Enhanced bulk update for inventory/items

[ClaytonKing]

I've begun posting items to channels and had several items kicked back because they were missing age, gender and color, or quantity on hand (for example). As I create items via a spreadsheet upload, some of the columns online are not available in the spreadsheet. Thus the bulk update process would be the next way to adjust these fields. However, there is no bulk way to do it, and requires manually updating each item. Adding these fields to the bulk updater would make the process significantly more efficient.

[JJ_]

Hi @ClaytonKing, your feature request is greatly appreciated. Thank you for explaining its potential business impact. If there are other Seller Community members who might be interested, please tag them to contribute their thoughts. More community input can elevate this to our product team's focus.

[Candlestore]

@JJ_ and @ClaytonKing ;

You mention doing these updates through a spreedsheet, is this a csv format or an Excel format?

Asking because the csv format is a single sheet, whereas the Excel format is a workbook with multiple sheets.  My main Items are on Sheet 1 Items, sheet 2 is titled Unit and Precision, sheet 3 is Unit and Precision.  I am wondering if you use Modifiers if there is another sheet?  

Now I do agree there should be a way to have in the Spreedsheet every variable for an item, Age, Color, and gender.  Quantity on Hand is usally Current Quantity - Location. 

The other issue is if you use Variations to create different colors of an item Square would have Item with Price Point Name  on a sepperate column for each variation in the Spreedsheet export.   Not Size and Color in one column under Price Point or Variation.

For Example:  Here the items are Wolf Hoodies and each Variation is listed by  color and size in the Variation (Price Point) Column

Item Name

Variation Name    (Price Point)

Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Antique Cherry Size 2XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Antique Cherry Size 3XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Antique Cherry Size Large
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Antique Cherry Size Medium
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Antique Cherry Size Small
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Antique Cherry Size XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Black Size 2XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Black Size 3XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Black Size Large
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Black Size Medium
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Black Size Small
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Black Size XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Indigo Size 2XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Indigo Size 3XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Indigo Size Large
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Indigo Size Medium
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Indigo Size Small
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Indigo Size XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Plum Size 2XL
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Plum Size 3L
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Plum Size Large
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Plum Size Medium
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Plum Size Small
Wolf Hoodies	Wolf Hoodie Plum Size XL

Now I do not sell anything that is Age Restricted but I do not see that Header anywhere in the CSV or Excel export. And the Color and Size should be in two different coloumns by Option sets.  The example above was created before Option sets so the Variation names we typed in.  Just most other online stores have these sepperated for imports if your not using a Square website.  Now I do see these Headers 

Option Name 1

Option Value 1

Incense Scents	Dragons Blood
Incense Scents	Drakkar Type
Incense Scents	Enchantress

Candle Sizes	8 oz
Candle Sizes	70oz Pumpkin Jar
Candle Sizes	16oz

If an Item Varaiation has more than one option set would the Variation have Option Set 1 and 2 and also Option Value 1 and 2 that could be used for Size and Color?  But for consistancy My Incese Scents should be in one column and Candles Sizes in a different Column.  Any automated system would see these as the same if say my incese used Color and Candle Sizes were Sizes labeled under Header Option 1.   The Headers should be named based on the Option Set Name, then you could just have the Values under that column.

Have the sheet setup more like this where each Option set gets its own Column:

Incense Scents	Candle Sizes
Dragons Blood	8 oz
Drakkar Type	70oz Pumpkin Jar
Enchantress	16oz

If an option set is not used then leave the cell blank like already happens when No option set is applied.

If a field is important enough to be editable and added in a field for the POS or Online it should be easily exported and attaced to the line in the export. 

[ClaytonKing]

I use XLSW whenever possible because I use calculations. Most of my items are one of a kind. Sometimes there might be a variation (i.e., green crystal earrings vs red crystal earrings) but that's really the exception and not the rule. Because of that I tend to create two separate items rather than one item with variations/options.

My process is to name the item with the SKU number in the name since SKUs don't appear on the website (another whole thing for me). I use an excel formula to concatenate info together. For example, if it's an earrings, My SKU will start with E. I get the E from a left(Category,1) formula and add it to the SKU I enter which is usually the image number from my camera/phone. Then, the description is concatenated in the same way (i.e., =ItemNameEntry & "(" & SKU_Entry & ")") which yields me an item name like "Lavendar and Lampwork glass Dangles (E1234)."

