Options & Barcode Aliases
Sometimes several things are really one product: the same drink in five flavours, or a single item that arrives with a different barcode on every case. Rather than create a separate product (and a separate stock count) for each, Brother POS lets you attach named options and extra barcodes to a single product. They all ring up the same product and share one pool of stock.
This is the lightweight alternative to Variations. Use variations when each size or pack needs its own price and its own stock count. Use options and barcode aliases when everything is the same price and shares one stock count, but scans (or is named) differently.
Options vs. Variations -- Which to Use?
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Same product, different flavours/varieties, one shared stock count and price | Named options (this page) |
| One product that ships with several different barcodes/UPCs | Barcode aliases (this page) |
| Different sizes/weights, each with its own price and its own stock | Variations |
Named Options (Flavours / Varieties)
Named options let you list the flavours or varieties a product comes in -- for example a sparkling drink that comes in Lime, Berry, and Cola. All the options are the same product with the same price and one shared stock count; the names are just there so staff and customers can tell them apart.
Adding named options
- Go to Admin > Products and open the product.
- Find the Options / Flavours section.
- In What are these called?, enter a label for the group -- e.g.
Flavour,Strain, orVariety. This is what the choice is called on the storefront. - Click Add option for each variety.
- For each option, enter its name (e.g. "Lime") and, optionally, scan or type its barcode.
- Click Save.
Each option name shows on your storefront and is searchable at the register -- a clerk can search "Lime" and land on the right product. Because there is only one product underneath, you keep one simple stock count instead of juggling five.
Every named option draws from the product's single stock number. Selling any flavour reduces that one count. If you need each flavour tracked separately, use Variations instead.
Barcode Aliases (Many Barcodes, One Product)
A barcode alias is an extra barcode that scans to the same product. This is for the common case where the same item arrives with a different UPC depending on the supplier, the case, or a packaging change -- you want every one of those codes to ring up the one product.
You add barcode aliases in the same Options / Flavours section: add an entry and fill in only the barcode (you can leave the name blank if it is purely an alias). A product can carry as many aliases as you need.
- Every alias scans to this product -- at the register, scanning any of the codes adds the same product to the cart.
- Barcodes stay unique -- a barcode can only belong to one product. If you try to add a code that's already used elsewhere, Brother POS blocks it and tells you which product already has it.
- Searchable too -- aliases are checked alongside the product's main barcode and SKU during search and scan.
Attaching an Unknown Barcode at the Register
When a clerk scans a barcode the system doesn't recognize, they don't have to leave the register or create a duplicate product. They can attach the scanned code to an existing product on the spot:
- Scan the item. If nothing matches, the POS offers to attach the barcode.
- Search for and pick the product this barcode belongs to.
- Confirm. The code is added as a barcode alias and, from then on, scans straight to that product.
This keeps your catalog clean -- new case UPCs get folded into the right product instead of spawning near-duplicate entries.
Attaching a barcode changes a product, so it requires the Manage Products permission. Clerks without that permission will need a manager to attach the code.
Merging Duplicate Products
Even with aliases, duplicates creep in -- especially after a CSV or third-party import that created two entries for the same item. Brother POS can merge two products into one through the AI assistant (Big Brother):
- One product is the keep product -- it is preserved and stays active.
- The other is the merge product -- its stock is added to the keep product, and it is then deactivated.
Ask the assistant to merge the duplicates, telling it which entry to keep (the one with the better name and data). Their stock is combined so you don't lose count of anything on hand.
When merging, keep the product that has the cleaner name, correct category, and any photos or cannabis attributes already filled in. The other one's stock simply rolls into it.
Best Practices
- Reach for options before variations. If flavours share a price and a stock count, named options are simpler than variations -- one number to manage.
- Label the group clearly. Set "What are these called?" to something customers understand (Flavour, Strain, Variety) since it shows on the storefront.
- Attach, don't recreate. When a new case scans as unknown, attach the barcode to the existing product rather than creating a new one.
- Merge after every import. Imports are the usual source of duplicates -- do a quick pass to merge any pairs so stock counts stay accurate.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| "Barcode is already used by another product" | That code is an alias or main barcode on a different product. Find and remove it there first, or attach it to that product instead. |
| Scanning an alias doesn't find the product | Confirm the alias was saved (open the product's Options / Flavours section) and that the code matches exactly, with no extra spaces. |
| A flavour needs its own price | Named options share one price. Switch to Variations if each option needs a different price or its own stock. |
| Clerk can't attach an unknown barcode | Attaching requires the Manage Products permission. Have a manager do it or grant the permission. |
What's Next?
- Variations -- Use these when each size needs its own price and stock count.
- Barcode Labels -- Print labels for your products.
- Creating Products -- Full guide to adding a new product.
- CSV Import -- Bulk-add products (a common source of duplicates to merge).