Published at: 2026-09-17
Non-standard product transaction overview
Understand when to use non-standard product transactions.
Overview
Non-standard product transactions support an order-first, clarify-later workflow.
Use this capability when a transaction has only a rough product requirement and the exact product is not yet clear. For example, an account needs printing paper, but the sales user does not yet know whether it should be A4 or A5. In another case, an account needs light pink paint, but the color is not available in the standard color list. The factory must mix the color before a new product can be defined.
Sales users can use a non-standard product as a placeholder. Quotes, orders, R&D, and production can continue to move forward. After the product becomes clear, users can switch the non-standard product to a standard product.
Non-standard product transactions use a standardized process to handle uncertain products. This process closes the order-first, clarify-later loop. It helps enterprises lock account demand earlier, shorten delivery cycles, reduce order loss, and support make-to-order industries such as building materials, energy, and coatings.
Key concepts
Non-standard product transactions use both non-standard products and standard products.
- Non-standard product: A product record whose Product Type is Non-standard Product. It represents a product that is not yet fully defined.
- Standard product: A formal product record with a confirmed model, specification, and product profile.
- Non-standard Product Description: A field on the transaction document that records detailed custom requirements. It can record color, specification, capacity, size, and other details.
- Switch from non-standard to standard product: After the product is clear, users switch the non-standard product line to a standard product line.
Business value
The value applies to three groups.
For enterprises
- Improve business fit: Cover uncertain product transaction scenarios and meet requirements in industries with frequent non-standard demand.
- Standardize the process: Replace offline manual handling with a standardized non-standard transaction process. Transaction data stays continuous and traceable.
- Improve market response: Capture custom account requirements faster and improve processing efficiency for differentiated business.
For accounts
- Shorten the transaction cycle: Start the transaction process before all product information is confirmed.
- Protect requirement delivery: Record special requirements on the document and reduce requirement deviations.
For sales users
- Lock opportunities earlier: Use a placeholder product after purchase intent is confirmed. Sales users do not need to wait for complete product information.
- Reduce repeated entry: When a non-standard product switches to a standard product, the system keeps key auxiliary fields and Custom Fields.
Core scenarios
There are two common scenarios.
| Scenario | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Existing product with an unclear model | The transaction confirms only the product category. The exact model must be confirmed in a later step. | A quote confirms printing paper, but the A4 or A5 model is not yet determined. |
| Custom non-standard product | The account requirement is outside the standard product range and requires R&D or production before product creation. | The account needs light pink paint, but the standard colors include only white, red, green, blue, and yellow. |
Capability structure
A non-standard product transaction has four steps:
- Enable the feature: An administrator enables non-standard product transactions in Setup.
- Configure non-standard products: In the Product object, set Product Type to Non-standard Product.
- Place an order with a non-standard product: In Sales Orders, Quotes, or other in-sale transaction documents, click Add Non-standard Product to add a product line.
- Switch to a standard product: After the product information is clear, switch the non-standard product line to a standard product line.
How it works
The process starts with feature enablement.
graph TD
A[Enable non-standard product transactions] --> B[Configure a non-standard product]
B --> C[Add a non-standard product to a document]
C --> D[Enter a non-standard product description]
D --> E[Switch to a standard product after confirmation]
Key rules
Follow these rules when you use non-standard products.
- A tenant can have multiple non-standard products.
- Non-standard products follow the same sellable range control as standard products.
- Non-standard products can use Price Book pricing.
- If a non-standard product has multiple Price Book records, the system automatically uses the Price Book Details with the highest Price Book Priority.
- After a non-standard product switches to a standard product, the system updates product-related information, including Product Name, Unit, attributes, Specification, BOM structure, and Product Object Reference Fields.
- A backend switch controls whether the price keeps its original value when the non-standard product switches to a standard product.