Adding Rental Units - Set Up Your Inventory

Units are the individual items customers rent from your business—boats, jet skis, bikes, equipment, or any other rentable asset. Each unit has its own name, description, photos, capacity, and pricing.

What Is a Unit?

A unit represents a single rentable item (or a group of identical items). For example: - A 22-foot Bennington pontoon boat - A Yamaha WaveRunner jet ski - A tandem kayak - A beach umbrella set

Units belong to fleets, which categorize similar items together. Before adding units, make sure you've created at least one fleet.

Before You Start

To add a unit, you'll need: - A fleet to add the unit to - Basic info like name and capacity - Photos (recommended for best results)

Adding a New Unit

Step 1: Go to Fleets

From the navbar, click Account → Fleets. You'll see all your fleets displayed as cards.

Step 2: Select a Fleet

Click on the fleet where you want to add the unit. For example, if you're adding a pontoon boat, click on your "Pontoon Boats" fleet.

Step 3: Click Add Unit

Click the Add Unit button. This opens the unit creation wizard.

Step 4: Enter Basic Information

Fill in the required fields:

Optional fields: - Make — Manufacturer (Bennington, Yamaha, etc.) - Model — Model name or number - Engine — Engine/power info (115HP, Electric, etc.)

Step 5: Add Description

Write a description that helps customers understand what they're renting:

Good description: > Experience the lake in style aboard our 22-foot Bennington pontoon. Features include comfortable seating for up to 10 guests, a Bimini top for shade, Bluetooth stereo, and plenty of space for a cooler. Perfect for family outings, sunset cruises, or fishing trips.

Tips for great descriptions: - Highlight key features and benefits - Mention capacity and comfort - Include what's provided (radio, cooler, life jackets) - Describe ideal use cases

Step 6: Upload Photos

Click the photo upload area to add images. You can: - Drag and drop multiple photos at once - Click to browse and select files

Photo tips: - Use high-quality, well-lit images - Show the unit from multiple angles - Include interior shots if applicable - The first photo becomes the cover image - Reorder photos by dragging them

Step 7: Save Your Unit

Click Save to create the unit. It's saved as a draft by default.

Unit Fields Explained

Core Information

Capacity vs. Quantity

These are different concepts:

• Capacity = How many people can use ONE unit (e.g., 10-person pontoon)
• Quantity = How many of this unit you have (e.g., 3 identical pontoons)

Example: You have 3 identical 10-person pontoons. Set capacity to 10 and quantity to 3. RecSystems tracks availability across all 3 units.

Status Fields

After Creating a Unit

Once your unit is created, you'll need to:

1. Assign Locations

Choose which pickup/return locations offer this unit:

- Go to the unit's detail page

- Click Locations tab

- Toggle on each location where this unit is available

2. Set Up Pricing

Connect the unit to rental schedules with pricing:

- Go to the unit's detail page

- Click Timeslots tab

- Click Add Timeslot to connect to an existing schedule

- Set the price for this unit on that schedule

3. Add Photos

If you haven't already, add compelling photos:

- Go to the unit's detail page

- Click Photos tab

- Upload and arrange images

4. Publish

When everything is ready:

- Toggle Published to ON

- Customers can now see and book this unit

Working with Quantity

The quantity field is powerful for managing identical units:

Single Unique Unit

If you have one unique boat (like a 28ft luxury pontoon), set quantity to 1.

Multiple Identical Units

If you have 5 identical kayaks, create ONE unit with quantity 5. Benefits:

- One set of photos and description to maintain

- Availability automatically tracked across all 5

- Customers don't need to choose between identical items

When to Create Separate Units

Create separate units when:

- Units have different features or specs

- Units have different pricing

- You want customers to choose a specific one

- Units are at different locations exclusively

Bulk Import

Have lots of units to add? Use bulk import:

1. Go to Account → Account Info → Import Data
2. Download the CSV template
3. Fill in your unit data
4. Upload the completed file
5. Map columns and import

See Importing Your Inventory for detailed instructions.

Common Questions

Can I move a unit to a different fleet?

Yes. Edit the unit and change the fleet assignment. Note that fleet-level add-ons may change.

What happens if I archive a unit?

Archived units are hidden from your dashboard and booking site. Existing bookings are not affected. You can unarchive anytime.

How do I duplicate a unit?

Currently, there's no duplicate button. For similar units, create a new unit and manually copy the details, or use bulk import.

Can I schedule when a unit is available?

Yes! Availability is controlled through timeslots (rental schedules). A unit can have different availability for different seasons or days of the week.

Next Steps

After adding your units:

1. Configure timeslots — Set up rental schedules and pricing
2. Assign locations — Choose pickup/return points
3. Add photos — Make your units look great
4. Set up add-ons — Offer extras like coolers or life jackets
5. Publish — Make units available for booking

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Related Articles: - Understanding Fleets - Unit Details & Specifications - Setting Rental Schedules - Setting Base Rates