SKU Substitutions

SKU Substitutions is a unified interface that manages different types of product relationships in your inventory. Use it to link channel SKUs to inventory SKUs, translate kits to components, map replacement products, and configure unit of measure relationships.

This feature helps you handle complex product scenarios like multi-channel selling, product bundles, seasonal variants, and automatic substitutions when products are unavailable.

Quick Start

Access SKU Substitutions from Inventory, then click the SKU Substitutions button in the Catalog toolbar. The interface opens in a new tab with four main sections: Aliases, Sets (Synsets), Alternatives, and UOM.

Why Use SKU Substitutions?

Multi-Channel Support

Link channel-specific SKUs to your inventory SKUs using aliases for seamless integration across sales channels.

Product Bundles

Translate kits or bundles into their component SKUs using synsets for accurate inventory tracking and fulfillment.

Automatic Replacements

Map alternative SKUs that can automatically substitute unavailable products during order processing.

Unit of Measure

Configure UOM relationships to designate pack quantities and handle different measurement units for the same product.

Types of Substitutions

SKU Substitutions manages four types of product relationships:

1. Aliases

Purpose: Link channel SKUs to inventory SKUs

Aliases connect SKUs from external sales channels (like Amazon, Shopify, or distribution centers) to your internal inventory SKUs. This allows the system to recognize different SKU names from various channels as the same product in your inventory.

Use Cases:

• Multi-channel selling where each channel uses different SKU codes
• Distribution center integration with different naming conventions
• Legacy system migration where old SKU codes need mapping

2. Sets (Synsets)

Purpose: Translate kits or bundles to components

Synsets define product bundles or kits and their component SKUs. When an order comes in for a kit, the system breaks it down into individual component SKUs for accurate inventory tracking and fulfillment.

Use Cases:

• Product bundles sold as a single unit but fulfilled as separate items
• Kits with multiple components
• Gift sets and promotional packages

3. Alternatives

Purpose: Map replacement SKUs for products

Alternatives define products that can substitute each other when one is unavailable. The system can automatically suggest or use alternative SKUs during order processing when the original SKU is out of stock.

Use Cases:

• Seasonal product variants (summer/winter versions)
• Size or color substitutions with customer approval
• Product upgrades or downgrades
• Discontinued product replacements

4. UOM (Unit of Measure)

Purpose: Designates the quantity of a SKU as a pack

UOM relationships define how individual units relate to packs or larger measurement units. This helps manage products sold in different quantities (e.g., individual units vs. cases).

Note: UOM is only available when enabled in your account settings.

Accessing SKU Substitutions

1. Navigate to Inventory

   Go to Inventory in the main navigation menu.

2. Click SKU Substitutions

   In the Inventory toolbar, click the SKU Substitutions button. The SKU Substitutions interface opens in a new tab.

3. Select a Tab

   Choose the tab you want to work with:

   • Aliases - For channel SKU mapping
   • Sets (Synsets) - For kit/bundle configuration
   • Alternatives - For replacement product mapping
   • UOM - For unit of measure relationships (if enabled)

Creating New Substitutions

1. Open SKU Substitutions

   Navigate to Inventory, then click SKU Substitutions.

2. Click Create

   Click the Create button in the SKU Substitutions page header.

3. Choose Substitution Type

   In the modal that appears, select the type of substitution you want to create:

   • Aliases: Link channel SKUs to inventory SKUs
   • Kits: Translate kits or bundles to components
   • Alternatives: Map replacement SKUs for products
   • UOM: Designate the quantity of a SKU as a pack

4. Complete the Form

   Fill in the required information based on the substitution type you selected. The form fields vary depending on the type.

5. Save

   Click Save or Continue to create the substitution relationship.

Working with Aliases

Aliases connect external channel SKUs to your internal inventory SKUs.

Creating an Alias

1. Navigate to SKU Substitutions → Aliases tab
2. Click Create button
3. Select Aliases from the substitution type options
4. Enter the channel SKU and map it to your inventory SKU
5. Specify the channel or distribution center
6. Save the alias relationship

Managing Aliases

• View: All aliases are displayed in the Aliases table
• Edit: Click on an alias row to modify the relationship
• Delete: Remove alias relationships when no longer needed
• Filter: Use table filters to find specific aliases

Working with Sets (Synsets)

Synsets define product bundles and their component SKUs.

