Rank: Member
Joined: 8/25/2004(UTC)
Posts: 69
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I am having some problems with part numbers or SKU that have a "/" or a "." or "," as part of the part number.
Is there a way for products SKU's to have these(/ , .)
I can add the product to BV, but it will not load. I sell a lot of items like fuses and they are in all sizes. 1/2A, 3/4A, 1 1/2A.
I can relist some items in decimal, 1.5 instead of 1 1/2 but some need to be a fraction or have a " . " in the part number. (123.5 is an example.)
Thanks,
Craig
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Rank: Member
Joined: 3/3/2006(UTC)
Posts: 1,737
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Perhaps you can save the /., for the product name and make a letter code for each amperage:
3 1/2 amp fuse = SKU:fuse3H - (H=1/2)
2 1/4 amp fuse = SKU: fuse2Q - (Q=1/4)
20 amp fuse = SKU: fuse20N - (N=none)
Orders will have both name and SKU to read for fulfillment and in time may be easier to type, and read. I would call a supplier or manufacturer and ask how they do it. Follow their rules and eventually it'll make uploading their data far easier. |
Optimists invent airplanes,
Pessimists buy parachutes. |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 8/25/2004(UTC)
Posts: 69
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Thanks Mitch,
Thats not a bad idea. My main goal is to keep as many part numbers (SKU's) to match. I have started using the "_" in place od a "." In some cases it works ok.
My big problem is that I am tracking part numbers in two data bases. I have BVTOOLS working on some custom pages so I can update QTY, and Price on an as needed basis. At least once a day. I also have them working on a custom Order export, so I can keep track of items being pulled from inventory.
With all that said, it is important that part numbers match. Example "FNM-1/2" This is a fuse and I cant call it FNM-.5, or FNM-1/2, because BV does't like that, so I am trying FNM-1_2. It loads but will not match on my other database. I wish I wish I wish I could use a ".", but life goes on.
Overall I am very pleased with BV5. I was close to going live with BV2004, and stoped and switched to BV5. Much better control on products.
Craig
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Rank: Member
Joined: 4/4/2004(UTC)
Posts: 670
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Craig,
Regardless of anything else, if you have to use a substitute place marker, do not use the underscore. Go with a hyphen instead of an underscore.
I do not understand your approach here. If you can create the product with the correct sku, and the successfully created product will not load, then it sounds like a bug/defect to me.
Why change your business to fit your online cart [container]? change the container to fit your business.
Why work around a bug/defect with the software?
BV has some sort of surrogate key/GUID for each product, and if the SKU is not the business key or surrogate key, why can you store the string as sku but the product will not load. I think focus has been changed from identifying and reporting a bug/defect to working around the bug/defect. My question is, what other issues can/will it raise in a deployed environment.
So why not enter and use your SKUs as they already naturally exist?
The application should handle skus that have a . or / in them. It is common for a SKU to have a / and/or a .
If you can enter it in the system, you should be able to see it in the system. Open a support ticket.
Scott Mech
scott.mech [at] mechinnovations.com
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Rank: Member
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I saved a product with a SKU: 12/34.56*78$90
It saved, it shows up in the category assigned, but when I selected it to get to it's product page, I got a server error. I've gotten a server error before because of a space. Nick said it's supposed to be this way - or they were going to fix it, I don't remember. I have used "(" and ")" with no problems.
I don't work with other's SKU's very often so I don't know industry standards, but even if the industry doesn't commonly use special characters, what's the difference to the software? I even googled it and poked around and couldn't find any reference to "bad" characters.
How would software by listed without "."? "BV5.2" would get kicked.
Scott, you're right - it shouldn't work this way.
Craig, I don't think this is a bug, it's an oversight. This happens when programmers don't have "real world" experience - it's not their fault. My very first test ship of my very first test product caused an error in Fed Ex rates - with Nick on the phone. They didn't test. I know you were set to go with BV4... I bought BV4 in March '06 and have held off and upgraded to BV5 when I was told it was ready, in Nov. - and I've been waiting.... If I didn't have a store (Brand X) running, I would be a bit upset - I've got a list of bugs/fixes/oversights 1 1/2 pages long single spaced, and I've not even loaded a "real" product yet...
My goal is to bring over 7 shops/catalogs I sell through so we will all have the same engine, and 12 more people unhappy with Brand-X6 ... can't do that yet. I will be great, so I'm holding out... |
Optimists invent airplanes,
Pessimists buy parachutes. |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 3/1/2006(UTC)
Posts: 1,142
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The issue is with the escaping of the special characters when automatic URL rewriting was turned on. We were escaping special characters to underscores in the URL rewriting, but this doesn't allow them to be translated back when the url is rewritten. We are changing this in SP2 so that characters like "(" or "%" will have a special escape sequence so that they can be properly rebuilt. |
Justin Etheredge
Senior Software Engineer
BVSoftware |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 3/3/2006(UTC)
Posts: 1,737
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Justin,
With regard to re-written SKUs... There is a need to make "../products/coffeepot10.1.aspx" something else.
But, in the event a SKU has a character that's bad for a URL, couldn't a simple global lookup table be made that could be edited by the admin prior to product entry? (All "." in SKUs become "A", "/" changes to "B", etc) The only eyes to see this altered SKU would be the searchbots and it would be URL friendly. Internally, the SKU remains "10.1"
"../products/coffeepot10.1.aspx" becomes "../products/coffeepot10A1.aspx",
"../products/shirt10/2.aspx" becomes "../products/shirt10B2.aspx"
Possible. |
Optimists invent airplanes,
Pessimists buy parachutes. |
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Rank: Member
Joined: 8/25/2004(UTC)
Posts: 69
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Justin
Are you saying that after SP2, I can use "/" and "." in my SKU's?
Craig
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Rank: Member
Joined: 3/1/2006(UTC)
Posts: 1,142
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Yes, in SP2 you will be able to use most any characters in your skus. |
Justin Etheredge
Senior Software Engineer
BVSoftware |
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