This is an advanced procedure intended exclusively for HQ administrators responsible for product creation and product catalog management in Salesforce Commerce Cloud.

The creation of new product references and SKUs is an HQ responsibility.

Subsidiaries must not create new products or SKUs themselves. When a subsidiary requires a new sellable product, sample, goodie or another product asset to be made available on the platform, the new reference must first be created by HQ.

The subsequent localization of an existing product for individual markets is covered by a separate procedure.

This procedure explains how to create and configure new products and SKUs in SFCC.

It covers two separate creation methods:

Method 1: Create From Scratch

Create a completely new product by selecting New and configuring the required product information manually.

Method 2: Copy an Existing Product

Duplicate an existing product and selectively copy the information that should be inherited by the new reference.

These are two distinct creation methods. Do not combine them into a hybrid workflow.

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Before You Start: Understand the Product Structure

Before creating anything, it is essential to understand the relationship between a master reference and its associated SKUs.

Master Reference / GEN Code

The master reference is identified using a 4-digit GEN Code.

The master reference contains the characteristics that remain consistent across the different SKUs associated with the same product.

Think of the master reference as the reference carrying the common product information.

A master reference can then have several child SKUs representing different versions or formats of that product.

SKU / Child Reference

SKUs are associated with the corresponding master reference.

A SKU may change over the lifecycle of a product, for example following a packaging change or a minor formulation change, while remaining associated with the same underlying master reference.

The same principle applies to different formats such as samples or travel sizes: the different versions remain associated with their corresponding master reference.

As a general reference:

• Sellable product SKUs generally start with 7000...
• Samples, travel sizes and other non-sellable product formats generally start with 75...

These patterns are provided as guidance and do not replace the actual reference supplied for the product.

Goodies

Goodies can exist independently and therefore do not necessarily have a master reference.

When creating a goodie that has no master reference, use its own product code directly.

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Important SKU Formatting Rule

A SKU printed on physical packaging may use a /.

For example:

7000209/00

When creating or searching for the SKU in Salesforce, replace the slash with a hyphen:

7000209-00

This is important because the Salesforce SKU is also used within URLs.

Therefore:

Packaging reference: 7000209/00
Salesforce reference: 7000209-00

If you search Salesforce using the packaging reference containing /, you may not find the product.

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Product vs. Catalog

Product management takes place primarily under:

Merchant Tools → Products and Catalogs → Products

Do not confuse Products with Catalogs.

Products

This is where the vast majority of product management takes place, including:

• Creating products
• Editing product information
• Managing product attributes
• Managing availability
• Managing variations
• Managing pricing
• Managing inventory
• Managing images
• Managing other product-level information

Catalogs

Catalogs are primarily used to position products within the catalog structure and its categories.

For example, a sellable product could belong to All Products and additional categories corresponding to its product type or other relevant classifications.

This Procedure Must Be Performed in Staging

New product creation and configuration described in this procedure takes place in Staging.

Product Creation Is Reserved for HQ

Subsidiaries must not independently create master references, SKUs, samples or goodies.

Select the Correct Catalog Before Creating the Product

This is one of the most critical steps.

During creation, distinguish between:

• Product Master = B2C
• B2B Product Master = B2B

B2B Product Master may be selected by default.

The catalog cannot be corrected after the product has been created.

If the wrong catalog was selected:

1. Delete the incorrectly created product.
2. Start the creation again.
3. Select the correct catalog.

Master References Must Not Be Searchable

Master references are structural references and should not be exposed as the product customers discover.

Set Searchable = No for a master reference.

For references other than a master reference, set Searchable = Yes when appropriate.

Lock Before Editing and Unlock When Finished

When returning to an existing product, click Lock before editing it.

Once your changes are complete, click Unlock.

Do not leave a product locked unnecessarily. While the product remains locked for editing, another administrator cannot work on it.

Do Not Invent Product Attributes

Teoxane Attributes must be populated using the information provided by the relevant HQ / Dermocosmetics team.

Do not create claims, benefits, concerns, ingredients or other product information yourself.

Copying Requires Particular Attention

After copying a product and clicking Finish, SFCC returns you to the original product, not the newly created copy.

Do not start editing immediately.

Return to Products, search for the new Product ID, open it and verify that you are editing the copy.

Method 1: Create a Product From Scratch

1. Access Products

In Staging, navigate to:

Merchant Tools → Products and Catalogs → Products

The Products screen provides search options including Name and ID.

To start a completely new creation, click:

New

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2. Select the Correct Catalog

Before entering the product information, verify the catalog.

