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How to use the import profile: "Create configurable products

Configurable Products Profile

Use the Configurable Products Profile when your import file does not follow the default Magento configurable product structure.

Normally, Magento configurable imports require specific columns such as:

  • configurable_variations

  • configurable_variation_labels

  • configurable_attributes

Some external systems, ERPs, PIMs, supplier feeds, or custom exports do not provide this Magento-specific structure. Instead, they only contain simple products with a shared parent SKU or grouped product name.

This profile allows the importer to automatically build configurable products based on your own column mapping.

Why use this profile

Use this profile when:

  • Your source file only contains simple products

  • Variants are linked by a parent SKU column

  • The file has no Magento config_attr logic

  • You receive product feeds from suppliers or external systems

  • You want to generate configurable products automatically during import

Without this profile, Magento cannot understand which simple products belong together as variants.


Special Settings

Choose Config SKU Column

Select the column that contains the parent configurable SKU.

This SKU is used to group all related simple products into one configurable product.

Example:

Simple SKU

Parent SKU

TSHIRT-RED-S

TSHIRT-RED

TSHIRT-RED-M

TSHIRT-RED

TSHIRT-RED-L

TSHIRT-RED

In this example:

  • TSHIRT-RED becomes the configurable product

  • The size variants become associated simple products


Choose Config Name Column

Select the column that contains the configurable product name.

The importer uses this value as the parent product title.

Example:

SKU

Product Name

Configurable Name

TSHIRT-RED-S

Red T-Shirt Small

Red T-Shirt

TSHIRT-RED-M

Red T-Shirt Medium

Red T-Shirt

Result:

  • Parent configurable product: Red T-Shirt

  • Child simple products:

    • Red T-Shirt Small

    • Red T-Shirt Medium


Example Import File

Example CSV structure:

SKU

Parent SKU

Configurable Name

Size

Color

Price

SHIRT-RED-S

SHIRT-RED

Red Shirt

S

Red

29.95

SHIRT-RED-M

SHIRT-RED

Red Shirt

M

Red

29.95

SHIRT-RED-L

SHIRT-RED

Red Shirt

L

Red

29.95

SHIRT-BLUE-S

SHIRT-BLUE

Blue Shirt

S

Blue

29.95

SHIRT-BLUE-M

SHIRT-BLUE

Blue Shirt

M

Blue

29.95


How Magento Logic Works

The importer processes the file using the following logic:

  1. Read each simple product row

  2. Detect the parent SKU from the selected Config SKU Column

  3. Group all rows with the same parent SKU

  4. Create one configurable product

  5. Associate all matching simple products

  6. Generate configurable options from attributes like:

    • Size

    • Color

    • Material

    • etc.

Result inside Magento:

Configurable Product

Associated Variants

Red Shirt

S, M, L

Blue Shirt

S, M


Typical Use Cases

Supplier Product Feeds

Many suppliers provide files like:

SKU

Group ID

Size

ABC-S

ABC

S

ABC-M

ABC

M

Instead of Magento logic.

This profile converts these rows into proper Magento configurables.


ERP or PIM Exports

ERP systems often export variants grouped by:

  • Parent ID

  • Style Code

  • Model Number

  • Group SKU

This profile maps those fields directly into Magento configurable relationships.


Important Notes

  • Each simple product must still have a unique SKU

  • Variant attributes (size, color, etc.) must exist in Magento

  • Configurable attributes should be configured as:

    • Global

    • Dropdown type

    • Used in configurable products

If the configurable grouping column is incorrect, Magento may create:

  • duplicate configurables

  • orphan simple products

  • incorrect variant associations

Always verify the grouping column before import.

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