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

  1. Log in to your Account Manager.
  2. Click Quick Shopping Cart.
  3. In the Quick Shopping Cart list, click Manage next to the Quick Shopping Cart account you want to manage.
  4. From the Manage menu, in the Catalog section, select Products.
  5. Click the name of the product you want to edit or click Add Product from the Tasks pane to add a new product.
  6. From the Product type drop-down menu, select Configurable.
  7. Click the Options tab.
  8. 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.

  9. In the Product Variations Grid section, click Generate Grid.
    Warning: 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.
  10. 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.
  11. Click OK.
  12. Publish your store to reflect any changes.

Managing Your Inventory in the Product Variations Grid

Preventing Certain Product Variations from Being Sold