Sync Shopify virtual variations | Set up parent-child relationship without NetSuite's matrix item functionality

Gogula R Bhavana

Updated March 19, 2024 16:00

NetSuite generally supports creating a parent-child relationship between items using NetSuite's native Matrix Item functionality. This feature allows you to leverage the virtual variation functionality by Celigo to set up the parent-child relationship between the Inventory (Matrix & Non-Matrix), Assembly (Matrix & Non-Matrix), and Kit Items without using the matrix item feature in NetSuite.

Using this feature, items set up as Virtual variation items in NetSuite can be exported as regular Matrix Items in Shopify. Using the NetSuite Matrix Item to Shopify Product Add/Update flow, you can create virtual variation items. The integration app allows you to use the SUBITEM OF field or a custom field where you specify the parent of an item to create the parent-child relationship needed for an item record in NetSuite.

Important:

If you decide to use a custom field for creating a virtual variation relationship, the custom field must be a drop-down field similar to the SUBITEM OF field and it cannot be a text field.
Do not run the NetSuite Item to Shopify Product Add/Update flow if the regular items in your NetSuite have a parent-child relationship in Shopify product records. If you execute the flow, Shopify will not be able to identify the parent-child relationship; it will only update the specific item and delete the others.

Use case: For example, your product in NetSuite has more than 100 variants but Shopify doesn't allow more than 100 variants per single parent matrix item. To achieve this use case, create an individual parent item for every 100 variants and assign it accordingly using the Virtual variations feature in NetSuite. Also, modify the saved search criteria such that it qualifies only the Virtual variation parents. Once these changes are made, the matrix item export flow considers these Virtual variation groups over the matrix items.

Configure the following:

Go to Settings > Product.
From the NetSuite Saved Search for syncing Item details and NetSuite Saved Search for syncing Matrix Item details drop-down menus, select a saved search.
Check the Enable virtual variations checkbox which in turn displays the NetSuite field identifier for variation parent item field.
Enter the NetSuite field ID where you specify the parent of an item.
Note: By default, the value parent is displayed in the NetSuite field identifier for variation parent item field as a parent is the Field Id value of the SUBITEM OF field in NetSuite. You can change it to the Field Id value of the NetSuite field where you specify the parent of a virtual variation item.
NetSuite configurations:
You need to make the following changes in NetSuite to use this feature:
1. Enable the IS VIRTUAL VARIATION checkbox for all Item record in NetSuite.
  You need to enable the IS VIRTUAL VARIATION checkbox in the eTail tab of item record for all the items for which you want to establish the parent-child relationship in NetSuite using the virtual variation functionality.
2. Create or select appropriate SHOPIFY VARIATION THEME
  You need to create or select the appropriate SHOPIFY VARIATION THEME in NetSuite for every Parent item record for which you want to use the virtual variation functionality. To know more about creating Shopify Variation Themes, see the Creating Shopify Variation Themes section in the Export Matrix Items from NetSuite to Shopify article.
Modify Script to Support Information Sync When a Child Item is Edited in NetSuite
The saved searches in NetSuite only validates the changes directly made into the parent item record. To ensure that the integration app also syncs any changes made into child item from NetSuite into Shopify you need to use the following steps:
1. Login to your NetSuite account.
2. Go to Customization > Scripting > Scripts. The scripts page is displayed.
3. Search for the Celigo Shopify Item Map UE User Event with Bundle ID as 81289 and click Deployments. The Script Deployment page is displayed.
4. Click Edit against RECORD TYPE.
5. Click Parameters sub-tab and enter the same value as mentioned in the NetSuite field identifier for variation parent item field in Advanced Settings of the integration app.
  Note: can be left blank if using the standard SUB ITEM OF field.
6. Click Save.

Criteria for Virtual Variation item selection during the flow run

The Celigo Shopify Matrix Item Export saved the search in NetSuite controls which item records, among all the item records present in NetSuite, are selected by the flow to be processed. When you enable the Enable virtual variations check box, the following criteria gets added to Celigo Shopify Matrix Item Export in NetSuite as shown in the following image:

We can also add criteria on the non-matrix search to exclude virtual items.

Running the Matrix Item Data Flow with Virtual Variation Functionality

Set up the virtual variation item in NetSuite and Advanced settings in the integration app as explained in the aforementioned section. The integration app 'Settings' section displays the data flow groups/data flows. Click Run, next to the integration flow.

The dashboard shows the status of the data flow.
It takes few minutes for the flow to run.

Once the status is displayed as Completed, validate that the NetSuite record is exported to Shopify and the parent item record is displayed with all child items in it.