Core stock record

SKUs

A SKU is the stock item TrueSKU treats as the source of truth. Listings and supplier items usually point back to SKUs.

When to create a SKU

Create a SKU for anything you sell and need to count.

This includes single products, stock-controlled variations, and stock items that appear on more than one channel.

Use clear, stable SKU codes.

A SKU code should not change just because the title, supplier or listing changes.

Use notes for operational context.

Notes are useful for packing hints, supplier caveats or setup reminders.

Ways to create SKUs

Method	Best when
Create manually	You want precise control over each stock record.
Create from listings	Your marketplace listing SKUs/custom labels are clean.
Create from supplier items	Your supplier spreadsheet/order codes are the cleanest source of truth.
CSV import/upsert	You want to bulk create or update existing SKUs by SKU code.

Whichever route you choose, the SKU should become the central stock record. Listings and supplier items can then be linked to it.

Updating SKUs with CSV

You can export SKUs, edit supported details such as name, barcode, location, image_url and notes, then re-import the file. Existing SKUs are matched by the sku column and updated rather than duplicated.

Stock quantities are not imported through the SKU CSV tool. That is deliberate. Stock changes should go through audited movements such as sales, purchase order receiving, manual adjustments or stock takes.

For the full rules, see CSV Imports & Exports.

Opening stock

When you create a SKU with an opening quantity, TrueSKU records the SKU at zero first and then applies the opening balance through a stock movement. That keeps the audit trail complete from day one.

Changing stock

Stock changes should always have a reason. Manual and error corrections require a note so you can later understand why the figure changed.

Good practice: use purchase orders for supplier deliveries, sales imports for sales, and manual adjustments only when correcting or counting stock.

SKU locations

SKUs can optionally store a location reference such as a shelf, bay, aisle, picking position or bulk storage reference. This is a flexible text field, so you can use the structure that suits your warehouse or stock room.

Use a consistent format.

Examples might include A-01-03, PICK-A2, RACK-4-BIN-12, or your own zone/aisle/bay/shelf format.

Import and export locations with CSV.

The location field can be maintained directly in TrueSKU or included when importing and exporting SKU data.

Locations are informational for now.

TrueSKU currently stores the SKU location as a reference field. Stock is still controlled at SKU level rather than being split into separate warehouse or bin balances.