SKU Management

SKU Management lets you control the complete lifecycle of your product SKUs from creation to discontinuation and deletion. Manage active inventory, set up alternative SKUs for replacements, and track changes across your catalog.

Quick Start

SKU management operations are available throughout the catalog: create SKUs in Product Creation, discontinue them when phasing out products, delete discontinued SKUs, and set up alternatives for automatic substitutions.

Why Manage SKU Lifecycle?

Product Transition

Smoothly transition from old to new products by discontinuing and setting up alternatives.

Inventory Control

Prevent new orders for discontinued items while clearing existing stock.

Data Integrity

Maintain historical records while safely removing obsolete SKUs from active inventory.

Automatic Substitution

Set up alternative SKUs for automatic replacement when original SKUs are unavailable.

SKU Lifecycle States

A SKU progresses through three main states:

Active → Discontinued → Deleted

Active SKU

State: Discontinued = 'N'

• Available for new orders
• Appears in product catalog
• Inventory can be received
• Fully functional in all operations

Discontinued SKU

State: Discontinued = 'Y'

• Cannot receive new orders (system blocks new purchases)
• Still appears in catalog (marked as discontinued)
• Existing inventory can be shipped
• Can be reactivated if needed
• Can be renamed or deleted (admin only)

Discontinuation Rules

The system checks for pending orders, backorders, and processing orders before allowing discontinuation. If active orders exist, discontinuation may be prevented or require confirmation.

Deleted SKU

State: Removed from products table

• Permanently removed from system
• Only available for discontinued SKUs
• Historical data preserved in related tables (orders, history)
• Cannot be recovered after deletion

Deletion Warning

Deletion is permanent and irreversible. Ensure the SKU is properly discontinued and has no active inventory before deleting.

How to Discontinue a SKU

1. Open the Product

   Navigate to Catalog Overview or Product Management, then click Edit on the SKU you want to discontinue.

2. Click “Discontinue” (Admin users only)

   In the product edit form, locate the Discontinue button in the product details section.

3. Review Active Orders

   System displays any orders in the following statuses:

   • Pending
   • Processing
   • Backorder

   Order Check

   The system prevents discontinuation if active orders exist. You must complete or cancel these orders first.

4. Confirm Discontinuation

   If no active orders exist, click OK to confirm.

   The SKU status changes to Discontinued = 'Y'.

5. Set Up Alternative SKU (Optional but recommended)

   If you have a replacement product, navigate to Alternative SKU (/sku_atives.php) to assign an alternative.

How to Reactivate a Discontinued SKU

1. Find the Discontinued SKU

   Navigate to the SKU’s product page or history view.

2. Click “Re-enable SKU”

   This button appears only for discontinued SKUs (Discontinued = 'Y').

3. Confirm Reactivation

   System immediately changes the status to Discontinued = 'N'.

   The SKU becomes available for new orders again.

How to Delete a Discontinued SKU

Admin Only

Deletion is restricted to administrator-level users and requires the SKU to be discontinued first.

1. Discontinue the SKU First

   Follow the discontinuation process above. The SKU must have Discontinued = 'Y'.

2. Click “Delete”

   In the product edit form, the Delete button replaces the Discontinue button for discontinued SKUs.

3. Confirm Deletion

   System checks for:

   • No pending inventory
   • No active orders
   • No unresolved backorders

   If checks pass, click OK to permanently remove the SKU.

4. SKU is Removed

   The SKU is deleted from the products table. Historical references remain in order history and transaction logs.

Alternative SKUs

Alternative SKUs provide automatic substitution when the original SKU is unavailable or discontinued.

What Are Alternative SKUs?

Alternative SKUs are replacement products that the system can automatically use when:

• Original SKU is discontinued
• Original SKU is out of stock
• Order processing requires a substitute

Example Use Cases:

• Product rebranding (old SKU → new SKU)
• Package size changes (12-pack → 24-pack)
• Color/style variations (Blue-M → Blue-L)
• Supplier changes (Same product, different source)

How to Set Up Alternative SKUs

1. Navigate to Alternative SKU

   Go to Alternative SKU page (/sku_atives.php) from the catalog menu.

2. Search for the Original SKU

   Use the search filters:

   • Sku: Search by original SKU
   • Upc: Search by UPC code
   • Alternative: Search existing alternatives
   • Description: Search by product description

3. Click “Select” on the Replacement SKU

   Browse the product list and select the SKU that will replace the original.

4. Confirm the Alternative

   System creates the alternative SKU relationship:

   Original SKU → Alternative SKU

5. Verify the Assignment

   The alternative now appears in the system. When the original SKU is unavailable, the alternative may be used automatically.

