How to Manage Configurable items in Magento EE as Product Variations in Channel Advisor

When you build configurable skus that allow customers to specify the details of the item purchased (like color or size), you have to tell Channel Advisor what is the "Product Variation" (different name for the same concept).  To create the new Configurable Attibute, follow these steps:

o   Create Attribute in Magento and use YES for “Use To Create Configurable Product”

o   Assigned to Magento Attribute Set

o   Map the new attribute to Magento data flow export profile

o   Create in Channel Advisor “Define Field Headers”

o   Assigned to Channel Advisor “Import Template”

o   Built out in Channel Advisor “Product Variations”

In this case, we built a new color attribute in Magento EE and then assigned it to the appropriate attribute set (OUTDOOR).

• Magento > Catalog > Attributes > Manage Attribute Sets 

Then you have to add the new attribute set to the Export File Field Mapping that gets sent to Channel Advisor:

• Magento > System > Import/Export Profile > (select profile) > (edit Profile Wizard for Field Mapping)

Now you have to define the field header in Channel Advisor:

• CA > Inventory > Product Mapping > Define File Headers
• CA > Inventory > Product Mapping> > Templates

In CA you will need to build out the new Product Varations:

• CA > Inventory > Products > Product Variations > Create New Product Variation

(use the header file name/attribute name in both "name" and "varying attribute name", then save and exit)

Now do a fresh export/import and you should be well on your way!