I find entering data in a spreadsheet this was is SIGNIFICANTLY faster than using the online interface. The two exception to this are the issues that prompted my OP - Color, gender, etc. I'm not sure how to address them at entry in a spreadsheet. The other issue is getting images assigned to items. I put in a feature request that there be a way to toggle or indicate image filename=SKU. Hopefully that will get some traction because it would be life changing!

I'll follow this thread. I'm interested to see where it goes.

[Candlestore]

@ClaytonKing;

I can help for Color but not Gender as there has been no way for me to see or test this.

Color - create an Option Set and list all your colors in the Option Set

Then Create an item TestItem in the Dashboard, I know its slower, then for Variation (which you do not usually use) create from Options or some similar wording.  This should give you a Test Item with variations by Color.

You may be able to do the Same for Gender.

Then Apply both Option Sets to Test Item.

Export your Excel Catalog, and sort your catalog by Item, to get Test Item all grouped together. Delete all other items so your Spreedsheet only shows Testitem and its variations.  Save this as Sample Catalog for new items, this will give you a Template that you might be able to work with for uploading to other sources.

I just created 2 option sets which you can do by following this link : 6689-item-options 

The image below shows the Option set for Gendertest that i just created.

I also created an option set for size.  When I applied both of these Option sets Square created 9 version based off of these 2 option sets.  You would nee to scroll to are AB-AD in the spreed sheet to see these two sets being applied in the below image.

Option Name 1 Option Value 1 and then Option name 2 and Option Value 2 are the headers of the 2 option sets that I created.

Reference Handle

Token

Item Name

Variation Name

Unit and Precision

SKU

Description

Reporting Category

SEO Title

SEO Description

Permalink

GTIN

Square Online Item Visibility

Item Type

Weight (lb)

Social Media Link Title

Social Media Link Description

Shipping Enabled

Self-serve Ordering Enabled

Delivery Enabled

Pickup Enabled

Price

Online Sale Price

Archived

Sellable

Stockable

Skip Detail Screen in POS

Option Name 1

Option Value 1

Option Name 2

Option Value 2

Default Unit Cost

Default Vendor Name

Default Vendor Code

Current Quantity Pocono Candle

New Quantity Pocono Candle

Stock Alert Enabled Pocono Candle

Stock Alert Count Pocono Candle

Modifier Set - test modifier field

Tax - Pa Sales Tax (6%)

#testing-male-small

AWJWOIZKE4CYRTR4GVGOUVJC

testing

Male, Small

F118176

unavailable

Physical good

Y

N

N

N

10.00

N

N

Gendertest

Male

Sizetest

Small

N

Y

#testing-male-medium

OYAC5X6IIFQN6G64B22BO7HZ

testing

Male, Medium

P721742

unavailable

Physical good

11.00

N

N

Gendertest

Male

Sizetest

Medium

N

Y

#testing-male-large

SFVMTY2I7QARE4NN7ZSGQ2AS

testing

Male, Large

K316133

unavailable

Physical good

12.00

N

N

Gendertest

Male

Sizetest

Large

N

Y

#testing-female-small

SB2MOGYE42D6HS3W4L34ZXH2

testing

Female, Small

N091960

unavailable

Physical good

10.00

N

N

Gendertest

Female

Sizetest

Small

N

Y

#testing-female-medium

AYGS6GJO4IDR6A2EV7W6NN2Z

testing

Female, Medium

L119109

unavailable

Physical good

11.00

N

N

Gendertest

Female

Sizetest

Medium

N

Y

#testing-female-large

5IAKB66HHJ6MHGRFWCCYDRH7

testing

Female, Large

L217411

unavailable

Physical good

12.00

N

N

Gendertest

Female

Sizetest

Large

N

Y

#testing-non-binary-small

MUKQ6WKYHLVLX5QW4LZDUMBI

testing

non-binary, Small

566567Y

unavailable

Physical good

10.00

N

N

Gendertest

non-binary

Sizetest

Small

N

Y

#testing-non-binary-medium

UOKU4DVQAANY554ACNDMEPA4

testing

non-binary, Medium

G777925

unavailable

Physical good

11.00

N

N

Gendertest

non-binary

Sizetest

Medium

N

Y

#testing-non-binary-large

64Q6JH463DOPBPU6A6SPRNFX

testing

non-binary, Large

457539C

unavailable

Physical good

12.00

N

N

Gendertest

non-binary

Sizetest

Large

N

Y

Hope all this helps.   I have Square automatically setup to create SKU values but you can still use your own value formula for this field using your formulas.