Creating SKUs

You can create category-level SKUs, or if you have products, you can create product-level SKUs for that product. Creating SKUs enables you to sell the item in your store.

About this task

Restriction: For the customer to order a product it must have a product SKU. In this case the product must exist and it must have a valid SKU. If your store does not use defining attributes for your products you can save work by creating one category SKU instead of a product and a SKU.

To create a new SKU for a category or product:

  1. Open the Catalogs tool.

  2. From the explorer tree, select a catalog.

  3. Choose an option:

    • To copy an existing SKU, find the SKU; then on the explorer tree, click the product the SKU belongs to.

    1. In the list view or explorer tree, right-click the SKU; then click Copy .

    2. In the list view, right-click; then select Paste. A new SKU is added with the same properties.

    • To create a new SKU for a category, in the explorer tree right-click the category; then click New Category-level SKU.

    • To create a new SKU for a product, from the File menu, click File > New > SKU

    If you are using the extended sites model and are currently in the extended site store, you can add a SKU that belongs to the asset store by copying a current asset store SKU. You can see if a product belongs to the asset store by the small blue arrow added to the SKU icon

    , or by looking at the Store column in the list view.

    You cannot create a new SKU in the sales catalog. Add a new SKU by copying an existing one from the master catalog. The SKU Properties view displays.

  4. Click the Manage SKU tab.

  5. Expand the General SKU Information section. Complete the following information: This information is managed in the store default language only.

    Option Description
    Code Type the SKU code, which uniquely identifies the item within the WebSphere Commerce system. This SKU code is based upon the parent product code (before attributes). For example, if the product code for a "Ladies' cable-knit sweater" is SKU-12345, then the individual SKU for each attribute would be SKU-12345-1 (Ladies' cable-knit sweater, small, red), SKU-12345-2 (Ladies' cable-knit sweater, medium, red), SKU-12345-3 (Ladies' cable-knit sweater, large, red), and so on.
    Name The name of the SKU. If your store supports more than one locale, then this name changes to match each different language.
    Short description Type a brief description of the SKU. The description is language specific.
    Long description Type a detailed description, if applicable. The description is language specific.
    Keywords  Type one or more keywords, separated by a comma and a space, that describe the contents of the Web page. Some Internet search engines use these keywords to determine whether your page satisfies a search query.
    Additional description 1 Type a detailed description of the catalog entry, if applicable. This field is disabled by default and not visible.
    Additional description 2 Type a detailed description of the catalog entry, if applicable. This field is disabled by default and not visible.
    Manufacturer Type the name of the manufacturer or vendor.
    Manufacturer part number Type the part number for the catalog entry, uniquely defined by the manufacturer. This number is different from the code that is used to define the object in the WebSphere Commerce system.

  6. Expand the Publishing section. Complete the following information:

    Option Description
    For purchase Indicate whether customers can include the catalog entry in their shopping carts and order it. This check box is read-only and cannot be cleared if the entries for purchase are on auction.
    On special Indicates whether or not the catalog entry is on special.
    Announcement date Add the year, month, and day that the catalog entry becomes available to customers. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This field is for your interpretation and information only. WebSphere Commerce does not perform any actions based on this date.
    Withdrawal date Add the year, month, and day that the catalog entry is removed from the catalog and is unavailable for customers to purchase. Click the calendar icon to select a date. This field is for your information only.

  7. Expand the Display section. Complete the following information:

    Option Description
    Display to customers Select this check box to indicate that customers can view this category in the storefront.
    Thumbnail Type the path to the thumbnail image and the name of the image, such as images/shirt.jpg. All image files must be placed in the store's defined image directory. Determining the correct image directory and whether you need an absolute or relative path depends on your store's configuration. For example, the WebSphere Commerce starter store images use a relative path pointing to the default installation directory under the store name. Use of a relative path is most common. Use of an absolute path is dependent on your initial configuration. Ask a store developer with Site Administrator authority for the correct image directory if you are unsure.
    Full image Type the path to the catalog entry full size image and the name of the image, such as images/shirt/jpg. All catalog entry image files should be placed in the store's defined image directory. The correct image directory and whether you need an absolute or relative path depends on your store's configuration. Ask a store developer with Site Administrator authority for the correct image directory. For example, the WebSphere Commerce starter store images use a relative path to the default installation path.

  8. Expand the Pricing section. Complete the following information:

    Option Description
    List Price The list price for the catalog entry. The list price is supplied by the manufacturer, as part of the catalog entry description. This field is for your information only.
    Offer Price The price at which the catalog entry is offered for purchase. Click New to add in a new offer price. Type in a Minimum Quantity at which the catalog entry can be offered at this price. The maximum quantity is determined by the minimum quantity of the next range. For example, if the minimum quantity of a catalog entry to be sold at $25.00 is one, and the minimum quantity of the same catalog entry to be sold at $35.00 is 10, then the maximum quantity for the catalog entry to be sold at $25.00 is nine.

  9. Click the Descriptive Attributes tab to work with descriptive attributes.

  10. Click the Defining Attributes tab to work with defining attributes. Select a defining attribute value in the table. This tab is available for product-level SKUs only.

    You can create product-level SKUs without defining attributes however, do some customization in order to support these SKUs in the storefront. Defining attributes are managed in the store default language only.

  11. Click the Merchandising Associations tab to work with merchandising associations.

  12. Click the Manage Attachments tab to work with attachments.

  13. Click the Reference tab to view any merchandising associations, bundles, or kits associated with the product.

  14. Click Save and Close, or click Close.