For B2C product creation, select:

Product Master

Do not accidentally use:

B2B Product Master

which corresponds to the B2B catalog and may be selected by default.

This choice is permanent for the created product.

If you select the wrong catalog, delete the product and start again.

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3. Enter the Product ID

Enter the appropriate product reference in ID.

Depending on what is being created, this can be:

• A 4-digit GEN Code for a master reference
• A SKU for a child reference
• The independent product code for a goodie

Remember that Salesforce SKUs use a hyphen instead of the slash found on some packaging references.

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4. Configure Searchable

For a master reference / GEN Code:

Searchable = No

The master reference should not be exposed as the product customers discover.

For a reference other than a master reference, use:

Searchable = Yes

when the product should be searchable.

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5. Enter the Basic Product Information

Complete the relevant General fields.

Name

Enter the product name.

Brand

Use:

Teoxane

Manufacturer

Use:

Teoxane

Manufacturer Product ID

This does not need to be populated for this workflow.

Short Description

Enter the product's Short Description.

The Short Description is inherited by the product experience and can appear on product pages.

Keep it very short, as the available display space is limited.

Long Description

This does not need to be populated as part of this workflow.

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6. Apply the Initial Creation

When creating a product from scratch, the initial General screen does not yet display the complete set of product fields.

At this stage, the visible form stops around the initial product information, including the description fields.

Click:

Apply

This creates the initial product record and exposes the remainder of the product configuration.

Continue configuring the product from the resulting product page.

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7. Images

Product images are generally managed at the master reference level.

Image management will be covered in a separate procedure and is therefore not detailed here.

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8. Configure Online Availability

Under the General information, use Online to determine whether the product is available online.

When the product should be available, select:

Yes

Availability can also be scheduled.

Select the appropriate site and configure the required date and time when the product must:

• Become available
• Stop being available as part of a phase-out

Always make sure you are configuring availability for the correct site.

For example, when configuring availability for Italy, select the Italian site.

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9. Skip SEO for This Workflow

The SEO section is not required as part of this product creation workflow.

Continue to:

Teoxane Attributes

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10. Configure Teoxane Attributes

The available Teoxane Attributes are based on predefined selections.

Administrators should select from the information already available rather than creating new attributes.

The information used should be based on the product information supplied by the relevant HQ / Dermocosmetics team.

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Tags

The value entered in Tags can appear with the product, including on the product listing and product page.

For example, entering:

NEW

can create a NEW tag associated with the product.

When using several tags, separate them with commas.

Use tags sparingly. Do not overload products with unnecessary tags.

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Benefits

Assign the appropriate Benefits only when they are relevant to the product.

For example, a skincare cream can have relevant cosmetic Benefits.

A goodie or unrelated non-cosmetic product should not arbitrarily receive skincare Benefits.

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Category / Range / Concerns / Skin Type / Ingredients

Select the relevant predefined information based on the information provided by the appropriate HQ / Dermocosmetics team.

Do not invent classifications simply to populate the fields.

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Use Description

Keep Use Description short.

This field is intended to provide concise usage information rather than a detailed explanation.

More extensive usage content can be provided through Page Designer where appropriate.

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Texture, Fragrance, Color, Pack, Routine and Other Product Information

Populate these fields according to the information supplied by the appropriate HQ / Dermocosmetics team.

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11. Previous Price

Previous Price was introduced particularly to support the Polish market and requirements associated with the Omnibus rules.

It allows a previous price to be displayed alongside the current price, including scenarios where the previous price needs to remain visible during a promotional period.

Although introduced for Poland, other markets can use the functionality when they require a visible previous / crossed-out price.

Pricing configuration itself is handled under the Pricing tab later in this procedure.

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12. Stripe Tax Code

Do not modify Stripe Tax Code as part of this workflow.

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13. Configure Not Purchasable

Use Not Purchasable for products that should have a visible product page but should not provide an Add to Cart option.

This can be relevant to certain goodies or other products intended to remain visible without being directly purchasable.

Select:

Yes

when the Add to Cart functionality should not be available for that product.

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14. Google Feed Images

Google Feed Images can be used to associate a specific image.

This is generally handled at master-reference level.

It is not a primary consideration for goodies and similar assets within this procedure.

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15. Reviews.io Product ID

The Reviews.io Product ID is managed primarily through the Reviews.io process.

Leave this field unchanged as part of this workflow.

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16. Apply the General Configuration

Once the relevant General information has been completed, click:

Apply

to save the changes.

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17. Options

No configuration is required under:

Options

for this workflow.

