Free Tool by VNDLY
SKU Generator
Generate clean, consistent SKU codes for your products in seconds. Customise the format, choose a separator, and download or copy your new SKUs instantly.
Generated SKUs
ACME-SHIRT-REDL-001ACME-SHIRT-REDL-002ACME-SHIRT-REDL-003ACME-SHIRT-REDL-004ACME-SHIRT-REDL-005e.g. ACME (max 6 chars, auto-uppercase)
e.g. SHIRT (max 6 chars, auto-uppercase)
e.g. RED-L (max 8 chars, optional)
1, 20 sequential SKUs.
e.g. 001, 01 or 1
Format
[prefix][sep][category][sep][variant][sep][padded number]
Empty parts are skipped. Spaces and special characters are stripped.
100% free · no signup · generated in your browser.
Track every SKU in one system
Great SKUs are the foundation of a well-run inventory system. Once you have them, VNDLY helps you track every SKU's stock levels, sales velocity, purchase orders and supplier prices, across every warehouse and sales channel.
How to use this generator
1. Add a brand or category prefix
Example: ACME for brand, or SHIRT for category.
2. Add a variant (optional)
Size, colour or material, e.g. RED-L.
3. Choose separator and quantity
Dash, underscore or none; generate 1, 20 sequential SKUs.
4. Copy or export
Use individual copy buttons or copy the entire list.
What makes a good SKU
A SKU is your internal product fingerprint. Done right, it makes picking, counting and reporting easier. Done wrong, it creates confusion across your warehouse and sales channels.
What makes a good SKU?
Short, consistent, readable, unique. No spaces or special chars. Prefix = brand/supplier; middle = category/type; suffix = variant.
Avoid manufacturer part numbers
They can change or be non-unique. Build your own convention instead.
SKUs vs barcodes
SKU is your internal identifier; barcode encodes it for scanning. One SKU = one barcode.
Keep it readable
Someone should be able to read a SKU on a picking list and know roughly what it is.
How SKU codes are structured
A SKU is a set of short segments, each answering one question about the product. The generator above builds the three patterns that cover almost every small product business. Pick one and use it for the whole catalogue; mixing patterns is how duplicate SKUs and mis-picks start.
1. Category first
TSHIRT-BLU-L
Category, then the attributes that vary (colour, size). Best for apparel, food and any catalogue where you filter by product type.
2. Brand or supplier first
MAK-DRILL-12V-001
Brand prefix, category, key spec, sequence. Best for resellers and distributors who stock many brands and reorder by supplier.
3. Sequence based
P-000481
A short prefix and a running number, with the attributes stored in your inventory system instead of the code. Best for large catalogues where meaningful codes get too long.
Do
- Keep every SKU between 8 and 20 characters, uppercase, dashes only.
- Give every sellable variant its own SKU: size, colour, material, pack size.
- Retire a SKU when the product is discontinued. Never reuse it.
- Store the supplier part number as a separate field, not inside the SKU.
Don't
- Start with a zero or the letter O; spreadsheets strip leading zeros and people confuse O and 0.
- Encode prices, dates or anything that changes. The SKU should outlive a price list.
- Use spaces, slashes or accents. Most scanners and marketplaces reject them.
- Copy a marketplace ID (ASIN, UPC) as your SKU. Those belong to Amazon or GS1, not to you.
Full walkthrough with worked examples: What is a SKU and how to create SKU codes. Short definition: SKU in the glossary.
How do I generate a SKU number?
- Choose a prefix that says what the product is: a 2 to 4 letter category or brand code such as TSH for t-shirts or ACME for a house brand.
- Add the attributes that make the variant distinct, in a fixed order: size, colour, material. Use short codes (M, BLK, CTN), not words.
- End with a sequence number wide enough for growth, usually four digits.
- Keep every SKU the same length and pattern so a wrong one is obvious at a glance.
- Record the pattern once, share it with whoever creates products, and never reuse a retired SKU.
How to create SKU codes in Excel
Put the prefix in column A, the variant code in column B, and use one formula to build the SKU in column C, then fill down:
=UPPER(A2)&"-"&UPPER(B2)&"-"&TEXT(ROW()-1,"0000")
Copy column C and paste as values before you sort or delete rows, or the sequence numbers shift. Excel works up to a few hundred products; past that, duplicates creep in and the generator above is the safer route.
