Why Component Groups Transform Your Workflow
Component groups are your solution for creating professional, organized quotations while dramatically reducing manual work. Think of them as modular service packages that bundle frequently used "other components" together, eliminating repetitive clicking and ensuring nothing gets forgotten.
Time Savings: Instead of adding scaffolding materials, scaffolding work, and safety equipment individually to every project, create one "Scaffolding Package" group and add everything with a single click.
What Makes Groups Different
Groups are the smallest modular units in Eturnity's organizational system:
Groups: Bundle other components only (installation work, accessories, fees)
Main component templates: Combine main components of one type, such as modules, with other components and recurring costs
Project templates: Pre-configure entire systems with all components
Understanding Component Groups
What Groups Contain
Groups can only contain other components - never main components like PV modules or inverters. Perfect for:
Service packages: Installation, commissioning, maintenance
Accessory bundles: Cables, mounting hardware, safety equipment
Administrative items: Travel costs, permits, documentation
Seasonal additions: Scaffolding, weather protection, special access
Common Use Cases
Service Add-ons: Create standardized packages for services that aren't always needed but frequently requested - scaffolding, electrical upgrades, or specialized installation requirements.
Regional Requirements: Bundle components required by local regulations or common in your area into easy-to-apply packages.
Creating Your First Component Group
Prerequisites
Administrator role and a license that includes groups
"Other components" already created for the items you want to group
Clear understanding of which components frequently go together
Step-by-Step Creation
Navigate to Library > Groups in the main menu
Click Add group in the toolbar (top right, next to the filters)
In the Create new group window, under Type, select the technology this group applies to, such as Photovoltaics or Heating. The technology cannot be changed later
Enter a clear, descriptive name under Group name (e.g., "Scaffolding Package," "Standard Installation Services")
Under Description (optional), add what this group contains. For a collective position, this text appears in the PDF quotation under its name, so write it for your customers
Optional: Check Use as collective position right away if the components of this group should appear in the project as one combined item (see Advanced Feature: Collective Positions below). You can also enable this later in the opened group, as long as the group itself contains no collective positions
Click Add. Eturnity creates the group and opens it
Click Add component in the Other components section and select components from your library
Set the default quantity for each component. For components whose quantity Eturnity calculates itself (units such as m², kWp or per panel), the quantity field is locked; the quantity is determined in the project
Arrange components in logical order using drag-and-drop
Save your group
Example: Creating a "Scaffolding Package"
Let's create a comprehensive scaffolding group:
Group name: "Scaffolding Package"
Technology: Photovoltaics
Components to include: Scaffolding materials (quantity: 1), scaffolding labor/setup (quantity: 8 hours), safety equipment rental (quantity: 1) and scaffolding removal (quantity: 4 hours)
Now when projects require scaffolding, you'll add the complete package instead of four separate line items.
Using Groups in Projects
Adding Groups to Bills of Materials
Open any project and go to its Bill of materials page (new navigation: in the left side menu under Offer > Bill of materials)
Below the table of the relevant technology, click Add from group. If the group is a collective position, click Add collective position instead
Select your desired group from the list
Click OK, or Add for a collective position. Eturnity adds the components at the end of the Other components section, each as its own line; a collective position appears as one line that expands to show its sub-positions
Adjust individual quantities if needed for this specific project, then click Save in the bar at the bottom (or press Ctrl+S, Cmd+S on a Mac)
For collective positions: The heading name can be renamed directly in the Bill of Materials by clicking it, without changing the library group. The "Show sub positions on PDF" and "Show prices of sub positions on PDF" display options, plus an optional description (appears on the PDF "Detailed costs" page), can also be overridden per project, independent of the library defaults.
When to Use Groups vs Individual Components
Use Groups when:
You frequently add the same combination of components
Components are logically related (all part of one service)
You want consistent pricing across projects
Professional presentation is important
Use Individual Components when:
You need only one specific item
Quantities vary significantly between projects
Components don't logically belong together
Advanced Feature: Collective Positions
Collective positions enhance how groups appear in PDF quotations, providing better organization and professional presentation.
