Automatic Measurement Lookups
Measurement lookups use Brikly's AI engine combined with invoice history and web search to find product packaging data automatically. Results from the shared lookup are available across all Brikly operators so the lookup only needs to happen once per product. When a product is available in multiple sizes, all variants are stored and you can select the correct one.
When an invoice is processed, the AI does its best to extract measurement data - pack size, unit size, and unit of measure - from the document. Sometimes this data is missing or incomplete, especially on invoices that list products as a single line without detailed packaging information (e.g. "Muller Salted Butter x2" with no indication of individual unit weight).
Brikly fills in these gaps automatically using multiple strategies - from your own invoice history through to shared data from other operators and web search.
How it works
After the AI extracts your invoice, Brikly runs through a series of checks for each line item that has missing measurements. These run in order, and once a source fills in the data, later steps are skipped:
- Your invoice history - when a line item is matched to an ingredient, Brikly checks whether previous invoices for that same ingredient (and ideally the same supplier) had consistent measurements. If recent invoices agree, those measurements are applied automatically. This is the fastest and most reliable source because it comes directly from your own data.
- Shared lookup check - has another Brikly operator already entered or verified measurements for this product from this supplier? If so, those measurements are applied automatically.
- Web search (when enabled) - if no shared data exists, Brikly searches the web for the product's specifications on the supplier's website or food service catalogues. When a product code is available on the line item, it is included in the search to narrow down results - in testing, this nearly always returns the correct measurement data. On supermarket receipts, which often print no size at all, the sizes Brikly finds are shown to you as suggestions to choose from rather than filled in automatically - see Size Suggestions.
- Cache the result - whether measurements were found or not, the result is stored so future invoices skip the search entirely. When several possible sizes are found, all of them are kept so they can be offered to you.
This layered approach means most items are filled from your own history, the shared lookup catches items you haven't seen before, and web search is a last resort for truly new products.
Measurement sources
When measurements have been automatically populated, you will see a small icon next to the line item and a coloured banner indicating where the data came from. Each source has a different colour to help you gauge how much trust to place in the data:
From your own data
These sources use your account's invoice history. They are the most reliable because they reflect what you have actually received from your suppliers.
| Icon | Source | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Blue clock icon | From recent invoice history | The same ingredient from the same supplier had consistent measurements across your recent invoices. |
| Blue book icon | From ingredient history | The same ingredient had consistent measurements across your invoices (possibly from different suppliers). |
From shared data and web search
These sources draw on data from outside your account - either verified by other Brikly operators or found via web search.
| Icon | Source | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Green file icon | Extracted from invoice | The AI pulled this data directly from the invoice document. |
| Amber people icon | Verified by another operator | Another Brikly user confirmed or entered these measurements. This is the most reliable shared source. |
| Orange globe icon | Found via web search | Brikly found these measurements by searching the supplier's website. You should verify these are correct. |
Whenever a size has been filled in for you but not yet checked, the Size per Item tile carries a small marker showing where the value came from - your invoice history, another operator, or a web search. Take a moment to confirm it (or edit it if it's wrong); once you do, the marker clears and, for shared sources, the size becomes verified data for everyone. See Size Suggestions.
Multiple packaging sizes
Many suppliers - especially supermarkets - sell the same product in several sizes under one name. Heinz Baked Beans might be a 6x415g case, a 12x415g case, or a 24x200g case; a supermarket receipt line for ketchup could be a small bottle or a large one.
When Brikly finds several possible sizes for a product, it does not quietly pick one for you. Instead it shows them on the line item as suggestions, and you choose the size you actually bought. Nothing is applied until you pick.
Brikly only fills a size in automatically when it has strong evidence it is right - a size you or another operator has verified before, at a price that matches what you paid. When the evidence isn't there, it stages the sizes as suggestions and asks.
For the full walkthrough - how suggestions look, how a size you pick becomes a shared verified size, and how the price check keeps the wrong size from being filled in - see Size Suggestions.
If none of the suggested sizes are correct, use Enter size… (or Edit on the line item) to type the real size yourself. Your entry is trusted over any suggestion and is saved as verified data for future invoices.
Verifying and correcting measurements
You can always edit measurement data on any line item, regardless of how it was populated. Click Edit on the line item to adjust pack size, unit size, or unit of measure.
When you correct a measurement that came from the shared lookup or web search:
- The shared lookup is updated with your corrected values.
- The data is marked as user-verified, giving it the highest confidence level.
- Other Brikly operators who have processed the same product are notified of the change (see below).
Your corrections improve the shared data for everyone - the more operators verify measurements, the more accurate the system becomes.
Corrections to measurements that came from your own invoice history (blue icons) update the line item but do not feed into the shared lookup or trigger notifications to other operators. These are private to your account.
Measurement change notifications
When another operator corrects measurements on a product you have also processed, you will see an inline notification on the affected line item the next time you view that invoice.
The notification shows:
- The product name and supplier.
- What the old measurements were and what they have been changed to.
- Confirm and Dismiss buttons.
Notifications never reveal which operator made the correction. You will only see "another operator" or "another Brikly user".
Responding to a notification
- Confirm - you accept the new measurements. Your line item data stays as-is (the shared lookup is already updated).
- Dismiss - you keep your existing measurements and the notification is cleared. This does not affect other operators.
Where notifications appear
- On the invoice - inline on the affected line item, so you see the notification in context when reviewing.
- Dashboard badge - a count of pending measurement updates appears on the home dashboard so you know there are items to review without needing to open every invoice.
When measurements cannot be found
Not every product can be found via web search. When a search returns no results, Brikly records this so it does not search for the same product again unnecessarily. After a period of time, the system will retry the search in case the product information has since been published online.
In the meantime, you can always enter measurements manually. Your manual entry is stored as a verified measurement and will be used for future invoices - both yours and other operators who process the same product.
The missing fields alert
If measurements are still missing after the lookup system has run, the existing Missing Fields alert appears on the line item as described in Reviewing Line Items. The alert now shows the measurement source banner above it when data was partially auto-populated, so you can see what was filled in and what still needs your attention.
Frequently asked questions
Does this share my data with other operators?
Only product measurement data (pack size, unit size, unit of measure) is shared. Your ingredient names, recipes, prices, supplier accounts, and all other business data remain completely private to your account.
Can I opt out of the shared lookup?
The shared lookup cannot be disabled individually, but it only reads from and writes to a common product measurements table. It does not expose any of your business data. If you prefer to enter measurements manually, you can do so and your entries will be treated as verified data.
What if another operator enters incorrect measurements?
The system tracks how many different operators have corrected each entry. If the same product receives multiple conflicting corrections, it is automatically flagged for review. In the meantime, the most recent correction is used.
What if the wrong size was filled in?
If a size was filled in automatically and it is wrong, use the size suggestions on the line item to pick a different one, or click Edit to type the correct size yourself. Your entry is saved as verified data for future invoices. See Size Suggestions.
Why do some line items show size suggestions and others do not?
Suggestions appear when Brikly found one or more possible sizes for a product but none has been confirmed for it yet. If the measurements came from your own invoice history, or from a size you or another operator has already verified at a price that matches what you paid, the size is filled in for you and there is nothing to choose.
Does the web search cost anything extra?
No. Web search for measurements is included in your Brikly subscription. It uses the same AI engine that processes your invoices.