Stock keeping unit

In the field of inventory management, a stock keeping unit (SKU /ˌɛsˌkeɪˈjuː, ˈsk(j)uː/) is a distinct type of item for sale,[1] 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 could include manufacturer, description, material, size, color, packaging, and warranty terms. When a business takes inventory of its stock, it counts the quantity it has of each SKU.

SKU can also refer to a unique identifier or code that refers to the particular stock keeping unit. These codes 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.[2] This makes them distinct from Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which are standard, global, tracking units. Universal Product Code (UPC), International Article Number (EAN), and Australian Product Number (APN) are special cases of GTINs.

See also

References
  1. William J. Sawaya, William C. Giauque, Production and operations management, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1986, ISBN 0155719688, p.122 "Aspects of stock-keeping unit, or sku is an individually identifiable item stored in a specific location and tracked by an inventory system."
  2. Roussos, George (2008-10-17). Networked RFID: Systems, Software and Services. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-84800-153-4.


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