SKU System & Variants

Each spare-part row has a parent SKU (family / barcode) and an optional variant SKU, plus two optional variation pairs (name + value).

Parent SKU vs SKU

Parent SKU — main stock-keeping code, item code, product code, or barcode. Search uses this. New products can auto-suggest a code like SP-YYMMDD-nnnn.
SKU — variant or secondary code (colour, quality, supplier lot). Leave blank if you do not split variants.

The inventory search box looks at SKU, name, and category. Jobsheet serial/SKU columns can also show parent SKU.

Variation fields

Optional pairs on the product:

Variation name 1 / Variation value 1 — e.g. Colour / Black
Variation name 2 / Variation value 2 — e.g. Quality / OEM

These are stored on the same spare-part row. There is no separate "variant child product" screen beyond parent SKU + SKU + these fields.

When you save

The form validates that the parent SKU / SKU combination is usable for that branch. If save fails with "Unable to validate SKU", change the code or check you are on the right branch — codes are unique in that branch's catalog.

Bulk SKU changes

Bulk Update can change the SKU on many products at once, but only as a transform: add a prefix, add a suffix, or find & replace. There is no "set every selected product to this code" option — two products must never share one code. The parent SKU is never changed in bulk, so a variant group stays together.

Import mapping

AI Import maps:

Main SKU / item code / barcode → parent SKU
Variant / secondary SKU → SKU

CSV export includes parent_sku, sku, and both variation columns so you can round-trip the catalog.

Branch copies Each branch has its own spare-part rows (cloned from a source id). The same parent SKU can exist at two shops with different stock. See Multi-branch inventory.

Last updated: 20 September 2026