Overview

The Add variant distribution dialog lets you enter a single total quantity for a master SKU and have Luminous automatically calculate how many units to order for each variant child SKU, based on a variant distribution preset's percentage distribution.

Prerequisites: The variant distribution presets feature must be enabled for your account, and at least one active preset must exist (Inventory → Inventory Admin → Variant Distribution Presets).

Step-by-step

  1. Open or create a Purchase Order.
  2. Click Add variant distribution (in the PO line-item area, on the Add Purchase Order Items step).
  3. In the dialog, search for a master SKU by typing its SKU or name. Only master SKUs appear — variant children are excluded.
  4. Select the master. Luminous immediately resolves the best variant distribution preset for it:
    • If the master has a pinned template, that template is used.
    • If not, and the master belongs to a variant distribution group, the group's preset for the PO's destination warehouse is used.
    • Otherwise, the account's default template is used (if one is set and its axes match the SKU).
    • You can override the template using the dropdown that appears — it shows only templates compatible with the chosen master's variant axes.
  5. Enter the total quantity you want to order. Luminous distributes it across the grid automatically as you type (no need to click a Calculate button).
  6. Review the distribution grid:
    • Each cell shows the variant combination (e.g. S / Red) and the calculated quantity.
    • Cells where no matching child SKU exists are greyed out; their share is redistributed proportionally to the cells that do match.
    • Cells where the variant combination is ambiguous (the template does not fully constrain the SKU's axes) are also excluded.
    • The grid total always equals your entered total exactly.
  7. Adjust quantities manually if needed — edit any cell directly. A warning appears if the grid total no longer matches your entered total, but you can still insert.
  8. Click Insert N lines to add the lines to the PO. Only cells with a quantity greater than zero and a matched child SKU are inserted.
  9. Review and save the PO as normal.

Notes

  • Prices: Unit prices are pre-filled from the child SKU's supplier price if available, falling back to the master SKU's price. Cells without a price are flagged, but you can still insert and enter prices on the PO line afterwards.
  • Non-inventory-tracked SKUs: If a child SKU is not inventory-tracked, the dialog warns you before you insert, because those lines will be silently dropped on save.
  • Kit SKUs: Kit child SKUs cannot be added through the grid path and will be excluded.
  • Exact totals: Luminous uses integer arithmetic with largest-remainder rounding, so the distributed quantities always sum exactly to the total you entered — no rounding shortfall or surplus.