Creating and Building Products
July 20, 2026
Summary
How the Product Builder turns Source Inventory into product parents and variants by matching identifiers, and what to check when a build doesn't behave as expected.
Overview
Products in your catalog are built from Source Inventory. Flxpoint matches inventory to existing product variants by identifier (Master SKU first, then UPC, GTIN, MPN, ASIN) or creates new ones through the Product Builder. You can also create products manually to bypass the source flow.
The Product Builder turns Source Inventory into product parents and variants, deciding whether to link, merge, or create based on the identifiers and rules you configure.
- Build from inventory: turn selected Source Inventory variants into product parents and variants.
- Match & link: compare identifiers to link inventory to existing variants instead of duplicating them.
- Merge sources: combine matching inventory from multiple suppliers into one variant with aggregated data.
- Source priority: rank sources so your best data wins, globally or per field.
- Create manually: add parents and variants directly, bypassing the Source to Inventory to Catalog flow.
How matching decides create vs. link
- Master SKU: Flxpoint looks for an existing product variant with the same Master SKU and links to it.
- Secondary identifier: if no Master SKU match, it tries UPC, GTIN, MPN, ASIN, or Reference Identifier.
- Create new: if nothing matches and creation is enabled, a new product and variant are created.
Match rules and settings
| Identifier | Notes |
|---|---|
| Master SKU | Flxpoint's primary key and the most reliable way to prevent duplicates. Keep it consistent across sources. |
| UPC | 12-digit code. Behavior for invalid UPCs is set by UPC Validation (Create, Review, or Fail). |
| MPN | Use with caution: manufacturers can reuse the same MPN for different products. |
| GTIN / ASIN / Reference Identifier | Additional identifiers you can match on. One source providing two identifiers can bridge others together. |
Product Builder key settings
| Setting | Use |
|---|---|
| Match Rules | Define which identifiers must match to link or merge variants. |
| Identify Mismatches | Reduce false positives with checks like cost range, brand not equal, and MPN not UPC. |
| Rebuild Settings | Automatically rebuild when an item is first linked or already linked. |
| Source Priorities | Rank sources globally or per field so better data overrides lower-priority sources. |
| UPC Validation | Decide what happens to invalid UPCs: Create, Review, or Fail. |
Inventory variant status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not Linked | Not yet selected for product creation. |
| Building | Currently processing through the Product Builder. |
| Builder Issue | Blocked by rules or a conflict; needs review. |
| Linked | Successfully created or linked to a product variant. |
Important notes
Note: Selecting MPN as a match identifier can merge unrelated items, because manufacturers may reuse the same MPN. Only use it if you are certain there are no overlapping MPNs across your sources.
Note: The UPC Validation setting (Create, Review, Fail) only applies when UPC is selected as a match identifier. A non-12-digit UPC is handled by whichever option you chose.
Note: Entering manual quantity or pricing on a product locks those values. Once linked to a source they will not auto-sync until you unlock them.
Note: The builder defaults to creating a new variant when no match is found. To prevent this, set Create New Product Variants if No Match is Found to No.
Common issues
"I have tried building these products several times but nothing happens" and there is no Builder Issue.
Confirm the variants are not already Linked and that the chosen builder's match rules are not excluding them. Watch the real-time creating-products progress meter, and check the Builder Issue filter. If nothing queues, the variants are usually already linked or filtered out by the builder.
Builder Issue appears on a product that already has a linked product for the same UPC.
Open the variant's Builder Issues section: a mismatch rule (cost range, brand not equal, MPN not UPC) can flag an item even when a link exists. Choose Looks Good, Build Again to accept, or correct the mismatched field. This has recurred for large single-source batches, so report the source if the count is high.
Overlapping identical items create separate variants and Shopify returns "This product has variants, but there are no available options".
Identical items with no distinguishing option should merge on a shared identifier (usually UPC). Add that identifier to the builder's match rules so the sources fuse into one variant. Variants should only split when they carry distinct option values.
Building from the Edit screen uses the default builder instead of the one you chose.
Known issue: builds triggered from the Edit screen can fall back to the default builder and mapping template, so your mapping rules do not apply. Build from the Inventory or Product list view until this is resolved.
Create Products links only one of several selected variants.
Under investigation. Re-run the build from the list view; if only one variant links per run, report the affected SKUs and builder to support rather than running one at a time.
Unrelated products from different sources are merging into the same parent product This occurs when multiple suppliers use the same Parent SKU for different items. To resolve this, navigate to your Product Builder settings and locate the parent attachment settings. Enable the option When attachment finds an existing parent product with variants from a different source and select Create New Product Parent (Recommended). Flxpoint will generate a unique 4-character hash (e.g., P123-a82j) and append it to the parent SKU to ensure the products remain distinct.
Products are duplicating instead of merging when using numeric-only SKUs?
This often occurs when one source (such as Etilize) provides numeric-only SKUs while other sources use alphanumeric identifiers. To resolve this, ensure your Product Builder is configured to match on a shared identifier like UPC or GTIN rather than just SKU. Additionally, ensure your Get Inventory Primary (GIP) and Get Inventory Secondary (GIS) jobs are scheduled in a staggered order to allow the primary identifier to be established before secondary sources attempt to link to it.
FAQs
How does Flxpoint decide whether to create a new product or link to an existing one?
It checks the Master SKU first, then secondary identifiers such as UPC or GTIN. If nothing matches and creation is enabled, it creates a new product and variant.
What is the most reliable way to prevent duplicate products?
Use a consistent Master SKU across every source and avoid reusing a Master SKU for different products.
Can one source bridge identifiers across others?
Yes. A source providing both GTIN and UPC can link a UPC-only source and a GTIN-only source into the same variant.
When should I create a product manually?
When you want to bypass the source flow (for example a virtual item) or seed a parent and variant before linking inventory by identifier or an Inventory Link. Both a Parent SKU and Variant SKU are required.