Checkout Search has changed again and can no longer search by sku, partial sku or vendor code?!

[superrealmuch]

Hello!

I run a small, mostly vintage, clothing store and my whole system of searching has been based on sku-partial sku really. When you carry multiple white t-shirts you can understand why this may be necessary.

The most recent app update has taken this away and it is so frustrating. Searching by key word is absurd in my case. Please tell me this was an over site in coding or something!

Any update on this issue is greatly appreciated!

*cat

[Candlestore]

@superrealmuch;

I believe this may have been a bug.  I use SKUs for searcing for my items through mainly a barcode scanner.  I know I can search by GTIN, SKU, Item name , Partial or full name of items.  The more I type the smaller the search list gets as it eliminates items that are not spelled that way anymore.  Like if I type Green  i get results for Green Apple or Green Tea , but as soon as I type " T" Green apple disappears from search resuts.  

Now I am unsure of Key Word searches as I never search by that and am not even sure if I have it in my Catalog of Items for my physical store to search by for POS or Retail app searches.  I will be checking on this when I get to the store as I agree, I can not only search by Keywords with over 11,000 items.

[Candlestore · Accepted solution]

@superrealmuch ;

I just got to the store, saw I had an Update for version 6.64w for Square for Retail.  Installed the updat on my Square Stand.  Did a search for 28oz..... it started populating all items that I have 28 in the Item name field, 28 in the Version Name field... list was so long that I did not notice if SKU's were populating too.  Then I typed in Bar..... which started populating all my Wax melts that the Version name in Options is Bar.  Ok time to try the SKU search, did a Partial SKU search of d31 of my items because my one item is D31XXXX were ex was 4 digits.  The item was found along with a few others.  Not sure exactly why the d353 howed up in other items as I did not really look at what was in Bold lettering on the search.  I decided to add a Picture of a search for D31 and found 5 items that showed D31 in the SKU circled in Green plus a few more that I could tap on since they had Multiple options with the partial sku of D31.  Here is the image:

Try testing the Search box again, and if that does not work,

Try updating Square for Retail by uninstalling and reinstalling the app... maybe the update had a bug or got corrupted downloading from the server.  

[superrealmuch]

Oooh. Thank you for taking the time to respond! Your reply has helped me understand the update a little bit. The partial SKU search used to work for ANY part of the SKU. 

For example a SKU in my store would be FW-20250216-EWIN203-WTL

SKUs are supposed to be an internal language for you to understand what the item is just by looking at it. So my sku is:

FW (or SS) for the season

20250216 for the date I purchased it (so I can have a thoughtful markdown system)

EWIN203 for the vendor I bought it from with an increasing number attached which shows how many items I have purchased from them over the years

WTL, which stands for Woman Top - L/S, for  the category. This is helpful when I am selling an item that could be either men's or women's so at a quick glance of the search the SKU would help me pick the correct item.

The most signifying part of my sku is the vendor and that is what I have hand written on the label of the item. EWIN203

But the update now only lets you search from the beginning of the SKU. Which is what your reply helped me get to.

I spoke to customer service for a very long time yesterday and they were kind about it but seemed to imply that I simply (ha!) need to change my SKU system which would lead to me altering every single SKU. They put in a feature request but I just do not understand why this was changed at all when I have been able to search for ANY partial sku for 4+ years.

My SKU system also helps me see inventory levels quickly. I could search how many fall/winter items that I purchased in 2024 left just by searching FW-2024. If I alter my SKU to have the identifying vendor first so that the item can come up in the checkout, I can no longer easily search in the inventory tab as the inventory tab also no longer allows partial SKU search.

I also do not want to start altering my SKU system if they bring back the amazing feature of being able to search ANY part of the SKU in both the checkout and inventory. Why was it ever changed at all?!

Anywho, long story not short. Thanks again Candlestore for replying!

[Candlestore]

@superrealmuch ;

Your welcome.

I think before the up date if I typed in a Sku partiall with 20..... Square would start populating 6000 items out of 11000 for instance.  Now that Square is looking at the SKU from front to back in order, it limits the items populated.

Yea since Square is searching for the SKU, in your case you would need to start with the beging of the SKU.  I just tried searching for Pecan, which is in my Items name, Sku and Variation name.  The item is 28oz Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, and I have variations 8oz Pumpkin Pecan Waffles and a Sku of 16 Pumpkin Pecan Waffles.  My search would find the Item name and Varitaion and the SKU but now it does not find the SKU.  Now if I scanned my SKU Pumpkin Pecan Waffles 8oz..... then that item shows right up.

I know with some of my items they are marked by the manufacturer with a 6 digit item code plus along name.  When I create this item I call it (the long name) followed by the 6 digit code.  Then when I want to look for this item since it is not barcoded, I type in the 6 digit code.  Since the item would be named something like Christmas ornaments with Trees and Sleds 45678, by having the space I can just type in 45678 which is in the name of the item, and not have to type the long name or remember the SKU.  I put the code at the end because before Square would put a certain number of Characters on a Receipt for the Item name, so usually this 5 digit code did not print, but the SKU or GTIN does on receipts.  Not sure if this is still the case or what Digital receipts or Online invoices may look like.  Just so you test these receipts / invoices before using this.

[JJ_]

Thank you for this detailed response @Candlestore.  I appreciate you taking the time to troubleshoot this for @superrealmuch.  ✨