Creating a SynSet

1. Navigate to SKU Substitutions → Sets (Synsets) tab
2. Click Create button
3. Select Kits from the substitution type options
4. Enter the SynSet name and description
5. Add component SKUs with their quantities
6. Configure additional settings (BOM SKU, shipping method, mix/max)
7. Save the SynSet

Managing SynSets

• View: SynSets are displayed in a grid showing components and quantities
• Edit: Click the edit icon on a SynSet to modify components
• Delete: Remove SynSets that are no longer in use
• Upload: Import SynSets from CSV files using the Upload SynSet button
• Convert: Convert SynSets to Aliases using the Convert to Aliases button

Working with Alternatives

Alternatives map replacement SKUs that can substitute unavailable products.

Creating an Alternative

1. Navigate to SKU Substitutions → Alternatives tab
2. Choose a SKU or SynSet from the list
3. Click the + button next to the selected item
4. In the modal that opens, choose between Skus or Synsets tabs to find your alternative
5. Use the search filters or browse the table to find the alternative SKU or SynSet
6. Click the Select button in the Actions column for the alternative you want to use
7. Review the relationship visualization in the confirmation modal
8. If creating a SKU-to-SKU relationship (not SynSet), you can optionally check Bidirectional to create the relationship in both directions
9. Click Confirm to save the alternative relationship

Managing Alternatives

• View: All products with alternatives are shown in the Alternatives table
• Edit: Click the edit icon to modify alternative relationships
• Remove: Delete alternative relationships when products are discontinued
• Trace: View the complete substitution path using the trace feature

Working with UOM

UOM relationships define pack quantities and measurement units.

Note: UOM functionality is only available when enabled in your account settings.

Creating a UOM Relationship

1. Navigate to SKU Substitutions → UOM tab
2. Click Create button
3. Select UOM from the substitution type options
4. Enter the base SKU and pack SKU
5. Define the quantity relationship
6. Configure additional UOM settings
7. Save the UOM relationship

Best Practices

Consistent Naming

Use clear, descriptive names for SynSets and consistent relationship types for alternatives to make management easier.

Regular Review

Periodically review and update substitution relationships, especially when discontinuing products or changing product lines.

Test Substitutions

Test alternative substitutions with manual orders before relying on automatic substitution in production.

Document Relationships

Keep notes on why certain substitutions exist to help team members understand product relationships.

Importing and Exporting

Importing SynSets

You can import SynSet configurations from CSV files:

1. Navigate to SKU Substitutions → Sets (Synsets) tab
2. Click Upload SynSet button
3. Select your CSV file
4. Map columns to SynSet fields
5. Review and confirm the import

Exporting Data

Export substitution data directly from the tables:

1. Navigate to the appropriate tab (Aliases, SynSets, Alternatives, or UOM)
2. Choose your export format (CSV, Excel)
3. Download the exported file

Troubleshooting

Alternative Not Working

Problem: Alternative SKU is not being used during order processing.

Solutions:

1. Verify alternative is set up in SKU Substitutions → Alternatives tab
2. Check that the alternative relationship is active
3. Ensure the alternative SKU has available inventory
4. Verify order rules allow substitution
5. Test with a manual order to verify substitution works

SynSet Not Breaking Down

Problem: Kit orders are not being broken into component SKUs.

Solutions:

1. Verify SynSet is configured correctly in Sets (Synsets) tab
2. Check that all component SKUs exist and are active
3. Ensure component quantities are set correctly
4. Verify the order is using the SynSet name, not individual SKUs

Alias Not Recognized

Problem: Channel SKU is not mapping to inventory SKU.

Solutions:

1. Verify alias exists in Aliases tab
2. Check that channel type matches your integration
3. Ensure alias is active and not deleted
4. Verify the channel SKU format matches exactly

UOM Tab Not Visible

Problem: UOM tab is not showing in SKU Substitutions.

Solutions:

1. Check if UOM is enabled in your account settings
2. Verify your user level has access to UOM features
3. Contact support if UOM should be enabled but is not visible

Related Documentation

• Active SKUs - Learn about alternative SKU configuration
• Product Families (SynSets) - Detailed SynSet management guide
• SKU Management - Complete SKU lifecycle management
• Catalog Management - Product catalog overview