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# What is the difference between a composite item and a post?

A [composite item](https://support.robaws.com/en/article/composite-items-1goh0xk/) and a [post](https://support.robaws.com/en/article/posts-general-inoedz/) both consist of other items. Yet they work very differently. A composite item is one item of which Robaws calculates the cost price from its components. A post is a building block for your quotation: the components live on in your quotation, your supply orders, your stock and your recalculation.

## The difference in one table

| | Composite item | Post |
| ---- |
| What is it? | An item with components | A calculation template with a substructure |
| On the quotation | One line with one price | A line with a substructure that you can adjust per line |
| Formulas and parameters | No | Yes, for example calculating the number of tiles from the surface area |
| Ordering | You order the composite item itself | You order the components from the substructure |
| Stock | The composite item goes in and out of stock | The components go in and out of stock, the post itself does not |
| Recalculation | One line | Per component, per cost type |
| Suppliers and barcode | Yes, like any item | No |
| Cost price | Sum of the components, updated automatically | Sum of the substructure in the quotation |

## When do you choose what?

Choose a **composite item** if you sell, order or keep something in stock as one whole, and you want the cost price to be calculated from the components.

*Example: a fuse box that you wire yourself and keep ready in stock. You sell and count the box, not the separate fuses.*

Choose a **post** if you calculate a job that consists of material, labor and equipment that you want to order, plan and follow up separately.

*Example: 'Laying floor tiles per m²', with tiles, adhesive, grout and working hours. In your quotation, the post adapts to the surface area, you order the tiles and the adhesive separately and in the recalculation you see your material and labor cost.*

| Do you want to see the components of a composite item in your quotation anyway? You can do that with the **Composite** cost type or with the **Use composite items as extra lines** quotation setting. See [What is a composite item and when do I use it?](https://support.robaws.com/en/article/composite-items-1goh0xk/#2-in-a-quotation)