SKU examples by industry
Apparel
TSH-BLK-M-0041
Product type, colour, size, sequence. Size stays in the same slot across every product.
Food and beverage
COF-ETH-250G-0007
Category, origin, pack size, sequence. Pack size in the code stops a 250 g and 1 kg bag sharing a barcode.
Electronics
CBL-USBC-2M-0113
Category, connector, length, sequence. Never embed the manufacturer part number; it changes when the supplier does.
Parts and components
BRG-6205-2RS-0002
Category, standard size, seal type, sequence. The standard size is the one piece of supplier data worth keeping in the code.
SKU barcode: print your SKUs as scannable labels
A SKU is text; a barcode is that text drawn as bars so a scanner or phone camera can read it. To make a SKU barcode, paste the SKU from this generator into the free barcode generator and choose Code 128: it encodes letters, digits and dashes, so any SKU pattern above works unchanged. Download the PNG or SVG, print it on a label, and scan it during receiving, picking and stock counts.
Internal labels
Code 128 or a QR code with the SKU. Free, no registration, works with any inventory app.
Retail products
Stores scan a GS1-issued UPC or EAN. Keep your SKU as the internal code and map the two in your system.
In VNDLY
Every product gets a barcode automatically and the warehouse app scans it with a phone. No label printer required to start.
Great SKUs are just the beginning
Great SKUs are the foundation of a well-run inventory system. Once you have them, VNDLY helps you track every SKU's stock levels, sales velocity, purchase orders and supplier prices, across every warehouse and sales channel. Starting at $49/mo.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I generate a SKU number?
Pick a prefix for the category or brand (2 to 4 letters), add the attributes that distinguish the variant (size, colour, material) as short codes, and finish with a sequence number. Keep every SKU the same length, use only letters, digits and dashes, and never reuse a retired code. The generator above does this for a whole list at once.
How do I create SKU codes in Excel?
Put the prefix, attribute codes and a running number in separate columns, then join them with a formula such as =UPPER(A2)&"-"&UPPER(B2)&"-"&TEXT(ROW()-1,"0000"). Fill down, copy, and paste as values so the codes stop changing when rows move. For more than a few hundred products the generator on this page is faster and avoids duplicates.
What is the best free SKU generator?
One that runs in the browser without a signup, lets you set the prefix, separator and sequence, and exports to CSV. This tool does that and has no product limit; the SKUs stay yours.
What is a SKU?
A Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) is a unique internal code that identifies a specific product variant. Every distinct product, size, colour, material, gets its own SKU.
What is a good SKU format?
A good SKU has 3, 4 meaningful segments: brand prefix + category + variant + sequence number. Example: NIKE-SHOE-BLK-10-001. Keep it under 20 characters and avoid spaces.
What's the difference between a SKU and a barcode?
A SKU is your internal name for a product. A barcode encodes that SKU (or another number) so it can be scanned. Your inventory system links the two.
Should SKUs be case-sensitive?
No. Use uppercase letters only to avoid confusion and ensure compatibility across systems.
Can I change SKUs later?
Technically yes, but it creates reconciliation problems. Set up a consistent SKU format before you start and stick to it.
Can I turn a SKU into a barcode?
Yes. Generate the SKU here, then paste it into the free barcode generator and pick Code 128, which encodes letters, digits and dashes. Print the label and any phone or scanner reads the SKU back. Retail products sold through other stores also need a GS1-issued UPC or EAN, which is separate from your internal SKU.
What is the difference between a SKU and a serial number?
A SKU identifies a product variant (every black size-10 shoe shares one SKU). A serial number identifies one physical unit. Use SKUs for stock levels and reordering; add serial or lot numbers when you need warranty, recall or batch traceability.
How many SKUs should a small business have?
As many as you have distinct sellable variants, and no more. If over 20% of your active SKUs sold nothing in the last 90 days you probably have SKU sprawl: consolidate or retire the tail before it eats warehouse space and forecasting accuracy.