Upload Alternative SKUs via CSV

For bulk alternative SKU assignments:

1. Click Upload CSV on the Alternative SKU page
2. Download the template CSV file
3. Fill in the following columns:
   • Sku: Original SKU
   • Alternative: Replacement SKU
   • Description: Optional notes
4. Upload the completed CSV file
5. System validates and creates all alternative relationships

SKU History Tracking

Every change to a SKU is tracked in the system:

• Product attribute changes (dimensions, weight, cost)
• Inventory adjustments (receive, corrections, transfers)
• Status changes (discontinued, reactivated)
• Order history (all orders containing this SKU)
• Replenishment history (receiving logs)
• Return history (restocking logs)

To View SKU History:

1. Open the product in Product Edit view
2. Click the History tab
3. View all changes chronologically with timestamps and user information

SKU Operations Across Views

SKU management operations are available in multiple places:

Catalog Overview

Location: /catalog_list.php

• Quick view of all SKUs
• Inline editing
• Transfer products
• Change pick styles

Product Management

Location: /Inventory_Productslist.php

• Legacy interface
• Advanced search
• Bulk exports
• Grid editing

Creating/Editing Products

Location: /up-product.php

• Create new SKUs
• Edit existing SKUs
• Discontinue SKUs (admin)
• Delete SKUs (admin)

Alternative SKU

Location: /sku_atives.php

• Set up replacements
• Upload alternatives via CSV
• Search alternatives

Product Attributes

Location: /AttributosProductslist.php

• Bulk edit attributes
• Update dimensions/weights
• Assign suppliers

SKU History

Location: /History_skulist.php

• View change history
• Track inventory movements
• See order history

💡 Best Practices

Discontinue Before Deleting

Always discontinue a SKU first to ensure no active orders exist. Only delete after stock is depleted.

Set Up Alternatives Early

When discontinuing a SKU, immediately set up alternatives to prevent order fulfillment issues.

Document Reasons

Use the product description or notes to document why a SKU was discontinued for future reference.

Review Before Deletion

Before deleting, verify that all inventory is depleted and no pending transactions exist.

SKU Naming Conventions

Follow these best practices when creating SKUs:

Recommended Format:

• Use alphanumeric characters and underscores/hyphens only
• Avoid spaces, special characters, or symbols
• Keep SKUs concise but descriptive (e.g., SHIRT-BLU-M instead of Item1)
• Use consistent prefixes for product families
• Include relevant attributes (color, size, variation)

Examples:

• ✅ Good: LAPTOP-15IN-BLK, CASE-IPHONE14-RED, BOOK-PYTHON-2023
• ❌ Bad: Item #1, Product (Blue), SKU/123, New Product

Troubleshooting

Cannot Discontinue SKU

Problem: System prevents discontinuation.

Common Causes:

• Pending Orders: Orders in Pending, Processing, or Backorder status
• Active Inventory: Stock still being received or transferred
• System Reservations: Inventory reserved for future orders

Solutions:

1. Check for active orders and complete or cancel them
2. Wait for pending replenishments to be received
3. Clear any backorders for this SKU
4. Contact support if issue persists

Cannot Delete SKU

Problem: Delete button not available or deletion fails.

Common Causes:

• Not Discontinued: SKU must be discontinued first (Discontinued = 'Y')
• Insufficient Permissions: Only admin users can delete SKUs
• Active Inventory: Non-zero inventory quantity
• Recent Transactions: Orders or movements within retention period

Solutions:

1. Discontinue the SKU first
2. Verify you have administrator permissions
3. Ensure UnitsInStock = 0 across all locations
4. Wait for transaction processing to complete

Alternative SKU Not Working

Problem: System doesn’t use the alternative SKU.

Common Causes:

• Alternative Not Set: Relationship not created in system
• Alternative Also Unavailable: Replacement SKU has no stock
• Order Rules: Integration or order rules prevent substitution

Solutions:

1. Verify alternative is set up in Alternative SKU page
2. Check that alternative SKU has available inventory
3. Review order processing rules and integrations
4. Test with a manual order to verify substitution works

SKU Appears Duplicate

Problem: Cannot create SKU due to duplicate error.

Solutions:

• Check Active SKUs: Search catalog for existing SKU
• Check Discontinued: Look in discontinued SKUs (may need reactivation)
• Different DC: SKU may exist in another distribution center
• Case Sensitivity: Some systems treat SKU1 and sku1 as different

Related Features

• Catalog Overview: Main view for browsing and managing all SKUs
• Creating Products: Full SKU creation and editing interface
• Product Attributes: Bulk update SKU attributes
• Distribution Centers: Manage SKUs across multiple locations
• Product Families: Group related SKUs together

Next Steps: Catalog Overview | Creating Products | Product Attributes