In the same company, we can use items with no variance on it or items that uses variance, and we can use variance with the normal variant functionality or we can use it with creating item as variance.
In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central with apparel and fashion functionality, you can manage product variants in two different ways. You can use the standard variant functionality, where one item number holds multiple variants, or you can create each item as its own variant with a separate item number. Both methods can run side by side in the same company.
You control whether an item is a style master or a style variant using two fields on the item card: the style name and the style master checkbox. The style master holds the general specifications shared across all variants, so you only enter that information once at the top level.
You can create many item variants in one go using the item creation worksheet. The system automatically tags them as style variants and links them to the shared style name. You can also import new items from vendors or your development department through an Excel sheet, using the same style number and a column for the style master flag.
Using items with and without variants in the same company
You are not locked into one approach. In the same company, you can use items that have no variants at all, items that use variants, and items that combine both methods. You can run the normal variant functionality alongside the approach where each item is created as a separate variant. This flexibility lets you handle different product types the way that makes sense for each of them.
How the style structure works: style master, style template and style variant
The structure is built around three concepts: the style master, the style template, and the style variant.
When you create a new style master, you typically enter an item number and a style name. The style name is common to all the different variants under that style. You then check the field that marks the item as a style master. This tells the system that the item is the main placeholder for the style.
The general specifications for the style are added at the master level. If you use the specification on the master data, all the general information you want to record about the style is entered on this top level first. That way you avoid repeating the same details on every variant.
Creating multiple variants with the item creation worksheet
You define a style template when you create items using the item creation worksheet. The worksheet lets you create many item variants in one go. Each variant is automatically tagged as a style variant rather than a style master, and they are all combined under the same style name.
You can also import items manually. If you receive new items from vendors or from your development department, you can import them with the same style number through an Excel sheet. You include a column for the style master checkbox, and the setup happens automatically on import. There is nothing extra you need to configure afterwards.
Defining a style master with the standard variant functionality
If you use the standard variant functionality, the setup is straightforward. Take an item such as item 6,000 as an example. You check the field that marks it as a style master, enter the style name and the style template, and then open the item variants list. There you enter all the different variant names.
In this case it is the standard Business Central relationship between item numbers and variants that ties everything together. One item number holds the list of variants, and each variant name distinguishes the individual products.
Q&A
What is the difference between a style master and a style variant?
A style master is the main placeholder for a style and holds the general specifications shared across all variants. A style variant is an individual product under that style. You mark an item as a style master using the style master checkbox on the item card, and variants are linked to the same style name.
Can I use both variant approaches in the same company?
Yes. In the same company you can use items without variants, items using the standard variant functionality, and items created as separate variants with their own item numbers. The methods can coexist.
How do I create many variants at once?
Use the item creation worksheet. It lets you create multiple item variants in one operation, and the system automatically tags them as style variants and links them to the shared style name.
Can I import items from vendors with variant information?
Yes. You can import new items from vendors or your development department using an Excel sheet with the same style number and a column for the style master checkbox. The setup is applied automatically on import, so no extra configuration is needed.
Where do I enter the general specifications for a style?
You enter the general specifications on the style master at the top level. All general information about the style is added there first, so it does not need to be repeated on each variant.