How can I monitor stock on my product choices?

[KB]

If you want to monitor stock on your choices, for example,
a t-shirt that comes in small, medium and large sizes, you need to do the following:

1. create a product (e.g. T-Shirt)
2. add a component (right-click on the product and select 'New Component' (e.g. Choices))
3. add an attribute (right-click on the component and select 'New Attribute' (e.g. Size))
4. add the choices (right-click on the attribute and select 'New Choice' - repeat for each choice (e.g. 'Small', 'Medium' and 'Large'))
5. create three new products (e.g. 'Small T-Shirt', 'Medium T-Shirt' and 'Large T-Shirt')
6. hide these products so they don't show on the website (Product Details | General tab | Hide on website)
7. your content tree will look something like:
   
   
   
   
   
8. set the stock levels in these hidden products
9. highlight the component on the original product and select the 'Permutations' panel
10. click the 'Fill List' button and you should see three lines for your choices
11. in the 'Product' column, select the appropriate hidden product from the drop-down box (do this for all three permutations)
    
    
    
    
12. update your site.

If someone orders one of these choices from your website the stock will be deducted from the appropriate hidden product when you download the order.

The technique is similar for monitoring items that have two attributes (e.g. a 'Size' and 'Colour'), if we use the example above it would be as follows:

1. create a product (e.g. T-Shirt)
2. add a component (right-click on the product and select 'New Component' (e.g. Choices))
3. add an attribute (right-click on the component and select 'New Attribute' (e.g. Size))
4. add a further attribute (e.g. Colour)
5. add the choices (right-click on the 'Size' attribute and select 'New Choice' - repeat for each choice (e.g. 'Small', 'Medium' and 'Large')) then do the same for the 'Colour' attribute (e.g. 'Red' and 'Black')
6. create six new products (e.g. 'Small Red T-Shirt', 'Small Black T-Shirt', 'Medium Red T-Shirt', 'Medium Black T-Shirt', 'Large Red T-Shirt' and 'Large Black T-Shirt')
7. hide these products so they don't show on the website (Product Details | General tab | Hide on website)
8. your content tree will look something like:
   
   
   
   
   
9. set the stock levels in these hidden products
10. highlight the component on the original product and select the 'Permutations' panel
11. click the 'Fill List' button and you should see six lines for your choices
12. in the 'Product' column, select the appropriate hidden product from the drop-down box (do this for all of the permutations)
    
    
    
    
13. update your site.

The above techniques can be used for either new or existing products, however if the product is new there is an alternative method:

1. Create a new product.
2. Go to the 'Product Options' tab
3. Click on 'Add a New Option' button
4. Enter Size into the 'Name of Option' field
5. Enter the size options into the 'Choices for ...' list. (Click the + button at the top left for each choice and enter your choices, in our example 'Small', 'Medium' and 'Large')
6. Now tick the box to 'Combine this with another option'
7. Click on the 'Option 2' tab
8. Enter 'Colour' into the 'Name of Option' Field
9. As in step 5 above enter the colour options in to the box (e.g. 'Red' and 'Black')
10. Click on 'Next'
11. Enter the stock levels into the 'Stock' field for each size\colour combination and at this point if the price is different enter the price into the 'Price' field (be aware that no hidden products will be created if stock levels are not entered).
12. Set the pricing option to the one that is right for you.
13. Click on 'Next'
14. On this screen you can select to have either drop down boxes or radio buttons and various layout options. Bear in mind however that having 'Include a Grid of Choice Details' will display a box details below the options.
15. Click on 'Next'
16. Click on 'Finish' and if required enter product references for the hidden products

This will produce the same layout as the multiple option example above.
For a single option, leave out step 6 above.