part # display

[Daveb]

Hi
New user evaluating Trial verson.
Where do you enter a products part # so that is displays when downloading the order?
I see no field for a part # or catalog number under any of the tabs in product details.
There is a field called "referece" but it has a digit in it and is greyed out.
Thanks
Dave

[leehack]

Short Description field on the general tab. Have you taken a look at the example products?

[Daveb]

part numbers

Yes I have.
I am refering to a a manufacturers part number that can be long and cryptic and that the order entry people need in order to correctly identify the product.
I am thinking that the short discription is just that and not ment to be an actual part number.
Thanks
Dave

[leehack]

Short description is what is downloaded, so you will need to show it something like:

Nice Red Jumper - askf54684VH6S87H4

If you want to help users and processors at the same time.

[Daveb]

Thanks
Can you have the short description not display on line?

[leehack]

You could apply a text colour same as background, but SE's would not like you, plus its an important part of your SEO, defined as h2 tags. Maybe you could obfuscate the part number a little so not so prominent, although that would be a right ballache to do if you have lots of products.

I guess it could be commented out in the code also and still download to actinic on orders.

Yeah that could work, comment out the code online, and embed a h2 tag in the product description instead.

[jont]

You can try wrapping the short description field in a CSS class and set the styling to display: none which will still make it searchable and download with the order ... add the variable in again (to the product layout) and use PHP or javascript to truncate the supplier ref out of the equation so it still displays the product name online for the users to see.

[brian.mc]

In Business Settings|Options|Product References, make sure "Auto Generate Product References" is unchecked, set "Product Reference Character Count" to whatever you need (up to max 99 characters), check "Hide Product Reference in online catalog"

Just enter the part no. in the product reference field (it should no longer be greyed out) and this will appear on the order but not on the online site.

[Daveb]

Perfect
Thanks from the colonies across the pond.