Solution
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit): meaning and structure
The SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is the unique identifier under which an item is managed in your own warehouse. Unlike the manufacturer-wide EAN/GTIN, you assign SKUs yourself — every variant (size, colour, dimension) gets its own number. Good SKUs make searching, scanning and reporting fast and mix-up-proof.
Last updated: · Lavesy editorial team
Sound familiar?
- Items are called something different everywhere – search and ordering become guesswork.
- Variants (size, colour, dimension) are mixed under one number.
- Historically grown numbering schemes nobody can explain anymore.
How Lavesy helps
Unique item numbers
Every item and every variant has a unique number in Lavesy.
QR label per SKU
Print labels and scan while posting – mix-ups excluded.
Search across everything
Search by number, name or category – also on your phone on the go.
Import existing numbers
Bring existing item numbers in via import instead of renumbering.
How it works
- 1Define a scheme, e.g. category prefix + running number (SCR-0042).
- 2Keep variants as separate SKUs (dimension, colour, size).
- 3Stay short and machine-readable – no special characters.
- 4Create or import SKUs in Lavesy and print QR labels.
Frequently asked questions
What is a SKU?
A SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) is the unique, self-assigned item number under which an item is managed in your own inventory.
What is the difference between SKU and EAN/GTIN?
The EAN/GTIN is a globally unique, manufacturer-assigned number (the retail barcode); the SKU is assigned by you for your internal stock management.
What does a good SKU look like?
Short, unique, meaningful (e.g. category prefix + number) and without special characters – so it stays scannable, sortable and easy to read out.