Before assigning codes, choose the identity
A SKU scheme is an operating convention. Its first job is to help people select the right item and keep records connected. Whether the code contains meaningful letters or a sequence of digits is less important than consistent assignment and a rule against accidental reuse.
Start by deciding which differences require separate items. A fictional workwear seller might distinguish size and colour because staff cannot substitute them freely. A packaging supplier might distinguish a single carton from a sealed pack if those are separately stocked sale units. Do not encode a difference merely because it is easy to describe; encode it when your operation needs to distinguish it.
Keep unstable facts in their own fields
A shelf can change, a supplier can be replaced and a price can move. Putting those facts into the permanent identifier creates a choice between a misleading code and a disruptive renaming exercise. Keep them in fields designed to change.
For example, an invented code such as FIT-00482 can remain stable when a fitting moves from Bay A to Bay D. The description and attributes explain the fitting; the location record explains the shelf. If your team prefers meaningful codes, document the abbreviations and test whether new staff can distinguish them. Avoid depending on memorized punctuation or visually similar characters.
Do not confuse SKUs and external barcodes
GS1's GTIN guidance concerns globally identifiable trade items. An internal SKU does not automatically become an acceptable external trade-item identifier. Check your retailer or marketplace's current rules before deciding that an internally generated barcode is sufficient.
inFlow supports existing barcode values and internal barcode generation, and its documentation disallows duplicate barcode values. A barcode therefore needs its own controlled mapping to the intended product. Do not attach one supplier's pack barcode to an individual unit unless the receiving and selling workflow explicitly represents that conversion. Scan speed is of little value when the scanned identity is ambiguous.
Configure the assignment policy and test a new SKU
Specify allowed characters, how new codes are issued, how variants are handled, who checks duplicates and whether retired codes remain reserved. Add a rule for supplier identifiers: preserve them as supplier references rather than silently replacing your internal identity. Keep barcodes as text so spreadsheet software does not remove leading zeros.
Before renaming existing items, identify every order, integration, printed label and export that uses the old code. Build an old-to-new crosswalk and test a small group before a broad change. If the current scheme is merely unattractive but reliable, retain it. Renaming is justified by an operational problem, not a preference for tidier codes. Your next deliverable is a sample item list that another staff member can interpret and maintain consistently.
Sources used for this page
These records support the facts and comparisons above. Merchant-controlled records are labelled so you can separate product claims from independent evidence.
- GS1 trade-item identification — Reference · support.gs1.org · Publisher independence not verified · checked 2026-09-24
- inFlow barcode setup — Merchant documentation · inflowinventory.com · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-24