SKU Generator

A SKU (Stock-Keeping Unit) is the internal product code your store uses to identify items uniquely. A good SKU encodes the category, product type, attributes (color, size), and a sequential serial — all separated by a consistent character so humans and barcode scanners can both read it.

The structure

An SKU is assembled left-to-right from optional segments and a serial:

[Prefix] − [CategoryCode] − [ProductType] − [Attributes…] − [Serial] → PRD-ELC-PHN-BLK-256-001

Worked example

Generating a SKU for a 256 GB black smartphone:

1. Prefix = 'PRD' (your store / brand code)
2. Category = 'ELC' (electronics)
3. Product type = 'PHN' (phone)
4. Attributes = 'BLK' (color), '256' (storage)
5. Serial = 001 (first item in this combination)
6. Result: PRD-ELC-PHN-BLK-256-001

Practical tips

• Keep codes short — 8–14 characters scan reliably; longer ones don't fit small labels.
• Don't encode price or supplier — those change; the SKU should not.
• Use the dash separator unless your inventory system forbids it.
• Reserve 4-digit serials (up to 9,999) for typical catalogs; switch to 5 digits only if you sell thousands of SKUs in a single category.
• Pair the SKU with a barcode for warehouse picking — both should be on every label.