Inventory Features
Part of POS product and price management
Setting up variants and barcodes correctly
Decide which items need POS variants, assign SKUs and barcodes to the right records, and check what each scan adds to the cart.
Create a POS variant for each choice staff must identify and sell separately. Put the relevant SKU and barcode on that variant, then confirm what appears in the cart. A successful scan is not enough if it selects the wrong size, pack or price.
Map the variants before entering them
List the combinations actually sold, such as a shirt’s size and colour, or a single unit and a pack. Record the selling unit and price for each. Do not create combinations that do not exist just because the software generates every pairing.
A modifier can serve a different purpose. A café’s milk choice may describe how an order is prepared without being a separately sold packaged item. Use the record type that reflects how the business sells and tracks the choice.
Shopify describes combinations of option values as variants and manages their prices at variant level. Square supports variations through option sets; its available item fields vary by item type.
Keep identifiers in their proper fields
| Field | Job |
|---|---|
| Variant name | Makes the choice clear to staff and customers. |
| SKU | Identifies the item within the business’s catalogue. |
| Barcode or GTIN | Supplies a value that can be scanned to find the item. |
Use distinct SKUs for variants the business tracks separately. Keep each manufacturer GTIN with the corresponding product. GS1 says product variants should receive separate, unique GTINs.
Shopify says a variant can have more than one barcode, such as codes from different suppliers or a GTIN. Check for codes attached to the wrong record or used by multiple products.
Square’s import guidance distinguishes its variation token from an SKU. It says each variation should be assigned a unique SKU.
Variant Management: Shopify vs Square
- Variant DefinitionShopify: Combinations of option values as variants; prices managed at variant level
- Variation HandlingSquare: Uses option sets; available fields vary by item type
- SKU AssignmentBoth require unique SKUs per variation
- Barcode/GTIN RulesGS1 recommends separate GTINs for product variants; both platforms allow multiple barcodes per variant
Check the checkout mapping
Take a small set of real products: two similar variants, a pack and a single unit, and any item with a troublesome code. For each, write down the expected variant and price, then scan it through the checkout route staff use. Inspect the cart before payment. Check product search separately if staff also use it.
Shopify documents a route-specific result: scanning a variant code outside the search bar matches that variant directly; scanning it in the search bar shows the main product. If more than one product uses the code, Shopify asks for a choice. The result in another POS may differ.
If the cart shows the wrong item, inspect the stored code and any duplicate product records. Correct the catalogue mapping, then repeat the cart check. Product-label printing and scanner selection have their own hardware requirements.
