Adding Products - 'Other' menu Items: 3. Variable Product

O3. Adding a Variable Product 'Other' menu items etc.

(Note: You can also firstly refer if you need to, to the article on the "main menu items" at this article link:

Adding Products - Main Entry Boxes

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A Variable Product is a product with variations (i.e. options). Each variation may have a different SKU, price, Stock option, etc. For example a photographic print in different sizes. It could also have additional variations such as mounted or unmounted.

Variable Products are one of the more complex product types.

The Variable Product has two 'Other' menu items of note: Attributes and Variations. Details below:

Firstly as per the image above, there are the Attributes to consider.

In addition to the Standard, Global attributes (viz. Edition, Material, Medium, Prevailing colour, Shape, Size, Style/Movement and Subject) you need to create a (Product) attribute for each variation you wish to include. This will apply to your product alone, whereas the other Global Attributes will be referenced on all products by all artists.

To add your attribute, firstly, go to the 'add attribute' box at the bottom (see the yellow box in the above image) and Click on ADD.

The following, variation attribute entry box then appears:

We will explain each entry required:

Active?      Tick this box to make it active or untick it to disable it.

Name:         Enter an Attribute Name (We have entered SIZE).

Value(s)        Enter values for all Attribute Values you wish to add, separating each by a "|". We have
 S | M | L.

Visible on the product page        This box enables the Attribute Value details to be listed on the Front End of the Product Page under the 'Additional Information' tab. See the screenshot below:

Next attribute item, we have: 
Use as a Variation tick box        This tick box enables the "Variation Values S | M etc." to be available under the Variation left-hand menu button. Under this menu button, there are settings, where you will be able to add specific SKU, Price, Stock, etc. for your Variation Value(s) (S | M ).

{Notably, if you only select 'Visible on the Product Page' and not "Use as Variation", it is a way of adding special information about your product to the front-end product page in the front-end product  'Additional Information' column display}.

In the image below, we have the Variation Other menu button image and settings (S ! M) mentioned in the previous paragraph above:

Step 1:         Variations Bulk Options

Choose  "(create from) variations from all attributes". 

This will create a list of Variation options from the Product Attributes that you have created, that have been enabled with "Use as Variation", (Refer to immediate, previous subheading details on the Attributes).

Step 2:         Blue Arrow button

For each variation (eg. S & M), click on the blue down arrow on the right-hand side of the 'variation value' (eg. M for medium) for the Data Settings Table for your selected Variation, as in the image below.

(Blue arrow for opening and closing the variation data form. is identified by the Yellow Box)

The details below cover all settings for the individual variation shown above:

Enable Tick to turn on. Untick to switch Off.

Manage Stock     Enables additional entry boxes for stock management: Stock Qty, & Backorders?

Image    Click to add an image that describes your variation product. It is used in the shopping cart to identify a  purchase etc.

Regular Price(£)   is a required entry if you want to enable your variation.

Sale Price(£)    Enter a reduced selling price if you want to identify your item as 'On Sale'.

SKU    If you use Stock Keeping Units, enter them here otherwise, leave them blank.

Stock status    In stock / Out of stock / On back order

Weight (kg) / Length (cm) / Width (cm) / Height (cm)     Entries in these boxes are required for your shipping if it is dependent on them. Can be left blank if not relevant to how you have chosen to calculate your shipping costs.

Shipping class       Choose a shipping class from:

Same as Parent (Refer to the parent Shipping Submenu item setup, which can be No Shipping Class); Large Letter; Large Parcel; Letter; Medium Parcel; Other; Small Parcel.

Tax class      Choose a tax class from:

Same as Parent (Refer to Tax Submenu item settings. Tax Status can be None); Standard; Reduced Rate; Zero Rate.

Description      Enter a variation or option description here

Finally, all other 'Other' menu item entries are as covered previously for the Simple product.