale | At the time of building (before sale) |
| Components shown on receipt? | Yes — listed as sub-items | No — only the assembly name appears |
| Requires a build step? | No | Yes — use Build Stock to create units |
| Track Stock setting | Automatically off | On — tracks built quantity |
| Can customer choose options? | Yes (if sub-item selection required) | No — it sells as a single unit |
Kit — Virtual Bundle
A Kit is a virtual bundle that exists only at the moment of sale. It has no physical stock of its own.
How it works:
- You define the kit and add component items (sub-items)
- When a cashier sells the kit, the components are listed on the sale
- Stock is deducted from each component individually
- The kit's price can be a fixed amount or the sum of component prices
Best for: Combo meals, gift baskets, starter kits — anything where you want to sell a group of items together but track stock on each component.
Assembly — Pre-Built Unit
An Assembly is a physical product that is built in advance from components.
How it works:
- You define the assembly and add component items (recipe)
- You use the Build Stock button to manufacture units — this consumes component stock and creates assembly stock
- When a cashier sells the assembly, stock is deducted from the assembly itself
- Components are not shown to the customer
Best for: Manufactured goods, pre-assembled products, custom configurations that are built ahead of time.
Choosing Between Kit and Assembly
| Scenario | Use |
|---|---|
| You sell a lunch combo (burger + fries + drink) and track each ingredient separately | Kit |
| You build custom PCs from components and sell the finished PC | Assembly |
| You offer a gift set that includes 3 skincare products | Kit |
| You manufacture furniture from raw materials | Assembly |
| You want customers to pick options (e.g., choose a side) | Kit with sub-item selection |
| You pre-build products before they go on the shelf | Assembly |
Stock Impact Summary
Selling 1 Kit (Burger Combo with Burger + Fries + Drink):
- Burger stock: -1
- Fries stock: -1
- Drink stock: -1
- Kit stock: (no stock to deduct)
Building then selling 1 Assembly (Custom PC with CPU + RAM + Case):
- Build step: CPU stock -1, RAM stock -1, Case stock -1, Custom PC stock +1
- Sell step: Custom PC stock -1