Note: This article covers the latest Catalog Machine version 2. For help with the previous version, see this article.
Key Terms
Products: Individual items with their information and details like name, price, images, descriptions
Categories: Define what information and options you can store for similar products (e.g., clothing items need fabric type and sizes, while electronics need technical specifications)
Variants: Different versions of the same product (e.g., a shirt available in multiple sizes and colors)
Collections: Flexible groups for organizing products (like "New Arrivals" or "Summer Sale" that you can use in catalogs)
Quick Start Guide
Ways to Add Products
Shopify Store?
Connect to import products automatically
All products, images, and variants transfer directly
Have a Spreadsheet?
Efficient for bulk product creation
Starting Fresh?
Start with the "Generic" category - it's ready with basic fields (name, price, description)
Add products directly in the grid view
Next Steps
Organize products (categories and collections)
Create your first catalog with products
Understanding Products and Categories
Each product in Catalog Machine has information like name, price, and images. Products always belong to a category that determines what information you can store.
The "Generic" category (available by default) has basic fields like name, price, image, and description
Create custom categories only when you need:
Different product fields
Different variant options
Different pricing structures
Different image sets
These fields will appear in catalogs, product cards templates replacing placeholders for text and images:
Text fields: {{Name}}, {{Description}}
Price fields: {{Price}}, {{SalePrice}}
Images: {{Image}}, {{DetailImage}}
Categories vs Collections - Key Differences
Categories define product structure:
Products belong to ONE category only
Determines what information you can store (fields and options)
Example: "T-Shirts" category with specific fields for fabric, sizes
Collections organize products
Products can be in MULTIPLE collections
Like folders for organizing products
Example: Same t-shirt in both "Summer Sale" and "New Arrivals"
1. Configure Categories
Navigate to Product Categories
Click "Create new category"
Enter basic information:
Name
Description (optional)
Parent category (optional)
Color (for visual organization)
Thumbnail image (optional)
Setting Up Category Fields
Available field types:
Text: Basic information like names, SKUs
Rich Text: Formatted descriptions with HTML styling
Number: Measurements, weights, quantities
Money: Prices with currency support (examples: 1000, $1,000.99, USD 1000)
Date: Launch dates, availability
Image: Product photos, diagrams
Tip: Add multiple fields of the same type:
Category: "T-Shirts"
Fields:
- Regular Price (Money type)
- Sale Price (Money type)
- Wholesale Price (Money)
- Main Image (Image type)
- Detail Image (Image type)
- Short Description (Text type)
- Full Description (Rich Text type)
2. Add Products
Product Information
Every product requires:
Name: Product title or description
Code: unique identifier (use your own like SKU or auto-generated)
Optional information:
Category-specific fields (price, description, etc.)
Images
Images are stored in central storage
Products link to image locations
Same image can be used in multiple products without duplication
Variants (different versions like sizes or colors)
Creating New Products
Click "New Product"
Select a category
Fill in product information
Save to add to your product database
Product Grid Management
Use the Product Grid for efficient management:
Spreadsheet-style editing
Multi-select operations
Filtering and sorting
Batch updates
Category changes
Collection assignments
Bulk Operations
Select and update multiple products
Change categories
Assign to collections
Delete products
Import/export data
3. Set up Variants
Variants let you manage different versions of the same product with different options, prices, and images.
Configure category options first:
Category: T-Shirts
Options: - Size (S, M, L, XL) - Color (Red, Blue, Black)
Create variants in products:
Example: T-Shirt
Variants:
- Small/Red: $19.99
- Small/Blue: $19.99
- Medium/Red: $21.99
4. Organize Collections
Collections help you group products flexibly after they're created. Use collections to:
Create product groups for catalogs
Organize seasonal displays
Build hierarchical navigation
Power automated catalog pages
Create navigation for Showroom
Key Features
Add the same product to multiple collections
Order products manually
Create sub-collections
Update catalogs automatically when products change
Best Practices
Starting Out
Import from Shopify if possible
Use CSV import for bulk data
Start with "Generic" category for simple needs
Organization
Identify what information you need for each product type
Create appropriate categories
Set up all needed fields and options
Choose meaningful field names
Efficiency
Bulk operations for multiple updates
Collections for flexible organization
Reusable images across products
Consistent product information
Need help? Our support team is available through chat to assist you with any questions about managing your products.