Understanding Collective Positions
Any group can be converted to a collective position, which changes how it displays:
Regular Group: Shows all components as individual line items
Collective Position: Appears in the bill of materials as one expandable line with its sub-positions. In the PDF it appears as one line with the total; with Show sub positions on PDF, the individual components follow below, indented
Configuring Collective Positions
There are two ways to turn a group into a collective position:
Right at creation: In the "Create new group" dialog, check "Use as collective position" before clicking "Add"
Later, for an existing group: Open the group and check "Use as collective position"
Either way, then configure the display options:
"Show sub positions on PDF": Display individual components under the main heading
"Show prices of sub positions on PDF": Include individual component prices or show only total
You can set these display options here in the library as defaults, and also override them later per project in the Bill of Materials (see "Adding Groups to Bills of Materials" above).
Save your changes.
Note: The "Use as collective position" checkbox is disabled if the group already contains a nested collective position, if the group is already used inside another group, or if your license plan doesn't include this feature.
PDF Presentation Benefits
Without Show sub positions on PDF, a collective position appears in your PDF quotations as a single line with the total. With this option, collective positions appear with:
Highlighted main heading: The name of the collective position stands out
Indented sub-items: Components clearly belong to the group
Flexible pricing: Show individual prices or group total only
Professional structure: Organized, easy-to-read format
Optional description: Additionally appears on the PDF "Detailed costs" page
When to Use Collective Positions
Best for:
Complex service packages with many components
When client expects detailed breakdown
Heating systems with extensive component lists
Premium service offerings requiring professional presentation
Skip for:
Simple 2-3 component groups
When simplicity is preferred
Basic residential PV installations
Managing and Editing Groups
Organizing Your Groups Library
Keep your groups library manageable:
Use clear naming: "Premium Installation Package" not "Package 1"
Technology-specific: Separate groups by technology type
Regular reviews: Update or remove outdated groups
Standardize quantities: Use realistic default quantities
Editing Existing Groups
Navigate to Library > Groups
Click on any group name to open it
Modify components, quantities, or descriptions
As soon as you change something, the bar with Cancel and Save appears at the bottom
Save when complete
Adding Components to Existing Groups
Open the group for editing
Click Add component in the Other components section
Select additional components from your library
Set appropriate quantities (the quantity field is locked for automatically calculated units such as m² or kWp)
Reorder using drag-and-drop if needed
Save your changes
Removing Components
To remove components from a group:
Open the group; as an administrator, you can edit it right away
Click the delete icon next to unwanted components
The line disappears immediately; for a collective position, all its sub-positions disappear with it. Until you save, Cancel undoes this, together with all other unsaved changes
Save changes
Important: Changes to a group don't modify existing projects; projects retain their component lists as they were when the group was added. Eturnity, however, updates main component templates, project templates and the systems of the solar calculator and heating calculator that contain the group as soon as you save: the group's components are replaced there by the new version, using the quantities from the group; these quantities cannot be changed there.
Best Practices and Optimization
Strategic Group Planning
Start with your most common add-ons:
Analyze your last 20 projects
Identify components that appear together frequently
Create groups for 80% of your recurring service combinations
Think modular: Create groups that can combine well:
"Basic Installation Services" (always needed)
"Scaffolding Package" (sometimes needed)
"Premium Commissioning" (upgrade option)
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Don't over-group: Simple 1-2 component combinations may not need groups
Avoid main components: Groups are for "other components" only
Don't duplicate project template content: Use groups for add-ons, not core system components
Keep quantities realistic: Use typical quantities, not maximums
Troubleshooting and Support
Common Issues and Solutions
Group not appearing in project:
Check technology matching (group technology must match project technology)
Check the language: the bill of materials only offers groups with a translation in the project's Correspondence language. A new group initially exists only in the language you were using Eturnity in when you created it; you add further languages in the group via Add language
Check whether the group is a collective position: such groups are not listed under Add from group but under Add collective position
Cannot edit group:
Only users with the Administrator role can edit groups; for everyone else, the group is read-only. If you can't click a group in the overview at all, your license doesn't include groups; in that case, contact Eturnity support by email to support@eturnity.com or via the chat in the Help Center
If only the Use as collective position checkbox is locked, one of the reasons from the note under "Configuring Collective Positions" applies
Components missing from group:
Verify components exist in the library, are active and have a translation in the language you are currently using Eturnity in
Check technology associations match
Ensure components are "Other Components" not main components
Performance Considerations
Limit group size: 10-15 components maximum for best performance
Regular cleanup: Remove unused groups to keep library manageable
Technology-specific: Each group belongs to exactly one technology. If you need the same items in several technologies, create a separate group for each technology