**General Questions**
How does the SKU format work?
The SKU format follows this pattern: [2-digit category][2 letters][variable increment]
Examples: – Category ID 15 with prefix “XY”: 15XY01 , 15XY02 , 15XY03 – Category ID 8 with prefix “AB”: 08AB01 , 08AB02 , 08AB03 – Category ID 42 with prefix “CD”: 42CD01 , 42CD02 , 42CD03
The format ensures: – Uniqueness : Each SKU is unique across your entire catalog – Organization : Easy to identify product categories – Scalability : Supports thousands of products per category – Readability : Human-readable and searchable format
Can I change the SKU length after generation?
Yes! You can change the SKU length at any time:
- 01Go to WooCommerce → Auto SKU Generator
- 02Select new SKU length (6-12 characters)
- 03Save settings
- 04The plugin will automatically adjust existing plugin-generated SKUs
Important Notes: – Only plugin-generated SKUs are automatically updated – Manual SKUs remain unchanged unless “Overwrite Existing” is enabled – Longer SKUs support more products per category – Changes are applied immediately to new products
What happens to existing SKUs when I install the plugin?
By default, existing SKUs are protected:
- Plugin-generated SKUs : Never overwritten automatically
- Manual SKUs : Preserved unless “Overwrite Existing” is enabled
- Empty SKU fields : Automatically filled with new SKUs
- Duplicate detection : Prevents conflicts with existing SKUs
To overwrite existing SKUs: 1. Enable “Overwrite Existing SKUs” in settings 2. Run bulk generation 3. All products will get new SKUs
I’m getting “Invalid or duplicated SKU” errors. What should I do?
Common causes and solutions:
1. Products without categories: – Assign categories to all products – Check for orphaned products – Use bulk edit to assign categories
2. Duplicate SKUs in database: – Run duplicate detection in settings – Manually resolve conflicts – Use “Overwrite Existing” to regenerate all SKUs
3. Invalid category IDs: – Ensure category IDs are 1-99 (for 2-digit format) – Check for deleted categories – Reassign products to valid categories
4. Database issues: – Check database permissions – Verify WooCommerce tables exist – Enable logging for detailed error information
**Configuration Questions**
Can I customize the prefix for specific categories?
Yes! You can set custom prefixes for any category:
- 05Go to WooCommerce → Auto SKU Generator
- 06Click “Show Category Prefixes”
- 07Enter custom 2-letter prefixes for each category
- 08Leave blank to use automatic prefix (first 2 letters of category name)
Examples: – Electronics category: “EL” (instead of “EL”) – Clothing category: “CL” (instead of “CL”) – Books category: “BK” (instead of “BO”)
Is this plugin compatible with my WordPress version?
Compatibility Requirements: – WordPress : 5.0 or higher – PHP : 7.4 or higher – WooCommerce : 4.0 or higher – MySQL : 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.1+
Tested Compatibility: – WordPress: 5.0 – 6.8 – WooCommerce: 4.0 – 8.0 – PHP: 7.4 – 8.3 – Major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
Does this plugin work with product variations?
Yes! The plugin handles both simple products and variations:
Simple Products: – Generate unique SKUs automatically – Follow category-based format – Support bulk generation
Product Variations: – Generate SKUs for parent products – Option to generate for individual variations – Maintain parent-child relationship – Prevent SKU conflicts between variations
Variation Settings: – Configure variation SKU generation in settings – Choose between parent-only or individual variation SKUs – Set custom prefixes for variation types
**Performance Questions**
How many products can this plugin handle?
Scalability Limits:
Recommended Limits: – SKU Length 6 : Up to 1,000 products per category – SKU Length 8 : Up to 10,000 products per category – SKU Length 10 : Up to 100,000 products per category – SKU Length 12 : Up to 1,000,000 products per category
Performance Features: – Background processing for large catalogs – Batch processing to prevent timeouts – Memory optimization for low-resource servers – Progress tracking for long operations
Large Catalog Tips: – Use longer SKU lengths for scalability – Enable background processing – Process in smaller batches if needed – Monitor server resources during generation
Will this plugin slow down my website?
No, the plugin is optimized for performance:
Performance Features: – Background processing prevents frontend slowdowns – Minimal database queries during normal operation – Caching of frequently accessed data – Optimized algorithms for SKU generation
Resource Usage: – Memory : Minimal impact (typically < 5MB) – Database : Efficient queries with proper indexing – CPU : Background processing spreads load – Frontend : No impact on customer-facing pages
Best Practices: – Run bulk generation during low-traffic periods – Use background processing for large catalogs – Monitor server resources during initial setup – Enable logging only when troubleshooting
Can I import/export my SKU settings?
Yes! The plugin includes comprehensive import/export functionality:
Export Features: – Export all SKU generation settings – Include category-specific prefixes – Backup configuration before changes – JSON format for easy sharing
Import Features: – Import settings from backup files – Validate imported data – Merge with existing settings – Rollback to previous configurations
Backup Management: – Automatic backup before major changes – Manual backup creation – Restore from any backup point – Export backups for safekeeping
**Technical Questions**
Does this plugin work with WooCommerce HPOS?
Yes! The plugin is fully compatible with WooCommerce High-Performance Order Storage:
HPOS Compatibility: – Declared compatibility with HPOS – Tested with latest WooCommerce versions – No conflicts with order storage systems – Maintains performance with HPOS enabled
Cart & Checkout Blocks: – Compatible with WooCommerce blocks – Works with modern checkout experiences – No interference with block functionality – Maintains SKU generation during checkout
Can I customize the SKU generation algorithm?
Advanced customization options:
Hooks and Filters: – smart_auto_sku_generator_sku_format – Customize SKU format – smart_auto_sku_generator_prefix – Modify prefix generation – smart_auto_sku_generator_increment – Customize numbering – smart_auto_sku_generator_validation – Add custom validation
Code Examples: `php // Custom SKU format add_filter(‘smart_auto_sku_generator_sku_format’, function($format, $product) { return ‘CUSTOM-‘ . $product->get_category_ids()[0] . ‘-‘ . $product->get_id(); }, 10, 2);
// Custom prefix generation add_filter(‘smart_auto_sku_generator_prefix’, function($prefix, $category) { return strtoupper(substr($category->name, 0, 3)); }, 10, 2); `
How do I troubleshoot SKU generation issues?
Step-by-step troubleshooting:
1. Enable Logging: – Go to plugin settings – Enable “Log SKU Generation Activities” – Check WordPress debug log for errors
2. Check Prerequisites: – Verify WooCommerce is active – Ensure products have categories – Check PHP version compatibility – Verify database permissions
3. Common Issues: – No SKUs generated : Check category assignments – Duplicate errors : Run duplicate detection – Timeout errors : Use background processing – Permission errors : Check file/database permissions
4. Advanced Debugging: – Enable WordPress debug mode – Check error logs for detailed information – Use browser developer tools for AJAX errors – Contact support with error details
