In this section, we will show how to add, update, view, and archive your items. Catalog items can be used to itemize imports POs, bills and/or GRNs as well as for creating new POs or bills.
The Catalog tab is where you would go to input and manage all item details for goods and services purchased from your vendors. With the ability to add items both through Quickbooks sync and manually within the Catalog tab, it is the one-stop-shop for organizing and accessing your items.
Settle uses a unified parent/variant model to structure all catalog items. This means that independent of which external source like Shopify, Trackstar, or your accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Xero) and item comes from, it will be organized using a parent item to represent the base product and variant items to represent specific variations of that product (e.g., different sizes or colors). This standardization simplifies catalog management and ensures consistency across your product data.
Manually add a catalog item
Navigate to the Catalog tab.
Click on the "Add new item" button at the top.
A new form will appear where you can enter all the necessary details for your item such as:
Item Name: The name of the product as it should appear in your catalog.
Vendor: The supplier or manufacturer that provides this item.
Description of Item: A brief summary of the product.
Unit Price: The cost for a single unit of this item.
SKU: The Stock Keeping Unit—an internal identifier used to track and manage this specific item.
Weight: (Optional) The weight of the item. This is a numerical field.
Weight UoM: (Optional, but required if Weight is entered) The unit of measure for the weight. Select from: grams, kg, oz, lbs.
Length: (Optional) The length of the item. This is a numerical field.
Width: (Optional) The width of the item. This is a numerical field.
Height: (Optional) The height of the item. This is a numerical field.
Dimensions UoM: (Optional, but required if Length, Width, and Height are entered) The unit of measure for the dimensions. Select from: cm, meters, inches, feet.
You can also add Properties to each item, which will allow you to add your specific customizations. Examples would be size or color. If you use these properties across multiple catalog items, you can save those as templates. To create either, click on the Properties tab when you have the Add an Item window open.
Select Add Custom Property to create a property that will apply to that item only.
Select Manage Property Template to create a template you can apply to multiple catalog items. Next, click Add Property Template then add Property Name (i.e. sizes) and add individual values (i.e. Small, Medium, etc.). Click Save. When applying Properties, you can now choose that template that applies to that vendor from the dropdown.
Now that you have variations for the items, you can also toggle the option to 'Varies per Variation' on both SKU and price. This will allow you to set a distinct option for either of these fields on this unit.
Next, add expense category and class to your item for quick syncing to your accounting software. You can also add Class and Location to further refine your items.
After adding an item, it will appear in your Catalog list. If you need to make any edits, simply select the item from the list and click the "Edit" button in the top right corner.
With the Catalog, you can easily stay organized and keep track of all your items purchased from vendors. This will not only make filling out purchase orders easier, but it will also give you better control and visibility over your inventory.
Categories in Settle
When looking at your Catalog, you will see the "Category" field populated only from the Shopify integration. Otherwise, we recommend using Labels to manage and categorize products and variants.
If you're not using Shopify Categories, we recommend hiding the Category column.
Categories from Quickbooks or other Accounting systems are labeled "Expense Categories" in Settle.
SKU management
Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) are codes used to track inventory items. Settle uses two types of SKUs within its parent/variant model:
Parent SKU: This SKU identifies the main product (e.g., 'T-Shirt'). It's often a general identifier.
Variant SKU: This SKU identifies a specific variation of the product (e.g., 'T-Shirt-Red-Small'). Variant SKUs must be unique within a parent item.
Important SKU Rules:
Parent SKUs must be unique across your catalog.
Variant SKUs must be unique across your catalog.
All SKUs are required and cannot be blank.
When adding or editing SKUs, keep in mind how they relate to the parent/variant structure. The Parent SKU represents the base product, and the Variant SKU represents a specific version of that product.
Why use vendor SKUs?
Vendor SKUs are the unique relationship between Vendors and SKUs. In addition to being the primary SKU field that your vendor will see on the Purchase Order, allowing you to customize it to the Vendor's needs, it will also allow you to have multiple Vendors to the same SKU. If you order "Digital Clock and Pen" from two different manufacturers with the exact same specs, you can now track them using a single Catalog Item in Settle, allowing you to keep a pulse on your costs over time across all suppliers.
Create a new vendor SKU
To add a SKU to a Vendor, you'll need:
the SKU
the Vendor SKU
the Lead Time for the SKU
the Unit of Measure
the Unit Cost from your supplier
The Lead Time should factor in travel time and manufacturing time.
The Unit Cost will be used when cutting an ordering document. If you have tiered pricing, use the most expensive pricing.
Adding a new Vendor SKU:
From the Purchasing Tab on the Catalog Item, select "Add Purchase Source."
Select an existing Vendor.
Add the lead time, factoring in typical travel and manufacturing time.
Add unit cost in USD.
Add multiple vendors to a SKU with vendor SKUs
You can leverage vendor SKUs to add multiple Vendors to the same Settle SKU. Follow the instructions for Creating a new Vendor SKU and add the new Vendor. You can do this even if you are using the same identifier for the item as you do with an existing Vendor.
Edit a vendor SKU
Changes can be made to the Catalog Item or the Variant directly. To edit the catalog item, edit the Purchasing Tab for the Catalog Item.
To only edit information for a specific Variant, click on the Variant first in the table view on the left and then edit that Variant's information on the Purchasing Tab for the Variant.
Updating the SKU will not update the Vendor SKU. Updating the Vendor SKU will not update the SKU.
Inventory Labels
Settle automatically applies a non-deletable label called “Inventory” to all catalog items. This label helps you easily distinguish valid inventory items from other items that might be present in your catalog, such as those automatically imported from accounting software. The “Inventory” label cannot be removed from your business, though it can be removed from a given item. Items imported from a WMS integration will always have the Inventory label applied to them. Only items with the inventory label will be shown on the Inventory Page and in the Demand Forecasting tab.
QBO and Catalog Items
Important: When you connect your accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks Online, Xero) to Settle, product data will be imported and structured using Settle's parent/variant model. This may affect how your product information is displayed compared to how it is organized in your accounting software.
Through the automated sync, you can also add Catalog items directly from your QBO account. This is especially helpful if you would like to mass import Catalog items to Settle. Using the QBO CSV import tool, you can mass import your products via Tools > Import Data > Products & Services within your QBO account.
Note: if you are using Variations on items within Settle, please note that these will appear as distinct items within your Quickbooks catalog.
Troubleshooting: If you are having trouble locating specific products after connecting your accounting software, remember that Settle now organizes them using Parent SKUs and Variant SKUs. Search using either the Parent SKU or the Variant SKU to find the correct item. If your accounting software does not use parent/variant, Settle will create the parent/variant structure during the import process, though this will be invisible to you.