Scanning a variation — which one did I just scan?
A variable product — one shirt in four sizes, one lipstick in six shades — is a group, and each variation inside it is the thing you actually sell. Each variation has its own barcode, and scanning one tells you which variation matched and how much of it sits in each outlet.
The parent code is a group, not a product
The variable product itself has a code, but it is only there to hold the group together. Never sell it and never print it on a label — it does not identify anything a customer can pick up.
What a scan tells you
Searching or scanning a variation code shows you which variation it matched rather than just the group name:
- The variation’s own name — "Blue", "Large", "Shade 04"
- Its own code, so you can confirm it is the one in your hand
- Its stock broken down per outlet, not the group total
Why the group total was confusing
A group row shows the sum of every variation. Someone who has just scanned one shade sees a number covering all of them, which reads as "there are plenty" when the shade in their hand may be the last one. The per-variation breakdown exists so the number on screen answers the question that was actually asked.
Stock is per variation, per outlet
Each variation holds its own stock in each outlet. Transfers, stocktakes and sales all act on the variation, never on the group.
Frequently asked questions
Why does scanning show a different name from the product?
Because you scanned a variation, and the variation is what you are selling. The product name above it is the group it belongs to.
Can I sell the parent product?
No. The parent is a grouping. Sell and label the variations.
Why does the group show more stock than the variation?
The group total adds up every variation. The variation figure is the one that tells you whether you can sell the item in your hand.
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