---
title: "Item master"
description: "What is an item master? The central record of every product or service you buy, stock or sell. Learn which fields it needs and how to avoid duplicates."
url: https://1flux.ai/glossary/item-master
last_updated: 2026-10-10
---

[Procurement and inventory](https://1flux.ai/glossary#procurement-and-inventory)

# Item master

What is an item master, and why do errors in it spread to every quotation, order and invoice?

Glossary Updated 10 October 2026

Definition

An item master is the central catalogue record for every product or service a business buys, stocks or sells, holding its code, description, units, prices, tax and other attributes.

## What is an item master used for?

Every quotation, purchase order, delivery and invoice looks items up in the item master, so errors there spread everywhere. Good item masters use a consistent coding scheme, one record per item rather than near-duplicates, defined [units of measure](https://1flux.ai/glossary/unit-of-measure) and pack sizes, and clear rules on who may create or change items.

Example: item 0103-0045, “Ball valve 2 inch brass”, unit PCS, sold in boxes of 12, list price GBP 14, standard-rated for tax.

A common problem in growing companies is the same item entered three times with different spellings, often in more than one language. Each distinct item should have one [SKU](https://1flux.ai/glossary/stock-keeping-unit).

In 1flux

One catalogue covers physical goods, services and digital products, with names in up to 7 languages including Arabic, packs, barcodes, price channels, dated tax codes and a 10,000-row import. [See the item master and catalogue](https://1flux.ai/products/inventory/item-master)

Related

## Keep exploring

### [Stock keeping unit](https://1flux.ai/glossary/stock-keeping-unit)

The unique code for each item you stock.

### [Unit of measure](https://1flux.ai/glossary/unit-of-measure)

The unit an item is counted, bought or sold in.

### [Barcode](https://1flux.ai/glossary/barcode)

A scannable pattern that encodes an item's identifier.

### [Item master](https://1flux.ai/products/inventory/item-master)

Goods, services and digital products in one catalogue, in up to 7 languages.

Last updated 10 October 2026