How do I add Product Options?

Some of your products may have multiple options. For instance, if you sell clothes in your online store, a sweater may come in small, medium, and large. Alternatively, you may have a product that has multiple colors for a choice. This article will show you how to set up multiple options for your products and customizations you can make.

Create Product Options

To create product options for a product:

1. Go to Products >Product List
2. Find the product that you'd like to edit and click on its name
   (You can also look to the far right of the item and click on its "Action >Edit" button)
3. Click on the Options Tab located along the top of the product information pages
4. Then click the "+Add New" button located towards the top right
5. Type in the Option label's name. For example, "Select Size" or "Available Colors"
6. Type in the Sorting number – this is used to control how your options display if you have more than one for the same product. Lower numbers will display before higher numbers.
7. Using the "Type" drop down menu, select the kind of option selection that will be shown to your shoppers*
   (See the next section below for a brief explanation of each type)
8. Check the Required checkbox if you would like this option to be selected in order for the product to be added to the shopping cart.
9. Click the "Add" button to add the Option Label

Here is a brief explanation of each option type

• *Drop Down:
  Lists your options in a drop down selector format. Only one option may be chosen at a time.
• *Radio:
  Lists your options in a clickable button fashion. Again, only one option may be selected at one time.
• *Checkbox:
  Lists the options in a matrixed checkbox fashion. Note that multiple options can be checked at once.
• *Title:
  Simply displays a title line in your option fields. This is not really a selectable option, per se. Instead it is intended to be used as a divider between option sets if you choose to use it.
• *Text:
  Allows your customer to input simple text as part of the option. An example where this may be used is in a case where the option selected is a monogram. This field will allow your customer to specify the lettering.
  When selected, you will also have the ability to specify a character limit for the field
• *Text Area:
  Similar to the text option display except that this allows for a larger amount of text. This can be useful when giving your customer the option of creating a personalized message to be added to the order. For example, an embroidered motto or an engraved message.
  When selected, you will also have the ability to specify a character limit for the field
• *Drop Image:
  When this option type is selected, you are able to assign a picture of the option to your customers. An example of how this would be used is when a color option is used - you can use an image of your product in each of the available colors.
• *File:
  This allows you to include a field where your customer can upload a file to be used on a particular option. For example, an image file or logo that needs to be added to the product in the case of business cards.
• *Quantity:
  This allows you to add a quantity field to the product's options. The quantity will display on the view cart page when your customer adds the item to their cart.
  (Note: Make sure this option is listed as the LAST option on your product to ensure it will work/function correctly.)
• *One Time Fee:
  This option type allows you to specify an additional fee to the product whenever necessary. For example, a set up fee or other one time charge that gets appended to the order.

Once you've added the Option Label, you will see it listed in the Options Tab. Now, we'll go over the steps involved in setting up the individual option sets - in other words, the actual selections - for that option.

Look to the far right of the option listing and you will see three links to add option sets, delete the option altogether or edit it further.

1. Click on the "Add [option name]" link to proceed
   [option name] will reflect whatever you named the option label.
2. Enter a description for the individual Option such as the name of the color or size that will be selected
3. Type in the sorting number for the option. The higher the number, the farther along the list it will display
4. Enter a Part Number for the option
   If you have a part number written for the product in its information tab, the option part number described here will be appeneded to it
5. If the option incurs any additional cost, enter that amount in the "Value" field.
6. Click Add to complete the set up for the option set
7. Repeat for all of the remaining selections on the Option

After creating the option set, it will be listed under the label created earlier. Within the listing you will have the following options to refine or edit the option further.

• Description
  The option's name as written in step 1 above. Can be changed if neeed
• Default
  If marked, this button will make the option pre-selected on the product listing page.
• Hide
  If checked, this box will hide the option form the listing page. This can be useful if the option is not available for a given time.
• Opt
  If using the Drop Image option type (described earlier) this link will allow you to select the image that will be shown when this option is selected.
• Value
  As described earlier in this article, the value can be used if the option incurs any additional cost. Here, this additional amount can be edited.
• Part #
  As also described earlier, the part number for the individual option if needed. Here it can be edited as necessary
• Display Order
  The sorting number for the option's display. Larger numbers are shown after smaller numbers.
• Custom Item
  This link will be used if the option is for a Product Bundle where an additional item is added to the order when the option is selected. The link will allow you to select the item that is added when selecting this option.

Create Options for the Entire Category

If all of the products in one category have the same options, you can create the options in one place for the entire category, rather than going into each product individually to add them. For example, if you have a category of Sweaters with 50 products, and all sweaters come in small, medium, and large, this method will be useful to you.

1. Go to Products >Categories
2. Hover over the product that you'd like to configure and a series of links will appear. Click on the "Details" link.
3. In the Category Details page, look to the right hand side and click on the "Product Display" link.
4. When the item expands, look for "Category Wide Product Options" and click Add/Change Options

From here, the process of creating the option will be the same as the process for creating the options on the individual product (as described above). The only difference is that the options will be applied to all of the products contained within the category instead of having the options applied to the individual product.

If you want to remove a specific product from using the category options you set:

1. Go to Products >Product List
2. Find the product that you'd like to edit and click on its name
   Or look to the far right of the item and click on its "Action >Edit" button
3. Click on the product's "Advanced" tab
4. Check the Do not use Category Options checkbox in the General Options section.
5. Click Save at the top right.

Product Options Templates

If you have the same option that reoccurs many times for different products in your inventory, you can set a template of the option and add it to your products when you choose. By doing this, you will not have to set up your option sets each time since you will be able to add the option template that has already been setup. To setup your option template:

1. Go to Products >Product List
2. In the Product List page, look towards the top right and click on the "Actions >Options Templates" button

The process to create the option template will be same as already described above. However, instead of the options being applied to an individual product, you'll be creating a template of the options that can be copied or linked to the product when you choose.

So, after the options template is created, use the following steps to copy or link it to your product.

1. Go to Products >Product List
2. Click on the name of the product you want to add the Option template to.
   you can also look towards the far right of the product and click on its "Actions >Edit" button
3. Click on the Options Tab.
4. Along the top right of the option page, look for and click on the "Use Template" button.
5. In the next window, find the option template that you'd like to apply and click on its "Action" drop down button

You will be given the choice to either "Copy Options" from the template or "Link to (the) Template" as needed. Below is a brief description of what each choice entails.

• Copy Options
  This method will take the options from the template and copy them directly to the product. In essence, the options will be written physically onto the product. Subsequent changes made to the option template afterward will not reflect on the product. (unless copied again)
• Link to Template
  This method will take the options from the template and link them to the product. Subsequent changes to the option template can then be updated to the product as needed

For more information on using the Options Template function, please click here.

Manage Stock Numbers for Products with Multiple Options

You can also manage the stock numbers of products with multiple options by using the Advanced Options feature:

1. Go to Products >Product List
2. Choose an item that has multiple options and click on its name
   or look to the far right and click on its "Actions >Edit" button
3. Next, go to the Options Tab.
4. Along the top of the page, click on the "Actions" button drop down arrow and select Advanced Options
5. Check the Enable checkbox next to each product to enable its advanced option.
   Note, even if you do not sell a particular option combination, you must still enable it and enter '0' for the stock number so customers cannot purchase that particular product variation
6. Type in the Code, Stock number, Weight, and Cost of each product. The weight you enter will add to the weight entered on the Information tab of the product.
7. Click Save at the top right to commit your changes.

For more information on using Advanced Options, please click here.