SKU policy

Configure inventory-wide SKU validation and group overrides.

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Use Settings → Inventory policies → SKU policy to control how SKU values are checked.

Policy modes

  • Off: no SKU pattern check
  • Warn: save is allowed but warnings are shown
  • Block: invalid SKUs are rejected

What you can configure

  • Validation pattern
  • Uppercase normalisation
  • Friendly pattern builder options

The friendly pattern builder helps create common formats from letters, numbers, and separators. Each part can require an exact length or a minimum length. Use it when you want a pattern your team can understand without writing the full expression by hand.

When a saved pattern uses a structure supported by the friendly builder, its controls are restored from that pattern. Simple custom expressions made from letter or digit segments can also show an example for fixed, minimum or bounded lengths. The example uses counting digits and demonstrates the first variable-length segment with one extra character. ChannelWeave does not guess an example for expressions it cannot interpret safely.

After a policy has been saved, its stored last-saved time appears beside the saved tick at the top of the page.

Test before save

Use Test policy to preview how current stock would be treated before applying new policy settings.

Stock-group overrides

You can keep the default policy or set overrides for specific stock groups. Use an override when one Stock group needs a different SKU shape from the rest of the catalogue.

Where policy is applied

  • New stock creation
  • Stock edit when stock group changes
  • Stock import validation

When the policy is set to Warn, users can still save but will see guidance. When it is set to Block, invalid SKUs must be corrected before saving or importing.

  1. Start in Off or Warn mode.
  2. Test the pattern against current stock.
  3. Fix existing outliers or create stock-group overrides.
  4. Move to Block only when the team is ready to enforce the pattern.