Auto Generate SKU

I'm sure this has been asked or covered somewhere but I cant seem to find what I need.

I'm sure there are others out there that could benefit from an auto generated SKU number. As I use and understand a SKU (stock keeping unit) number, it's a unique identifying number to each individual product. I.E. A white adult small t-shirt and a white adult large t-shirt are 2 different products. So the white adult t-shirt in a size small and a white adult t-shirt in size large have different SKU numbers. And UPC's as well. And that sometimes can be the case with the model number depending on the situation. However, in most cases the SKU and UPC are mostly used and determine the difference between the 2 items. Furthermore, a white adult small COTTON t-shirt and a white adult small POLYESTER t-shirt will be different SKU and UPC numbers as well.

Bottom line is I'm selling a white adult t-shirt. The option values are Size, Material, color.

I use a separate software that does not separate the different options. Instead tracks each item as a completely different item. So I've created a formula in MS Excel to generate the SKU number I need for my inventory to track each item separate.
I.E. (ID # from database)
Category ID: 32
Item ID: 63
-Parent Option 1 ID: 11
-Child Option 1 ID: 2
-Child Option 2 ID: 23
--Parent Option 2 ID: 13
--Child Option 1 ID: 21
My MS Excel spreadsheet then gives me a unique SKU number for that item of 3263112231321. Which is unique. But this is a manual process for me but I need it in order to organize my product and produce a scanable barcode for each item as I sell it to my dealers and consumers.

I'm hoping to see this as an option very soon.

Thanks
Kevin

Hi,

Did you find solution. If no, I can help for you I think. Please PM me and we'll discuss about that.

Search the marketplace by "sku", plenty different extensions out there.

Well, OC sets the SKU on the main product, regardless of options, which you would have to change, everywhere (also reports, invoices, etc) as part of the sku would now have to be stored at the product_option_value level.

In OC a unique product is basically identifiable by product_id + (product_option_value_id)[0-n].
But options only play a part there for mandatory (required) options.
Category has no value there as you can link a product to multiple categories, in OC a category is more like a menu item, part of the path to a product.

So it all depends on that you want to do with the sku and where.
Creating a barcode is the peanuts part.

Hello Kevin,

If you want to generate barcode for each option then you might look for separate OC modules for this part, rest if you want a unique SKU for each option then custom work required to add option sku in OC, as they allow SKU only for products, you may look for different option modules you will get an idea how UPS, SKU or EAN works in Opencart.
If you want any custom work do message us.

Thanks.

Kind Regards:

letxobnav wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 03, 2019 7:26 pm

Well, OC sets the SKU on the main product, regardless of options, which you would have to change, everywhere (also reports, invoices, etc) as part of the sku would now have to be stored at the product_option_value level.

In OC a unique product is basically identifiable by product_id + (product_option_value_id)[0-n].
But options only play a part there for mandatory (required) options.
Category has no value there as you can link a product to multiple categories, in OC a category is more like a menu item, part of the path to a product.

So it all depends on that you want to do with the sku and where.
Creating a barcode is the peanuts part.

These are great points. You’re right on the category. No need for that to be part of the SKU. In reality, it doesn’t even have to follow my method. If the system just generated a unique number for each item down the the final option, that would work. I see there are modules that allow you to set a SKU for each option. That’s good. My hang up is I need the separate sku’s To be listed as one number. So we can print it as a scalable barcode on our item labels as we do distributor fill orders on site and our mobile software doesn’t track by options. Only each item scanned. So every one needs to be unique. I can do it all manually but as we grow from 150 numbers to say 1000 numbers, that will get cumbersome. I’m hoping for a more automated solution without breaking the bank. I export to excel now, then write formulas and sort the item in order to generate a sku now. Sounds easy but takes about 2 hours to combine sheets, remove unneeded items, sort them, change titles and insert the formula. Check it’s working. Then print each number needed in the barcode/label software. Hope all that helps give a better pic of what we’re hoping to accomplish. Thanks in advance.

Is there a possibility of someone creating a quick easy MS excel csv download in order to download my products (with options) DB rows into a CSV file and generate the needed SKU's on the end result based on their ID's? Or even altering the current import/export mod I have to do that? That would at least make my life much easier for starters while I work on a little bigger solution.

Hi there,

Yes, we can do this for you, write us a PM if you want this custom work.

Thanks.
Kind Regards :