Use the Style Matrix from the Item list to overview and mass update Variants

The master data style matrix in Business Central lets you update and modify many item variants at once. You find it in the variant handling menu in the item list. It works almost like the information matrix, but with one key difference: every time you open the style matrix, it clears the existing lines and rebuilds them based on the style or item you have selected.

When you stand on a style variant, the style matrix automatically finds the style header and loads all variants belonging to that style. When you stand on a standard Business Central item variant, it loads the variant lines for that item instead. The matrix reads the template type automatically, so it knows whether to base the lines on the item table or the item variant table.

You can then mass update or modify the variant lines directly in the matrix, the same way you do in the information matrix.

How the style matrix differs from the information matrix

The information matrix remembers your work between sessions. If you are on item number 7000 and open the information matrix, it displays the template you used last time, along with all the items you had loaded last time. You can manually delete or update lines, and the next time you open the information matrix, it remembers those lines.

The style matrix behaves differently in two ways. First, when you open it, it deletes all the lines in the information matrix and rebuilds them based on the style you have marked. Second, it figures out the correct template type on its own.

Working with style variants

If you are on a style variant and open the style matrix, it automatically finds the style header, deletes everything in the matrix, and replaces it with that style. For example, if you open style 11000, the matrix shows only that style. You might see 17 lines covering colors, length, tire type, base unit of measure, and so on.

Working with standard item variants

If you open the style matrix from a regular item, the behaviour depends on the template. Take item 710. When you open the style matrix, it fills in all the variants from item 710. If you look at the matrix template card, you can see it is based on table 27, because the template on this style is based on the item table.

For an item whose template is based on variants, the matrix opens a different template. This one is called the cloth item template, and it is based on table 5401. The matrix figures this out automatically and replaces all the lines with the item variant lines, which you can then modify or mass update.

The same applies to standard items that use item variants in Business Central. Take the touring bike, which uses item variants as standard variants. When you open the style matrix, it substitutes all the lines and loads the information for that item.

Choosing the right template

The columns you see depend on the template you select. With some templates, the columns can look a little empty. In that case you need to select another template that shows the relevant information for that item. This works the same way as in the information matrix, so the same logic for templates and columns applies.

What you get out of it

The style matrix gives you an easy way to modify and mass update variants without going through them one at a time. It is essentially the information matrix with a smart loading step on top: it always shows you the variants tied to the style or item you are working on, and it picks the correct template type automatically.

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