---
title: Manage product variants
slug: configured-commerce/docs/manage-product-variants
docTags: 
createdAt: 2026-08-13T10:46:24.000Z
---

Product variants in Optimizely Configured Commerce are products with multiple characteristics or "variants." This is commonly used for products that customers can purchase in various colors and sizes with each of these combinations resolving to a unique SKU or product ID, such as a toolbox.

Within Configured Commerce, the configuration of these parts is divided into two sections: variant types and variant products.

**Variant types** are the group products as a whole. Products with the same traits are assigned to a variant type, such as *Toolbox*.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/ho2W_EZ6SDF3eMWN0NQpI-20260720-144518.png)

A variant type consists of different features or variant traits, such as size and color.

**Variant traits** describe the specific options. For color, the variant trait values might be Yellow, Blue, and Red.

## Import in bulk

You can add variant traits and variant types in bulk using the import template.

The variant traits and variant types imports are for different areas of data. If you want to create all traits and classes and assign product relations, you must run different imports, as Configured Commerce does not have one single import to handle all data. Use the variant traits and variant types imports to create the traits and classes. Use the [product import](docId\:QvZLqM555ASvJ31XJkjP_) to assign the products to parent products.

1. Go to **Variant Types** and click **Upload**.
2. Select **Variant Types** or **Variant Traits** under **What would you like to import**, and click **Download Template**.
3. Fill out the template.
4. Select the file to upload it.
5. Choose your **Import Options**.
6. Click **Import**.

## Create variant types

1. Go to **Admin Console** > **Catalog** > **Variant Types.**
2. Click **+Variant Type**.
3. Enter the **Name** and optional description for the variant type on the **Details** tab.
4. Deactivate the **Active** toggle if you do not want the variant type to be active.
5. Click **Save** or **Save & Add New** to continue adding variant types.

## Create variant traits

1. Go to **Admin Console** > **Catalog** > **Variant Types.**
2. Click the **Edit** icon beside the variant type for which you want to add traits.
3. Click the **Traits** tab.
4. Click **+Variant Trait** to add a variant trait to the variant type.
5. Enter the **Name** and **Sort Order**. If desired, enter a **Description**, a default **Unselected Value**, and a **Display Trait Style**.
6. Click **Save** or **Save & Add New** to continue adding variant traits.

## Create variant trait values

1. Go to **Admin Console** > **Catalog** > **Variant Types.**
2. Click the **Edit** icon beside the variant type for which you want to add traits.
3. Click the **Traits** tab.
4. Click the **Edit** icon beside the variant trait for which you want to add values.
5. Click the **Values** tab.
6. Click **+Variant Trait Value** to add values for your variant trait.
7. Enter a **Value** and **Sort Order**. If desired, enter a description, toggle the **Default Value**, and select a **Swatch Style** of **Color** or **Image**.
8. Click **Save** or **Save & Add New** to continue adding variant trait values.

## Variant products

### Parent products

The parent product is a generic or "dummy" product which does not resolve to a SKU or part ID in the ERP database. Because this parent is a placeholder, you do not need to add pricing or track inventory. The parent product does, however, need images and other content as it is the product that displays on the product list pages and the product detail page before any styles are chosen. Using the Toolbox example, the parent product is labeled "Hero Toolbox" and has an image displaying all three toolbox options.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

Custom availability messages do not appear on the parent product when viewing the product listing page (PLP) and product display page (PDP).
:::

### Child products

Child products, which represent a single SKU or part ID in the ERP database, are then assigned to the parent product. The child products embody each unique combination of the Size and Color variant trait values. Optimizely recommends that each parent product have a **maximum of 100 styled child products**.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/BrbvVORKJ5iIeSMZye5kI/n3hX2eBrQEyiIJ8te75Dd-20260720-144518.png)

## Browse and purchase variant products

Variant products are displayed within the category to which the parent product has been assigned.

The product detail page displays the product like the standard product detail page but with dropdown lists, buttons, or grids that allow customers to select the variant traits for products.

