> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.avstarna.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Build and Manage Your Product Catalog in Avstarna

> Create products, configure variants and sub-variations, set allergy information, and keep your Avstarna catalog organized and ready for production.

Your product catalog is the foundation of everything in Avstarna — from production planning to inventory tracking and customer pricing. Products are structured in three layers: a **parent product**, one or more **variations**, and **sub-variations** (the specific SKUs you stock and ship). This guide walks you through building that structure from scratch and configuring each level correctly.

## Create a Parent Product

The parent product holds the top-level identity of an item — its name, URL slug, and category. Think of it as the product family.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to the Product Catalog">
    Go to **Catalog → Products** in the left navigation menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new parent product">
    Click **Add Product**. Fill in the following fields:

    * **Name** — the full product name as it appears across the platform.
    * **Slug** — a URL-friendly identifier (e.g., `whole-milk-2l`). This is auto-generated but can be edited.
    * **Category** — select the appropriate category to keep your catalog organized and filterable.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the parent product">
    Click **Save**. The parent product now appears in your catalog and is ready for variations.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Add Variations and Sub-Variations

Variations represent a meaningful distinction within a product family — for example, size or packaging type. Sub-variations are the actual SKUs beneath each variation, each with their own stock tracking, label configuration, and minimum stock threshold.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the parent product">
    From **Catalog → Products**, click the product you just created.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a variation">
    Click **Add Variation** and enter a label that describes the differentiating attribute — for example, *500g* or *Glass Bottle*. Save the variation.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a sub-variation">
    Inside the variation, click **Add Sub Variation**. Configure:

    * **Label** — the specific SKU name or code.
    * **Label config** — defines what appears on the product label when printed.
    * **Minimum stock** — the threshold below which Avstarna will flag low stock for this SKU.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Assign tags">
    On the sub-variation detail page, assign one or more **Tags** to enable filtering across the catalog and inventory views. Tags are shared across your account — you can create new ones here or reuse existing ones.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  Use consistent naming conventions for your variations and sub-variations from the start. For example, always list size before packaging type (*250g – Bag*, *250g – Box*). This keeps your catalog readable as it grows.
</Tip>

## Configure Product Information Pages

Each parent product has four dedicated information pages. Keep these up to date — they feed into label generation, customer-facing documentation, and regulatory compliance workflows.

<Accordion title="Allergy Information">
  Open the product and navigate to the **Allergy Info** tab. Record any allergens present in or potentially cross-contaminated with this product. This data can appear on printed labels depending on your label config.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Nutrition Facts">
  The **Nutrition Facts** page stores per-serving nutritional data. Fill in values for energy, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and any other required fields for your market.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Contaminations">
  The **Contaminations** page logs any known contamination risks associated with the product, useful for internal quality control records.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Microbiological Data">
  Record microbiological test parameters and limits on the **Microbiological Data** page. This is especially relevant for fresh and frozen product lines.
</Accordion>

<Note>
  Storage type (Frozen at –18°C, Fresh, Cool, or Dry) is set at the sub-variation level and directly affects what information is included on the printed label. Make sure to set this before generating any labels.
</Note>

## Organize Materials and Pricing

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Raw Materials">
    Navigate to **Catalog → Materials** to manage the raw ingredients or components linked to your products. Linking materials to products enables traceability between what you purchase, what you produce, and what you ship. Create a material entry for each input, then associate it with the relevant products during production setup.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Pricing">
    Go to **Catalog → Pricing** to create and manage customer-specific price lists. Each price list can be assigned to a customer group or individual sub-customer. This lets you maintain different pricing tiers — for example, wholesale vs. retail — without duplicating product records.

    <Tip>
      Use **Customer Groups** under the Customers section to segment your buyers before building price lists. Assigning a price list to a group is faster than setting individual customer prices.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>