Hi there, I’ve just started using the square API to update my inventory levels when deliveries come in from suppliers. I’m just wondering if it’s possible to include the supplier and unit price against items when I receive them, much like would happen if I uploaded a spreadsheet through the purchase order part of the website. From what I’ve seen in the docs the inventory changes allowed through the api are much more like the ‘inventory recount’ feature which doesn’t include the price stock was received at. Thanks, Tim
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At this time with our APIs including the price stock was received at isn’t currently available. We’re constantly working to improve our features based on feedback like this, so I’ll be sure to share your request to the API product team. 
This is extremely frustrating, I invested a lot of time and money in square (knowing there is an API to help at time when square is lacking). The process I have to go through to receive items from a purchase in the square system itself is extremely frustrating. Why can’t I see and modify the purchase price at the time of receiving a product through the purchase order process (I can do so when adding a new product, but if it already exists, I get no insight…nothing). When adding a product and entering the item cost, I want to know what I am charging and have the ability to update it.
I knew square lacked in this feature, but now I am trying program something to help just to find out that square has decided this is not important enough for developers to access. The product is mature enough that something as simple as unit cost should have been exposed.
Again, I am very frustrated as now I have to deal with a necessarily complex process just to add items and wait until the square gods deem us worthy enough of such access or modifies the UI to make it actually usable.
Sorry for the rant, but I have now wasted many days of programming hitting a brick wall. Shame on me for making assumptions I suppose.
Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. While ultimately your at a loss cause the product is lacking the feature your after. We do appreciate you taking the time to leave feedback. I am passing this request directly to the team.
Hi Tim,
When using the Square API to update your inventory levels, you can include additional details such as the supplier and unit price for items received from suppliers. However, the API does not directly support this functionality out of the box like the purchase order feature on the Square website.
One approach you can take is to create a custom solution where you track this information separately and then update your inventory levels using the API. For example, you could create a database or spreadsheet where you record the supplier, unit price, and quantity received for each item. Then, when updating your inventory using the API, you can include this additional information in your records.
Alternatively, you can explore if there are any third-party integrations or extensions that provide this functionality. Square’s API ecosystem is continually growing, so there may be solutions available that can meet your specific needs.
@Bryan-Square Can I just ask, is default unit cost able to be added when catalog objects are being added via batch-upsert?
At this time since default_unit_cost isn’t a documented field it’s not currently able to be set in the upsert requests. We’re constantly working to improve our features based on feedback like this, so I’ll be sure to share your request to the API product team.
Whoa - are you saying that when I create a new item in my catalog, I can’t provide a unit cost with the API like I can when uploading a spreadsheet or manually adding it to the Web? I’ve been chasing my tail for days trying to add a unit cost to skip my spreadsheets. When will this be available?
At this time this is the expected behavior. This is a very popular feature request and we hope to have more for you in the future.
Any update on this? I’m also really interested in being able to adjust the cost from an API. Either from the catalog APIs with a batch update or from the Inventory APIs. It would be reasonable to expect to be able to update the cost along with the stock level when receiving a purchase order. Please keep us posted on any updates.
I have been searching these forums a lot in these last few days as I work to make my first Square integrations, and I have noticed a very distressing pattern.
Someone asks if something is possible.
The answer is “that field is not documented” and then the guidance is to not use it. Then, “I will be sure to forward your request on to the team.”
Then over the span of the next few months or years, follow-up messages in the thread from others asking if it has been addressed yet are invariably met with “no, not yet, but this is a really popular request”.
I don’t want this to come out the wrong way, but what exactly are these teams working on instead of these really popular requests for months or years at a time? Some of the limitations such as being able to set things like unit cost, which are available when importing a spreadsheet are absolutely baffling to have no support years after the initial ask!
Can we please get some additional transparency around these things? I hope you can understand how frustrating this is as someone attempting to tie into the ecosystem.
Thank you for sharing your concerns and frustrations. I completely understand how challenging it can be when you’re trying to build integrations and encounter limitations or undocumented features. Transparency and timely updates are important, and I appreciate the opportunity to provide some context.
- Prioritization and Resource Allocation: At Square, we receive a large number of feature requests and feedback from developers and businesses using our platform. We prioritize these requests based on various factors, including the potential impact on our user base, alignment with our strategic goals, and available resources. While some requests are popular, they may require significant changes to our infrastructure or have dependencies that need to be addressed first.
- Feedback Loop: We do actively track and forward feedback to our product teams. This feedback is crucial in shaping our roadmap. However, implementing changes, especially in a complex system like Square’s, can take time. We strive to balance maintaining existing services’ stability and reliability while introducing new features.
- Transparency and Communication: We recognize the need for better communication regarding the status of popular requests. While we can’t always share detailed timelines or specifics for competitive and strategic reasons, we’re working on improving how we communicate updates and changes to our developer community.
- Documentation and Support: Regarding undocumented fields, it’s generally advised not to rely on them because they may change without notice, potentially breaking your integrations. We aim to provide comprehensive and reliable documentation, and your feedback helps us identify areas that need improvement.
We’re committed to supporting our developer community and continuously improving our platform. If you have specific feature requests or need assistance with your integration, please feel free to reach out directly. Your input is invaluable, and we are here to help you succeed with your Square integrations. Thank you for your patience and understanding.