---
title: "Adding Sub Items to the Item Catalog"
slug: "adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog"
tags: ["Language - English", "Area - Administration", "Area - Estimating", "Industry - Landscaping", "Type - Task (How-To)", "Role - System Admin", "Role - Branch Admin", "Skill Level - 1 (Beginner)"]
updated: 2025-10-30T19:56:46Z
published: 2025-10-30T19:56:46Z
canonical: "guide.youraspire.com/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guide.youraspire.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Adding Sub Items to the Item Catalog

## **Purpose**

Having dedicated subcontractor items in your catalog allows you to accurately quote, track, and analyze subcontractor costs across jobs.

Some common subcontractor item examples include:

- *Trade Subcontractors* to provide electrical, plumbing or masonry to account for trade-specific subbed work.
- *Service Providers* for portable toilet rental, and surveying.
- *Equipment Rentals* for cranes or excavators for equipment supplied by subs.
- *Material Installations* for landscaping, fencing, or paving for subcontracted material and labor.

Additionally, a centralized subcontractor catalog helps you with vendor tracking that makes sure only approved or contracted subs are used. You’d be able to budget with accuracy and base *Sub* budgets on real historical data!

🧠 Some Sub item examples include: *Sub* *Snow Removal, Sub Irrigation, Sub Hours, or Sub Equipment.*

Overall, building out a comprehensive subcontractor item catalog allows you to properly plan for and manage subcontractor usage, while analyzing costs to make more strategic sub decisions.

## **Requirements**

✅In order to add Sub *Items* to the *Item Catalog*, you must have *System Admin* or *Branch Admin* permission.

✅If you have *Branch Admin* permission you’d also need *Enhanced Branch Admin Security* added to your user role.

## **Creating Sub Items in the Item Catalog**

Before *Sub* items can be used on estimates, they must first be created in the item catalog.

The item catalog is located in the *Estimating* tab of *Administration, is a* record of current or past items that have been created for estimating services.

⚠️ In this article, we will go over important fields to use, and skip over the ones not needed for sub item set up.

To add an item to the catalog:

- Click your *Profile Icon* in the blue side menu. Then, select *Administration.*

*![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-cpqrknmi.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)*

- Navigate to the *Estimating* tab and then select the *Item Catalog* tab.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-runpbu88.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- To create a new item for the item catalog, click the blue *New* icon and a dropdown menu will appear. Select the *New Sub* item type.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-0q1dc8gn.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- The *New Sub Item* screen will appear.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-4dca66og.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- You can begin to add your *Sub Item* details to get closer to adding it to the *Item Catalog!*
- Type in the Sub *Item Name*.
  - This will be the name that is displayed on your customer’s proposal.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-yg9cuae4.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- The *Alternate Name*can be the same as the item name, left blank, or updated.
  - You can edit the alternate name to be a specific name of a product, plant genus, species or other scientific names as needed.
  - *Alternate Name* appears in the *Item Catalog Search Lis*t, when searching in the *Purchasing Assistant*, is available for use on *Purchase Receipt* layouts or on estimate sheet layouts.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-ucxyto6h.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- Select the *Category* that the *Sub Item*should belong to.
  - Item categories can be set up in *Lists* in *Administration*.
    - You can navigate there by selecting your *Profile Icon* ▶️ *Application* ▶️ *Lists* ▶️ *Catalog Item Categor*y ▶️ Then, you’d select the *New* button to create a new category!
- The *Item Code* field is also available below *Item Category*.
  - This is an *optional* field where you can enter a vendor code or manufacturer code.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-j22dqv5b.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

📑Learn more about the differences between [Item Name vs. Item Alternate Name vs. Item Code by clicking here](https://guide.youraspire.com/docs/item-name-vs-item-alternate-name-vs-item-code).

📑 In this next section, we discuss *Purchase Units* vs. *Allocation Units*. For a more detailed explanation of how to set these up, [read this article!](https://guide.youraspire.com/docs/purchase-units-vs-allocation-units-1)

- Enter in how much the unit cost is from the vendor in the *Purchase Unit Cost* field.
- Select the purchase unit’s measurement which is how the item is ordered or bought.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-d4d5eerq.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- Select the allocation unit’s measurement in how the item will be allocated to jobs.
  - If unit measure is different from the *Purchase Unit* you will need to fill out the conversion factor in the *Allocation* field.

⚠️Make sure the item catalog’s purchase unit is entered and converted correctly with the correct *Allocation Unit*. This is important when processing your vendor’s invoices. If the *Allocation Unit* is entered incorrectly in the purchase receipt, this could cause inaccuracies in your revenue.

**See chart below for examples:**

| Item Name | Purchase Unit | Conversion | Allocation Unit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sub Parking Lot Sweeping | Dollar | 1 | Dollar |
| Sub Snow Removal | Day | 8 | Hr |

📌 Note: The *Allocation Item Cost* will update once the item has been saved.

- Assign the branch(es) for where the item will be available. This function is available only if the *Enhanced Branch Admin Security* permission is checked in *Administration* ➡️ *Configuration* ➡️ *Application.*
- You can select *All Branches* so your item is available to all branches, or if your item is specific to a certain branch, you can select the branch from this drop down.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-cjikhs81.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- The *Takeoff Item*drop down is used to allow Aspire to automatically calculate item quantities.
  - If desired, select the Takeoff Item from where the calculation on the estimate should happen. This is mainly used for building kits.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-5xnonkni.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- The *Description* field provides a more complete description of the item. This note becomes available when the item is placed onto a service in the estimate.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-fxolkxjc.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

🧠You can also choose to include the item description in a proposal layout to give extra information to your customer.

- Checking the *Available to bid* checkbox will make sure the item can be used when estimating a service that contains the item.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-p59o2l2l.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

- Checking the *Inventory item* checkbox will make the item available to be received in inventory.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-886g0swk.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

The *Price List* is found at the bottom of the item details screen.

- You can select *New*to create an Allocation item cost different from the original cost by entering the new price list purchase unit cost.
  - This new cost will be applied to the price list catalog you’ve selected.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/5942a8d7-f3b1-4919-bdfa-d477d8498fe3/Images/Documentation/adding-sub-items-to-the-item-catalog-image-kaj79r0j.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-13T10%3A06%3A24Z&se=2026-11-13T11%3A06%3A24Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=cwYFRTyh5TWdmXWlR4HawxUQjlhXG57F5e1zhrBtfw4%3D)

🧠Reminder: *Price List Catalogs* are used for setting up pricing overrides at the branch level for specific items in the catalog. *Catalog Price Lists* are added to your organization’s *Branches* on the *Branches* screen.

- When all of your edits to your *Sub* Item have been made, select *save* to add it to the item catalog.

⚠️ If you want to edit the item name later, after it has been bid, we recommend not changing the name on the original item. Instead, make the item unavailable to bid and create a new item. Update kits and templates with that item, then deactivate the old item.