After selecting variant trait values from the dropdown lists, the page updates and displays any content populated for the child product for that combination of options.

The dropdown lists are also sensitive to whether or not a product has been defined for a specific combination of variant trait values. For example, if a product has not been defined for green/medium, the medium option will not be available within the dropdown list when the color green is selected. The opposite also holds true. Clicking a link to a product variant from the following places directs customers to the product detail page of the product with the options for the child product selected.

## Search for and view product variant detail pages

When searching for an exact match of a variant child product number, even if the search terms are also present or directly match another product's data fields, the product detail page loads with the child product variants selected. Direct matches on variant part numbers may occur in the following fields:

- Product Number
- Product Title
- Model Number
- SKU
- UPC
- UNSPSC
- Manufacturer Item

If a user selects more than one child product within a parent, only the parent product detail page loads.

When a user clicks the link to a child product from autocomplete, the parent product detail page loads with the variants for the child product selected. When the user enters a product number using the Quick Order form, the search results includes child products.

A link to a product variant from the following places directs customers to the product detail page with the options for the child product selected:

1. Cart
2. Order confirmation
3. Order history 
4. Sales quote request confirmation
5. List detail page
6. Quote details (sales rep)
7. Job quote details
8. "Share with friend" email
9. Recently viewed widget
10. Related products widget
11. Recently purchased widget

## Work with variant product parent-child relationships

The section below describes how to associate child products to a parent product and assign their variant trait values. Child products should have pricing, content, and images before setting them as variant products.

### Create a parent product

The parent product is a placeholder to which the child products are associated. The parent product does not represent a part stored within your ERP system and should be set up as such:

1. Go to **Admin Console** > **Catalog** > **Products.**
2. Click **Add Product** to create a new product record.
3. Enter data in the **Product Number** and **Product Title** fields in the **Details** tab. Ensure the **ERP Managed** and **Track Inventory** toggles are set to **Off**.
4. Click **Create Revision** in the **Content** tab to add a description of the parent product. Click **Source** to add more formatting or customization, if needed.
5. Add one or more sets of Small/Medium/Large images for the product set in the **Images** tab.
6. Click **Save**.
7. Assign the product to a category within the **Category** tab.
8. Click **Save**.

### Add a variant class to a parent product

1. Go to **Admin Console** > **Catalog** > **Product**.
2. Locate the parent product from the record list and click **Edit**.
3. Select the **Variants** tab and select a variant type using the **Variant Type** dropdown list.
4. Click **Save** in the secondary header.

### Assign child products to a parent product

1. Go to the **Variants** tab of the parent product, and click **Assign Child Variants**.
2. Select the products that will be child products of the parent.
3. Click **Assign**.
4. Click **Done**.
5. Click **Save** to save the child product association, and click the **X** to exit the assignment screen.
6. Click **Save** in the secondary header.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**

Rebuilding the Product Search Index is required before the variant products will be available on the website.
:::

### Assign default child variant

Configured Commerce first looks for the default child product, but if it cannot locate a defined value at the product level, it then uses the variant trait to define the default child variant. You may also use Optimizely Product Information Management (PIM) or another PIM system that lets you set the default variant. Follow these steps to set the default child variant in Configured Commerce:

1. Go to the **Variants** tab of the parent product.
2. Select from the **Default Child Product** dropdown. You will see a list of currently assigned child products. If you select a value that is not from the list of assigned products, a warning displays.
3. Click **Save**.

### Enable nested documents

Extensive use of variant products and restriction groups can lead to incorrect facet counts on the PLP in some scenarios. The 'Enable Nested Documents' setting allows you to get improved results in these rare cases. This setting is toggled to 'No' by default. 

1. Go to **Admin Console** > **Administration** > **Settings** > **Search**.
2. Toggle **Enable Nested Documents** to **Yes**.
3. Click **Save**.

You must rebuild the product index after changing this setting.