Configuring Item Variants

Configuring an Item Variation

Once an item variation has been created for an item, you must configure it to instruct the system how to generate variation SKUs. If the item variation was created from a template, by default that template’s settings will be assigned, but you can modify them, if desired.

• Open the item for which you want to create an item variation
• From the Related ribbon, then choose Item then Variation Info
  • The Item Number and Item Description fields will default to present information about the related item.
• In the Brand Item Attribute Name and Common Item Attribute Name fields, enter the item attributes that you want to use as the item variation’s brand and common item attributes. The system will automatically assign the brand and common item attributes that have been defined as global defaults, but you can modify them, if desired. The corresponding value fields will present the attribute value that has been assigned to the item.
• Assign SKU explosion values that will instruct the system how to create new Business Central records for the item variation SKUs:
  • SKU Explode Method: select the type of Business Central record that will be created from an item’s variation SKUs. Item variation SKUs can be used as the basis for either item or variant records.

• • SKU Key Mask: select the manner in which the identification number that identifies each variation SKU’s corresponding Business Central record is generated. 
    • Segments: identification numbers will be generated from a series of segment values that reflect each one of an item variation SKU’s variable values.

• • • Numerical: if the item variation’s SKUs will be used to generate variants, it is possible to assign identification numbers from a defined number series.  It is not possible to use a number series if the item variation’s explosion method instructs the application to create items.

• • Variant Nos.: if you select the Numerical option in the SKU Key Mask field, enter the number series that will be used to assign unique identification numbers to variants that are created for item variation SKUs.

If the item variation was created from an item variation template, that template’s code will be presented in the Item Variation Template Code field. The Synchronize with Template field can be ignored, as the ability to synchronize an item variation with an assigned template is not supported at this time.

Item Variation Options

Item variation options represent the variable characteristics or attributes that comprise different product configurations. These characteristics are defined as option values.

For example, if we offered a product in multiple colors and were setting up an item variation to reflect this variable characteristic, we would create an item variation option line with a code of Color. This variation option would then have option values such as Red, Blue, and Yellow.

As part of setting up an item variation, you must configure options and option values. If the item variation was created from a template, by default that template’s options and options values will be assigned, but you can modify them, if desired.

Note: the item variations module provides you with the ability to associate item variation options to corresponding Business Central item attributes. Although this is not enforced, it is highly recommended that you link your item variation options to Business Central item attributes. This is due to CSM’s existing attribute integration with WooCommerce, which is generally built from Business Central item attributes and item categories.

Item variations support up to three options. Each item variation option is entered as a separate line in the Options FastTab.

Once you have set up an item variation option, you must define its option values. You can view the option values that have been defined for a selected item variation option in the Option Values FactBox.

The manner in which you perform this setup depends on the selected link type:

• None: you must manually define option values on the Item Variation Option Card page by choosing the Line ribbon on the Options FastTab, then choosing the Option Card action.
• Item Attribute: you can automatically retrieve the Business Central item attribute’s values by choosing the Line ribbon on the Options FastTab, then choosing the Synchronize with Link action.

The Item Variation Option Card page is where you either define a variation option’s values or, if you have copied this information from Business Central item attributes, edit existing ones. You can open this card by choosing the Line ribbon on the Options FastTab, then choosing the Option Card action.

The values on the General and Matrix Settings FastTabs present the corresponding fields on the item variation option line. You can make any changes to these values, if desired.

You can define as many option values as you wish. Each value is entered as a separate line in the Option Values FastTab. Fill in the fields as follows:

Creating Item Variation SKUs

Once you have defined the configuration settings, options, and option values for an item variation, you can instruct the system to suggest variation SKUs based on these variable characteristics by choosing the Actions ribbon, then choosing the Create Item Variation SKUs action. The system will enter a separate line for each combination of configurable option values that are marked as active in the SKUs FastTab.

For example, assume we are a company that sells apparel. We sell a t-shirt item in multiple colors and sizes. On the t-shirt’s item variation card, we define two options. For each option, we define three option values:

• Option 1/Color: Red, Blue and Yellow
• Option 2/Size: Small, Medium and Large

When we instruct the system to create new variation SKUs, a separate SKU line will be entered for each color/size configuration (Red-Small, Blue-Small, Yellow-Small, Red-Medium, etc.).

If you wish to add a value to an option, you can do so and then re-run the item variations SKU creation action. Additional lines will be created based on your changes.

The item variations SKU creation action will create new SKU lines, but it will not update existing ones. If you wish to modify existing variation SKU lines due to changes to option values, you must first delete the lines, make the necessary changes, and then re-run the item variations SKU creation action.

Exploding Item Variation SKUs

An item variation’s SKUs do not represent separate Business Central items or item variants. They are, however, used as the basis for new Business Central records. Once you have reviewed an item variation’s SKUs and confirmed they are correct, you can create new records from them:

• From the Actions ribbon, choose Explode SKUs
• If you only wish to create records for a selected group of SKUs, set the necessary filters on the Filter: Item Variation SKU FastTab. Please note that the filters for option values do not use the related option’s column caption, but rather generic Option Value 1, Option Value 2, and Option Value 3 captions.
• Choose OK

New Business Central records are created according to the criteria that you specified in the Explode Item Variation page. The SKU Item No. and (if relevant) SKU Variant Code fields are automatically updated with information about these new records.