Continue to:

Variations

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18. Configure Variations

Variations are particularly important when working with a master reference and its associated child SKUs.

For the current product structure, the differentiating variation is primarily:

Size

This is used to identify the volume associated with the different product versions.

For example, a master reference could have several versions corresponding to different volumes.

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19. Define the Available Sizes

Under Variations, configure:

Variation Attribute: Size

Then define the applicable volumes available for that master reference.

For example, if the product exists in three different volumes, define those three values under Size.

The same principle applies to samples. A 2 ml sample still needs its appropriate Size value so the system can identify the format represented by that SKU.

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20. Associate Child SKUs With the Master Reference

Under:

Variation Products

associate the relevant child references with the master reference.

For each child SKU, select the Size corresponding to that reference.

Important prerequisite

The child SKU must already exist before it can be associated with the master reference.

You cannot associate a reference that has not yet been created.

If an incorrect volume is selected, correct it. An incorrect volume is not considered a major system issue, but the product information should nevertheless remain accurate.

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21. Configure Pricing

Navigate to:

Pricing

Pricing is relevant for sellable products and other references requiring a price.

Create the required price and associate it with the appropriate Price Book.

Where a market requires both a standard price and a previous / crossed-out price, two Price Books may be required to support that configuration.

This is particularly relevant to the Polish implementation associated with the Omnibus requirements discussed earlier.

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22. Configure Inventory

Navigate to:

Inventory

The Inventory tab displays the available site inventories.

Create an inventory record for each market that will use the product.

Locate the required inventory and click:

Create

The New Inventory Record window opens.

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23. Configure the Staging Allocation

Within the Inventory Record, focus on:

Allocation

Enter a value greater than 0.

For the purpose of this Staging configuration, the exact number entered is not important.

The value allows the product to be represented as available in Staging.

The actual production inventory is determined from the stock information originating from SAP.

Therefore:

Staging Allocation → temporary/test availability value

Production → actual stock value provided through the SAP inventory flow

Do not interpret the manually entered Staging Allocation as the actual production stock.

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24. Apply the Inventory Record

Click:

Apply

After the inventory record has been created, the Inventory screen should show the product as:

In Stock

for the corresponding Staging inventory.

Repeat the process for every relevant market.

In Production, the actual stock quantities can be displayed based on the inventory information supplied through SAP.

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25. Assign Categories

Navigate to:

Categories

Category assignment depends on the type of reference.

Master references can be associated with the relevant Master / Root structure.

Goodies are generally positioned at Root level rather than in All Products.

Sellable products should be assigned to their appropriate product categories, including All Products where applicable, together with any additional relevant categories required by the site or product type.

Not every category assignment has to be performed from the Product page.

Products can also be positioned within categories through:

Products and Catalogs → Catalogs

The important point is that the product ultimately receives the correct category assignments.

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26. Bundles, When Applicable

The Bundles tab is relevant when the product being created is a bundle.

A bundle can combine several SKUs into a product of its own.

Use this tab only when the product being configured is intended to function as a bundle.

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27. Tabs Not Required for This Workflow

The following tabs do not require configuration as part of this creation procedure unless another specific use case requires them:

• Options
• Links
• Recommendations
• Product Sets
• Active Data
• Page Meta Tags
• Rules
• History

Do not populate fields simply because an available tab exists.

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28. Review the Product

Before considering the creation complete, review the key configuration areas:

General

• Correct Catalog
• Correct ID
• Searchable status
• Name
• Online status
• Required Teoxane Attributes
• Relevant purchasing behavior

Variations

• Correct Size values
• Correct child SKU associations when applicable

Pricing

• Correct Price Book configuration when applicable

Inventory

• Inventory Record created for each required market
• Allocation greater than 0 in Staging

Categories

• Correct category assignment

Correct any errors before continuing.

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29. Unlock the Product When Finished

If the product was locked for editing, click:

Unlock

once all modifications are complete.

Do not leave the product locked after completing your work.

This ensures another administrator can edit the product when required.

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Method 2: Create a Product by Copying an Existing Product

Copying is an advanced alternative to creating a product from scratch.

It is particularly useful when creating:

• A new child SKU based on an existing SKU
• A product that shares most of its attributes with another product
• A new reference based on a very similar existing configuration

The objective is to reuse the relevant existing configuration while deciding which information should and should not be copied.

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30. Find the Product to Copy

Navigate to:

Products and Catalogs → Products

Search for the existing product using either:

• Name
• ID

Identify the product that provides the best starting point for the new reference.

