Stock keeping unit
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Template:Business logistics In inventory management, a stock keeping unit (abbreviated as SKU, pronounced Script error: No such module "Respell". or Script error: No such module "Respell".[1]) is the unit of measure in which the stocks of a material are managed. It is a distinct type of item for sale,[2] purchase, or tracking in inventory,[3] such as a product or service, and all attributes associated with the item type that distinguish it from other item types (for a product, these attributes can include manufacturer, description, material, size, color, packaging, and warranty terms). When a business records the inventory of its stock, it counts the quantity it has of each unit, or SKU.
SKU can also refer to a unique identifier or code, sometimes represented via a barcode for scanning and tracking, which refers to the particular stock keeping unit. These identifiers are not regulated or standardized. When a company receives items from a vendor, it has a choice of maintaining the vendor's SKU or creating its own.[4] This makes them distinct from Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which are standard, global tracking units. The Universal Product Code (UPC), European Article Number (EAN), and Australian Product Number (APN) are special cases of GTINs.
Meaning in software
SKU is also used in software and software as a service (SaaS), including cloud computing. Cloud service providers such as Google Cloud Platform present different purchasable variations of the product or service as SKUs.[5]
See also
- Part number
- Price look-up code
- Catalog number (commercial products)
- Amazon Standard Identification Number
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."SKU | Pronunciation in English". Cambridge Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2016-01-13. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sawaya, William J. (1986). Production and operations management. William C. Giauque. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. ISBN 0-15-571968-8. OCLC 14114818.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "SKU". Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 14 Dec 2021.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Roussos, George (2008). Networked RFID: Systems, Software and Services. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-84800-153-4.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Sku | Channel Services". Google Cloud. Retrieved 2025-06-06.
External links
- Stock Keeping Unit – SKU at Investopedia
- SKU at the Encyclopædia Britannica
- hasStockKeepingUnit at the GoodRelations ontology.
- What Is SKU: Meaning For Business, Examples, How To Use at Simtech Development's Blog