• Enter other variation SKU values on the line, if desired:
  • SKU: enter a value that identifies the variation SKU as a unique You can either enter a value manually or choose the Functions ribbon and then choose the Generate SKUs action to build a value from the SKU item number and (if applicable) SKU variant code, then assign it in the SKU field.  This field can be used if there are other identification values for a given SKU beyond what is automatically generated via the item variations feature. For example, if a variation SKU has an external UPC value, it could be entered in this field. If you intend to create CSM listings based on a configurable item’s variations, you must assign a SKU on the relevant variation SKU lines.
  • SKU Unit of Measure: enter a unit of measure to the variation SKU. If you intend to create CSM listings based on a configurable item’s variations, CSM will assign this value as the unit of measure to the related child listing. If this value is left blank, CSM will assign the parent item’s assigned unit of measure to the related child listing.

• • SKU Status: select a status to indicate the SKU’s place in your product SKUs are initially created with a status of Pending, but if you intend to create CSM listings based on a configurable item’s variations, you must update the status on the relevant variation SKU lines to either Active or No Replenish. You can either manually select a value on each line, or select multiple lines, then choose the Functions ribbon and choose the Update SKU Status action to automatically update the status for all selected lines to Active.

The SKU explosion action will create a number of new Business Central records based on the item variation’s SKUs. The type of record that is created is determined by the value in the item variation’s SKU Explode Method field:

• Items: an item is created for each SKU. These items exist as separate item records from the item variation’s parent item.

• Variants: an item variant is created for each SKU.  These variants are assigned to the item variation’s parent item.

The manner in which these records’ identification numbers are assigned is determined by the value in the item variation’s SKU Key Mask field:

• Segments: the item or variant’s identification number is comprised of a series of “segments,” with each segment representing a separate option value. When an option value is being created, a key segment value must be defined. When a new item or item variant involving the option value is created, the relevant key segment is entered as part of that record’s identification number. The way segments are used to create identification numbers depends on the item variation’s SKU explosion method:

• • Items: for each variation SKU, the item’s identification number is determined by the item variation’s common item attribute value, followed by the key segments for each value.  These key segments are segregated by key segment delimiters.

For example, assume we have an item variation with a common item attribute value of SE200. This item variation has a SKU with two values: a color value of RED and a size value of S. Both values have a preceding delimiter character of -. If we instruct the system to generate an item for the SKU, it will be assigned an identification number of SE200-RED-S.

• • Variants: for each variation SKU, an item variant’s identification number is determined by the key segments for each value. These key segments are segregated by key segment delimiters. Because the key segment delimiter precedes the key segment value, it is not necessary to assign a delimiter to the item variation option with the first key segment position.

For example, assume we have an item variation with a SKU that has two values: a color value of RED and a size value of S. The size value also has a preceding delimiter character of -. If we instruct the system to generate an item variant for the SKU, it will be assigned an identification number of RED-S.

• Numerical: when exploding variation SKUs into item variants, it is possible to assign variant codes from the number series that has been defined in the item variation’s Variant Nos. field. The system will assign the next available number from the defined series to each new item variant. If you are exploding variation SKUs into items, it is not possible to use a number series.

A variation record’s unique identification number will be presented in the SKU Item No. or SKU Variant Code field (depending on the relevant record type) on the item variation’s SKU line.

Regardless of whether a variation’s SKU is exploded into an item or variant, the record’s description is determined by the parent item’s description, followed by the descriptions for the variation’s values. For example, assume we have an item variation for an item with a description of T-Shirt. This item variation has a SKU with two values: a color value with a description of Red and a size value with a description of Small. If we instruct the system to generate an item or variant for the SKU, it will be assigned a description of T-Shirt, Red, Small.

In addition, items that are created from variation SKUs inherit all field values (excluding calculated values) from the parent item, including unit of measure, price and cost information, and posting group setup. Any item attribute values that have been defined for the parent item are also copied to the child items. There are no inheritance considerations for item variants, which are not comprised of much more than a code and a description.

Following the explosion of a variation SKU into an item or item variant, the system will update fields on the variation SKU’s line with information about the related Business Central record:

• SKU Item No: if the variation SKU is used as the basis for a Business Central item, that item’s number is presented in this field. If the variation SKU is used as the basis for a Business Central item variant, the item number for the variant’s parent item is presented in this field.
• SKU Variant Code: if the variation SKU is used as the basis for a Business Central item variant, that variant’s code is presented in this field. This field remains blank if the variation SKU is used as the basis for a Business Central item.

The Item Variation Details FactBox presents the number of item variation SKUs that have been created for the item variation, as well as the number of item or variant records that have been created from these SKUs. These values are presented as cues, meaning that you can choose one of them to open a separate list of the records that comprise the total. In this way, you can compare the number of Business Central records that have been created against the number of SKUs that exist for the item variation.

Next: Using the Item Variant Worksheet