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Creating an Item Variation
Creating an Item Variation

An overview of the various ways to create item variations for your existing items

Nick Neale avatar
Written by Nick Neale
Updated over a week ago

Article Contents

Introduction

Item variations allow you to have multiple versions of an inventory item.

This could be because it can be ordered in different formats/sizes, or purchased from more than one distributor / supplier.

To learn more about item variations, please see:

There are 3 ways to create an item variation:

  1. From an existing item

  2. When adding an invoice

  3. Grouping existing inventory items together to make them variations

From an Existing Item

Note: Currently, this feature is only available on the WISK Web Portal.

To add a variation from an existing item:

  1. Hover your cursor over the item on the WISK Web Portal and click the “Edit” button (the pencil icon)

    An arrow points to the "Edit" button beside the item name.
  2. Click the “Item Variations” drop-down menu

    The "Item Variations" drop-down menu is highlighted for emphasis.

  3. Click “Create new item variation”

    The "Item Variations" drop-down menu has been clicked and an arrow points to "Create new item variation".

    Note: “Clone this item variation” creates an exact copy of the variation. This is useful if most of the details are the same, except for something like the distributor. For more information, please see:

  4. Fill in the item variation details. The only required field is the item measurement. When adding a Variation name, it should be a short description of what makes it distinct from the other variation (this could be in regards to the case size, item size, or the distributor name if different). The Variation name appears beside the item when searching for it.

    Note: If you're adding an item variation that uses a different measurement type (weight, volume, unit-based), you'll need to set a conversion rate. See "Item Variation with a Different Measurement Type"

    The create new item variation window.
  5. Click “Save”

    The item variation details have been added, including the distributor, cost, and a new item size (1L). The save button is highlighted for emphasis.

    Note: If the Variation Name field is left blank, it populates with the item measurement after clicking “Save”

  6. The item variation now appears, and you can click it to edit or add information

    The new variation appears under "Item Variations" and can be clicked.

Adding an Invoice

Just like when adding new items to your venue after your initial setup, you’ll mostly add new item variations from invoices.

You may order an item in a specific format from one of your suppliers, but they’ll send you a different size because of low or no stock.

Note: Item variations can only be created on invoices that are added to the WISK Web Portal at this time.

Manual Invoice or Purchase Order (Web)

Whether you’re adding a manual invoice on the WISK Web Portal, or have converted a purchase order into an invoice, the process to add an item variation is the same.

To create an item variation on an invoice:

  1. Click the “New” button beside the “Add Item” field, and select “Item Variation”

    The "New" button is highlighted and has been clicked. An arrow points to the "Item Variation" option.
  2. Scroll through the item list, or use the search to find the item you want to create a new item variation for, and click the matching result

    The name of the item has been entered in the "Type to search" field and an arrow points to the matching search result.
  3. Give the new variation a name that describes the format, and set the item measurement size. Then click “Save”

    The item variation has been given a title and the measurement size has been set. The "Save" button is highlighted.
  4. The variation is created, and you can add the amount received and the cost. Then click “Add”

    The amount of the item being received and the cost has been entered. An arrow points to the "Add' button.
  5. The new item variation is added to the invoice. The amount added on the invoice is converted into the default item variation measurement.

Note: If you’re adding an invoice from a purchase order, you’ll need to remove the item that you originally ordered if you didn’t receive any of it so you can replace it with the new variation. Click the blue arrow beside the item, then “Remove”

The blue arrow button beside the item is highlighted. The blue arrow has been clicked, an an arrow points to the "Remove' option.

Draft Invoice

If you scanned or emailed an invoice and uploaded it to your account, or had an invoice imported directly into your account via a supplier integration, you can add the item variation when reviewing the draft invoice.

For more information, please see:

Item Variation with a Different Measurement Type

When adding an item variation, if it has a different measurement type, you have to set a conversion rate for it before it can be counted in inventory.

Note: This conversion only applies to inventory and invoices. If you need to convert an item from weight to volume or vice versa for mapping recipes, we recommend doing this via a batch. To learn more, see:

Lets say we normally purchase and track our inventory of apples by the pound, however we want to be able to count individual units.

  1. When you select a measurement type that is different from the default item variation (volume, weight, unit-based), the "Measurement Conversion" field appears

    The item is inventoried in lbs, but "Unit" is selected as the measurement. The Measurement Conversion field appears.
  2. Enter the quantity and unit of measurement that is equal to the amount in the "Measurement" field. In this example, the conversion is set to 1 unit = 0.333lbs

    The conversion has been set at 1 unit = 0.333lbs

    Note: This conversion is based on the average weight of an apple

  3. Fill out the rest of the item details and create the item variation. The variation appears and shows the conversion rate

    The item variation is created and shows the conversion rate

Inventorying

When taking an inventory count, you'll see an option to count the item variation. The item variation is converted into the unit of measurement of the default item variation.

In the example below, 6 individual apples are counted and converted into 2lbs (0.333lb x 6).

6 units of apples have been counted, which is equal to 2lbs.

Note: As a reminder, this conversion only applies to counting and invoices. If you need to convert an item from weight to volume for mapping recipes, we recommend doing this via a batch. To learn more, see:

Grouping Items

If you already have items that could be item variations as separate items in your venue, you can group them together under one item.

When you group items, you determine the default item, and then the others are added as variations to the default.

For more information, please see:

Archiving / Deleting an Item Variation

If you no longer carry an item variation, you can choose to archive it.

Note: You can't archive an item variation if it is the current default.

  1. Hover your cursor over the item on the WISK Web Portal and click the “Edit” button (the pencil icon)

    An arrow points to the pencil icon button.
  2. Select the item variation, then click the drop-down arrow and select "Archive"

    The drop-down arrow has been clicked and an arrow points to the "Archive" menu option.

  3. Click "OK" on the confirmation window

    An arrow points to the "OK" button

  4. The item variation is archived and no longer visible

    The 1L item variation is no longer visible

    Note: To view archived item variations, click the drop-down arrow and you'll see a "View archived variations" option.

    The drop-down arrow has been clicked and "View archived variations" appears in the list of options.

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