Product Names, SKUs, and Barcodes: Tell Similar Items Apart

You search for “black shirt” and see several choices. One is size M and another is L, but their shortened names do not make the difference clear. You record two pieces leaving the first item you find, then discover during a count that the app shows the correct overall quantity but the wrong distribution between sizes.

The solution starts with identifying each product before recording its quantity. The name explains what you see, the SKU is an internal code you choose to distinguish it, and the barcode is a value you associate with the item and verify when scanning. Zawid Accounts has fields for this information, which you can organize around a simple rule that remains useful as your inventory grows.

When should a product difference become a separate item?

Ask yourself whether you need to know the quantity of this particular color or size, and whether you can supply one in place of the other without checking with the customer. If the first answer is yes and the second is no, a separate record for each combination helps you track what you have accurately.

For example, a black shirt in size M and a black shirt in size L need two records if you count each size separately. Create those records yourself with their own names and units. Writing “various colors” in a single item name will not later give you an accurate quantity for each color.

Conversely, do not create a new item every time you buy the same unchanged product from another supplier. Put the supply reference in the appropriate transaction and check for the existing item before creating a duplicate.

Use readable names and consistent codes

Start the name with the product type, followed by the model or distinguishing description, then the color and size where relevant. For example: “Plain cotton shirt — black — M.” Use the same order to make searching and comparison easier. Avoid descriptions such as “new” or “second item” that do not identify the product.

An internal code can be short, such as TS-BLK-M. What matters is documenting its meaning, applying it consistently, and making it different from other item codes. Do not rely solely on upper- and lowercase letters: make the distinction clear in the code itself.

Every quantity in this example uses the unit “piece.” The proposed internal code appears beside the item name so the difference is readable even on a small screen.

These are illustrative codes you could use as a model for your own organization, not barcode numbers taken from real products. Do not copy them into the barcode field for a different package. Each field has its own purpose.

Why does the total fail to reveal a size selection error?

The example starts with 30 pieces. If you sell two black shirts in size M, the quantities become 10, 8, and 10, totaling 28. If you mistakenly record them as leaving the black size L item, the quantities become 12, 6, and 10. The total is still 28.

A correct inventory total is therefore not enough. Match the item name, code, and unit before confirming a movement, then check the item that physically left. When sizes differ, relying only on the total may lead you to promise a customer an item you no longer have.

Verify barcodes instead of guessing

Read the code on the package you sell and check what it identifies: one piece or a package containing several pieces. Do not associate a carton barcode with a single-piece record and expect the app to know how many pieces are inside from the code alone.

In the item form, you can type the barcode or choose “Scan barcode” from the menu. Review the value that appears, including leading zeros, and match the item name before saving. When using search or scanning to find an existing item, inspect the result rather than relying on how quickly it appears.

If there is no clear barcode, start with a distinctive name and internal code and leave the barcode field empty. Do not choose a random number that looks like a package code or reuse the same code for two different products simply because they are similar.

Apply the system to three items first

1. Search by the available name, code, and barcode before adding a new record.
2. Give each item a name that identifies its difference and select the correct unit of measure.
3. Add the internal code to the SKU field and the actual barcode where one exists.
4. Save the item details, then record its quantity as a separate stock movement if it has not already been entered.
5. Try finding all three items and check the result before recording their first outgoing movement.

The item setup guide explains the fields and how to record quantities. Saving a name and code alone does not add pieces to inventory, and editing them does not replace a review of quantity movements.

Run a quick check before expanding your code system

Place several similar products in front of you. Try finding each by name, then by code or barcode, and confirm that the product suggested by the name matches the physical item. Fix ambiguous names before recording more movements.

Also review the counting unit. Choosing “piece” while entering the number of cartons makes the quantity wrong even if the code is correct. The guide to item units, cartons, and pieces explains how to avoid this confusion.

If you discover that an old item record combines different products, establish their quantities and movements before planning a correction. Do not simply rename the record to one size and assume its entire history now belongs to that size.

Once item identities are clear, you can track transfers between shelves while keeping the overall quantity unchanged. The right name and the right location complement each other.

Frequently asked questions

Is an SKU the same thing as a barcode?

Both may help you find an item, but the internal code you choose is not necessarily the code printed on the package. Keep each value in its own field and verify the product associated with it.

Does scanning automatically add stock or record a sale?

Pay attention to the screen you are using. Scanning helps enter a code or find an item. A quantity movement still requires you to choose its type, quantity, and location, then review and confirm it.

Can I add categories later?

You can start with the name, unit, and a clear distinction between items, then complete other available details gradually. Do not postpone information essential to telling two products apart.

Start with three similar items and test how easily you can distinguish them: download Zawid Accounts from Google Play. An Android free plan is available, with an optional Pro plan for expansion according to its limits and your needs.