How Product Dimension Works in iDempiere

The Product Dimension links accounting entries to what is bought, sold, consumed, or produced. It enables tracking costs and revenue by product without creating separate GL accounts. Once configured, it works automatically by capturing the selected product during document posting.

Process Flow

Creating Product Dimension Values

Product dimension values are derived from products defined in the system. Each product becomes a leaf node in the Product Dimension tree and is available for accounting once it is active.

While creating or reviewing a product for dimension usage:

• The product must be active
• It must not be a summary product
• It should belong to the correct product hierarchy

Product categories help organize products, but posting always occurs at the product level, not at category level.

Product Hierarchy and Structure

The Product Dimension follows a parent–child hierarchy.

• Parent nodes represent product groups or categories
• Child nodes represent individual products
• Only leaf products are used in accounting postings

This structure allows reports to show both detailed product-level values and group-level summaries without additional configuration.

Product Dimension During Transactions

Users do not manually select the Product Dimension.

Instead:

• The product entered on the document line determines the dimension
• The system automatically assigns the product during posting
• No extra user action is required

This applies to:

• Sales Invoices
• Purchase Invoices
• Material Receipts and Issues
• Inventory and Costing transactions

Once posted, the product value is locked in accounting and remains unchanged.

Product Dimension in Accounting Records

After posting, the Product Dimension appears in Accounting Fact Details. Each accounting line carries the product reference, allowing precise tracking of costs and revenue.

This makes it possible to:

• Analyze profitability by product
• Track expenses by material or item
• Compare performance across product groups

Even if product details change later, the original accounting entries retain the correct product reference.

Product Dimension in Reporting

Reports use the Product Dimension to group and filter financial data.

Common reporting views include:

• Revenue by product
• Cost by material
• Margin analysis by product group
• Inventory valuation by product

Because the hierarchy is maintained in the dimension tree, reports automatically roll up values from products to categories.

Outcome

With Product Dimension correctly used, iDempiere provides clear product-level financial visibility without complicating the chart of accounts. Users work with products as usual, while accounting and reporting gain accurate, structured product insights across the system.