Variant generator · 100 variants in 10 seconds

Create variants visually - pick properties, click options, define patterns, generate. With unified search, pattern accordions and the new variant matrix for bulk maintenance.

Property and option selection

• Left: all properties of your shop (e.g. colour, size, material)
• Right: the options of the currently selected property as chips

Click adds options to the variant list. Even with 40+ options per property the selector stays clear - with search and "Select all" button per property.

Unified search

One single search at the top filters properties and options simultaneously. Type "red" and all property groups with the option "red" stay visible while matches on the right are highlighted.

Patterns for SKU and variant name

Available variables

• {parentNumber} - product number of the parent
• {firstVariantNumber} - number of the first variant
• {parentName} - name of the parent
• {options} - all options, joined with the separator
• {option1}, {option2}, {option3} - value of the selected options (in click order)
• {group1}, {group2} - property group name
• {counter} - running number

{number} from older patterns is still read as {parentNumber}. Placeholders such as {base}, {property:…} or {counter:03} do not exist. Separator, option name format (full, upper case, lower case or first 3 characters) and the maximum product number length (at most 64 characters) are set in the config matrix.

Pattern accordions

Two dedicated accordions - one for the SKU, one for the variant name.

• Collapsed: shows the current pattern as a code chip on the right
• Expanded: input field plus clickable variable chips
• Clicking a chip inserts the variable directly into the active pattern
• Focus jumps to the correct field automatically

Examples

• Number: {parentNumber}-{option1}-{option2} → SW-1001-red-S
• Name: {parentName} ({option1}, {option2}) → T-Shirt Basic (red, S)

Live preview

During configuration the preview shows the first five combinations with concrete product number and name. If there are more, a hint "and more …" appears. In bulk edit the total "variants × products" is shown as well.

Default patterns in the config matrix

SKU and name patterns can be set globally as defaults in the config matrix. Per-product override is possible - divergent patterns are saved in the product detail under "Variant generator".

Storefront presentation & multi-language names

After generation, the plugin automatically sets the storefront presentation like the Shopware default ("display single product → variant"). An existing pre-selection takes precedence; otherwise the variant with the lowest article number becomes the pre-selection (incl. listing configuration, top position, audit-log entry).

Parent as pre-selection: the variant list toolbar has a star-icon button "Parent as pre-selection". It sets the parent product itself as the storefront listing (variantListingConfig.displayParent = true) instead of a single variant - e.g. when the listing should show the main product with variant selection. Clicking again removes it. Setting a variant pre-selection automatically switches back, and variant generation no longer overwrites a deliberately set parent listing.

Variant names are resolved per language: parent name, option and group names are loaded with their translations and the name pattern is applied per language (fallback to the current name if a translation is missing). This prevents e.g. German option names ending up in the English variant name.

Variant matrix · price, stock and status

For a variant product with many options, row-by-row maintenance is tedious. From two property groups on, the variant overview offers a matrix view next to the list view:

• Rows show the options of one property (e.g. colour)
• Columns those of the other property (e.g. size)
• In every cell you edit one value directly - price, stock or active
• Default view on opening, default cell value and the maximum number of variants for the matrix (default 500) are set in the config matrix in the Variants tab

Safe deletion with order check

You delete variants of many products in bulk edit in the "Generate variants" tab with the action "Delete variants". The plugin checks whether orders refer to the variants.

• "Only without orders" (recommended): variants with orders are skipped and remain unchanged - they are neither deleted nor deactivated. The preview shows how many variants are deleted and how many are protected.
• "Delete ALL variants": variants are deleted even if orders exist. This can affect order histories.

Transfer properties and images to variants

Inheritance in Shopware works all-or-nothing per field: as soon as a variant has an own value, it inherits nothing from the master product in that field. That explains the two most common surprises - fewer properties appear in the storefront than are maintained, or the image is missing in the list. Three buttons resolve it.

• "Transfer properties to variants" (Properties tab): Adds the missing properties of the master product to variants that have own properties. Variants without own properties inherit everything anyway and stay untouched.
• "Transfer images to variants" (Master data → Images & media): Creates own image assignments to the same media files for every variant without own images, including order, and sets the cover image. Variants with own images stay unchanged and are reported in the message.
• Deviations made visible: Properties that only sit on variants are highlighted in orange, affected groups get an orange dot, and the counter bar states the number. Groups with "display on product detail page" switched off are marked "not in storefront".

Duplicating with selectable inheritance

When duplicating a variant product, a dialog asks which fields the variants should inherit from the main product: images, name, price, weight and EAN. Inherited fields pick up later changes to the main product automatically; non-inherited ones are copied as an own value. Stock and product number stay variant-specific by system design, and for simple products without variants the dialog does not appear. The new master product receives its own correct SEO URL from the channel template - instead of pointing at the original through its main variant.

Completeness for variants

Variants inherit name, description, price, cover image, manufacturer, categories and properties from the master product. The completeness calculation resolves this inheritance: if the variant has no own value, the master product value counts - in the list as well as on the dashboard. Product number and stock stay variant-specific by design. The active status is resolved correctly too: an own value on the variant wins, otherwise the master product status applies.

The same workflow summarised compactly: generate Shopware variants.

What's next

Continue to Category management to maintain the category tree with texts and SEO.

Frequently asked questions