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Using the Product Variations Grid
The Product Variations Grid in Quick Shopping Cart® calculates all possible product variations based on the configurable options you've specified. It can calculate up to four separate configurable options.
You need to generate the Product Variation Grid if you're using Configurable Variation options.
If you're selling T-shirts, for example, you might add configurable options for size and color. If there are three options for size (medium, large, extra large) and three options for color (red, blue, green), the Product Variations Grid generates nine different product variations for the different sizes and colors.
Additionally, the grid creates SKUs for each product variation, starting with the base product SKU and adding the option's abbreviations, which are defined when the option is created.
For example, if the base product SKU is 32789 and it has configurable options for size and color, generating the grid could create a SKU of 32789-XL-RD. This depends on the abbreviations you specified for "extra large" and "red."
The option's description is created by adding the option's name to the product name. You specify the option's name when you create it.
After generating the Product Variations Grid, you can specify the inventory for each configuration, modify the SKU, and specify whether a particular configuration is available or not.
You might know, for example, that you will never stock small black shirts because black shirts are only worn by large, burly men. The Product Variations Grid only creates variations for option choices that are selected.
For example, if your Color option has options for red, blue, and green, but only red and blue are selected, green would not be calculated into the product variations. Continuing with the example above, instead of nine product variations, there would only be six (two colors multiplied by three sizes).
You can remove an option choice at any time, but if you do, you must re-generate the grid, which can cause loss of data.
To Generate the Product Variations Grid
- Log in to your Account Manager.
- Click Quick Shopping Cart.
- In the Quick Shopping Cart list, click Manage next to the Quick Shopping Cart account you want to manage.
- From the Manage menu, in the Catalog section, select Products.
- Click the name of the product you want to edit or click Add Product from the Tasks pane to add a new product.
- From the Product type drop-down menu, select Configurable.
- Click the Options tab.
- Add configurable options to the product and specify their option choices.
NOTE: You can only use the Product Variations Grid on configurable products. You must also have configurable options configured to use the grid.
- In the Product Variations Grid section, click Generate Grid.
CAUTION: If you have previously generated the grid and specified inventory or other options, you might lose these specifications when you generate the grid again. Ideally, you would only generate the grid once, after specifying all your configurable options.
- Complete the fields in the grid. You can manage inventory, change the product SKUs, specify whether to allow backorder, and indicate whether a particular configuration is not available.
- Click OK.
- Publish your store to reflect any changes.
Managing Your Inventory in the Product Variations Grid
After generating the Product Variations Grid, you can specify the inventory for each variation. Quick Shopping Cart then tracks the inventory and can alert you by email if your inventory gets low.
TIP: If you do not see inventory in the Product Variations Grid, make sure the product is inventoried by selecting Yes in the Inventoried field.
To Manage Your Inventory in the Product Variations Grid
- Log in to your Account Manager.
- Click Quick Shopping Cart.
- In the Quick Shopping Cart list, click Manage next to the Quick Shopping Cart account you want to use.
- From the Manage menu, in the Catalog section, select Products.
- Click the name of the product you want to edit or click Add Product from the Tasks pane to add a new product.
- Click the Shipping/Inventory tab, and then select Yes next to Inventory tracking.
- Click the Options tab.
- In the Product Variations Grid section, after you generated your grid, specify whether to allow backorders, the quantity in stock, and whether you want Quick Shopping Cart to email you when your inventory reaches a certain threshold.
TIP: You can have Quick Shopping Cart email you when you have a certain number of items left in stock for all product configurations. For example, you can enter 5 in the top-most field in the Email Me When QTY Is column, and then click the down arrow to have Quick Shopping Cart put 5 in all the fields below.
- Click OK to save your changes.
- Publish your store to reflect any changes.
Preventing Certain Product Variations from Being Sold
You can disable product configurations or remove options for product variations that you no longer want to sell. For example, you might want to remove the extra large, lime green T-shirt product variation if you find that it's not selling. If you find that ALL lime green T-shirts are not selling, then you want to remove the option choice. That way, no lime green T-shirts are sold, regardless of size. After disabling option choices, you need to regenerate the Product Variations Grid.
To Disable Product Configurations
- Log in to your Account Manager.
- Click Quick Shopping Cart.
- In the Quick Shopping Cart list, click Manage next to the Quick Shopping Cart account you want to use.
- From the Manage menu, in the Catalog section, select Products.
- Click the name of the product you want to edit, or Click Add Product from the Tasks pane to add a new product.
- Click the Options tab.
- In the Product Variations Grid, next to the product variation you no longer want to sell, select Not Available.
- Click OK to save your changes.
- Publish your store to reflect the changes.
To Remove Option Choices
- Log in to your Account Manager.
- Click Quick Shopping Cart.
- In the Quick Shopping Cart list, click Manage next to the Quick Shopping Cart account you want to use.
- From the Manage menu, in the Catalog section, select Products.
- Click the name of the product you want to edit, or click Add Product from the Tasks pane to add a new product.
- Click the Options tab.
- Deselect the option choice you no longer want to sell.
- Click Generate Grid to regenerate the Product Variation Grid.
CAUTION: Quick Shopping Cart attempts to remember all inventory specifications when regenerating the grid, however, in certain circumstances, data might be lost. After regenerating your grid, you should review ALL entries for accuracy.
- Click OK to save your changes.
- Publish your store to reflect any changes.