Hi all !
I have a (simple) question :
 
Which is the correct way to "specify" (and therefore insert) that a product exists in two different "Versions" ?
Let's say that I need to sell a bulb which exists in two different types, one is 50Watt and the other is 100Watt.
 
What I did is that I created a new "Options and Components" category called "Power Consuption"
and in the last field "Options Values" I specified everything I need (prices, stock levels, etc.)
 
Now:
 
- Is this the correct way to to this ???
 
- If I have in stock 1 Bulbs of the 50w type and 9 of the 100W , I manually set the "stock level" of the product to 10,
and in fact stock levels are correctly working.
However if a customer buys the 50W type, how can I quickly check the cange of status of the stock levels ? On the
websites it says we still have 9 unit remainig and if I go to "products and categories" and make a search for that product
what I see is that I have 9 elements in stock. This is correct but the only way (I found) to see that the 50W type is
out of stock, is to go and edit the "Options and components" of that products.
 
Is there another (better) way to do that ??
 
Thanks a lot for your patience !
David.

I am no expert, and hopefully someone will give you a better answer. But meantime... In a case similar to yours, I took these steps:
 
1. Created each option as a product first, and hid these products in a category that does not display.
 
2. Defined the master product type as a "bundle" with a zero price. This is where to give overview descriptions, images, etc.
 
3. Then created a "subcomponent selection" in the options screen, and listed all the products here.
 
4. Now the zero price automatically changes as new subcomponents (products) are added.
 
5. The subcomponents can alternatively be added as individual "subcomponent" items
 
6. Now the options are truly products with product id's.
 
7. Once you get the scheme figured out this would surely be easiest using uploads.
 
8. have you experimented with the table style CMS category display? It really has a nice compact display with more room for columns. You can just present everything in the category display and never go to the product page.
 
Good luck!
Greg

Thank you Vic140 !
 
This is exactly the method I am currently using and is working great I have to say!
 
In this way every product has a unique number and stock levels work for each one of them.
 
The only concern is about the fact that you can't show to customers how many items you have left, this is because the 'bundle' product has no stock level...therefore what you would see is a 'Zero'.
Also if you are using 'points' the system won't tell you how many 'points' you gain on that specific product, even though it calculate them exactly once you go to the basket....

For your light bulb example, I would have used an option. So your customer would buy a 'Light Bulb' with the 50W option, or the 100W option. Since the product option code amends the basic code, you would find on your invoices and packing slips something like:
 
"LBulb-50W" or "LBulb-100W".
 
I have quite a lot of products done that way, and it's pretty easy to manage, you can put the quantity of each optional item and have the system track your stock, and there are a lot of other helpful options on there as well.
 
This method handles stock levels, product codes, and manages all of it at the lowest level your options cover.
 
Good luck!