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31. Select the Product

Select the required product in the search results.

At the bottom of the screen, click:

Copy

The Copy Product workflow opens.

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32. Enter the New Product ID

Under:

New Product ID

enter the reference of the new product you are creating.

For a SKU, enter the new SKU using the Salesforce format, including the required hyphen instead of / where applicable.

Double-check the New Product ID before continuing.

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33. Select Which Objects Should Be Copied

The Copy Product screen allows you to choose which objects from the original product should be carried over to the copy.

The available selection includes:

• Price Book Assignments
• Inventory List Assignments
• Category Assignments
• Recommendation Assignments
• Variation Assignments
• Product Set Assignments
• Bundle Assignments
• Options

Do not automatically select everything.

The correct selection depends on the relationship between the original product and the new product.

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34. Decide What the New Product Should Inherit

When copying closely related master and child references, it may be appropriate to copy many or all of the available assignments.

However, when the new product is merely similar to the original, select only the objects that should genuinely remain identical.

For example, two products can share similar attributes while having:

• Different prices
• Different recommendations
• Different variations
• Different category assignments
• Different inventory requirements

In such cases, do not copy assignments that should be configured independently.

Copy only what should remain applicable to the new product.

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35. Finish the Copy

Once you have:

1. Verified the New Product ID
2. Selected the appropriate objects to copy

click:

Finish

The new product is created.

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36. Critical: Do Not Edit the Screen You Land On

This is one of the most important warnings in the entire copy workflow.

After clicking Finish, the page displayed is the ORIGINAL product, not the newly created copy.

Do not assume that SFCC has automatically opened the new product.

Do not start changing fields.

Otherwise, you risk modifying the original product instead of configuring the new reference.

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37. Return to Products

Navigate back to:

Products and Catalogs → Products

Search for the New Product ID that you entered during the Copy workflow.

Open the newly created product.

Before making any changes, verify that the ID displayed corresponds to the new reference.

Only then should you begin editing.

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38. Lock the New Product for Editing

If required, click:

Lock

to enable editing.

You can now configure the copied product.

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39. Review Everything That Was Copied

Copying a product provides a starting point. It does not remove the responsibility to verify the new product.

Review the same core areas used during a from-scratch creation:

General

Verify and adapt the product information and Teoxane Attributes.

Variations

If the new SKU belongs to a master reference, verify its variation assignment and Size.

Pricing

Verify that the copied pricing is appropriate.

If it is not, configure the correct Price Book assignment.

Inventory

Verify the required markets and create or adjust the relevant Inventory Records.

Categories

Verify that the copied category assignments are appropriate for the new product.

Recommendations and Other Copied Assignments

If any additional assignments were deliberately copied, verify that they remain valid for the new product.

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40. Apply Your Changes

Click:

Apply

as required to save the configuration changes.

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41. Unlock the Product

Once configuration and verification are complete, click:

Unlock

to release the product for other administrators.

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Ongoing Product Maintenance

Product creation is not necessarily the end of the product lifecycle.

When a new SKU is subsequently introduced for an existing master reference, administrators will commonly need to return to several of these areas.

In particular:

General

Configure the new SKU's product information and availability.

Variations

Associate the new child SKU with its existing master reference and corresponding Size.

Pricing

Configure the required price when applicable.

Inventory

Make the SKU available to the appropriate market inventories.

Categories

Ensure the SKU is positioned within the appropriate catalog categories.

These tabs therefore represent the core areas that administrators will return to repeatedly throughout the lifecycle of a product.

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Final Validation Checklist

Before considering the product ready for the next stage, verify:

• The product was created in Staging.
• The correct Product Master / B2B Product Master was selected.
• The Product ID uses the correct Salesforce format.
• A master reference is not Searchable.
• A child / independent reference is Searchable when required.
• General product information is correct.
• Online availability is configured for the correct sites.
• Teoxane Attributes are based on approved HQ information.
• Variation values and child SKU associations are correct where applicable.
• Required pricing has been configured.
• Inventory Records exist for the required markets.
• Staging Allocation is greater than 0 where required.
• Categories are appropriate for the type of product.
• Copied assignments have been reviewed individually when using the Copy method.
• When copying, you explicitly reopened the new Product ID before editing.
• The product has been Unlocked after completion.

Key principle: HQ owns the creation of product references in SFCC. Whether creating from scratch or copying an existing product, always protect the integrity of the product structure: use the correct catalog and reference, maintain the relationship between master references and child SKUs, configure the required pricing, inventory and categories, and never assume copied information is automatically correct for the new product.