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Automate Item Creation with Square for Retail

With Square for Retail, you can automatically create an item by scanning the item’s barcode. During the item creation process, you may see suggestions (highlighted in purple) for Category, Description, Price, and other fields. These suggestions are based on information typically found online that is associated with the GTIN. To prevent duplication, you’ll also receive a notification during the item creation process if the GTIN already exists in your Item Library.

Create an Item Using a GTIN

You can also create a new item by scanning a GTIN directly from the Square for Retail POS app on iPad and iPhone, or Square Register. To do so:

  1. From the Navigation menu, tap More > Items.

  2. Tap All Items, then tap Create Item.

  3. Tap Auto create and scan the GTIN associated with the item(s) you want to create using a compatible barcode scanner or the built-in camera on your device.

  4. Choose the item from the Auto create screen, and tap Select.

  5. Select the Suggested Category or manually apply a different one. To add variations, scroll down and select Add variation. 

  6. After selections have been added, tap Save.

In addition to creating items with the Square for Retail POS app, you can also easily create items by scanning a GTIN through your online Square Dashboard. You can also type in a GTIN or search for an item by name. Inputting a GTIN is more likely to return a direct match. If scanning a GTIN, first, you’ll need to use a compatible barcode scanner and connect it to your desktop computer or laptop. Once you’ve confirmed the barcode scanner is connected, follow the instructions below to get started:

  1. Go to Item Library from your online Square Dashboard.

  2. Click Create an Item.

  3. From the Details section, select Auto create.

  4. Scan the GTIN associated with the item(s) you want to create or search by name. Choose the item from the Auto create screen, and click Select.

  5. To add variations, scroll down and click Add variation

  6. After all selections have been added, click Save.

FAQ

How are items automatically generated?

Product information for items with a GTIN is sourced from third-party databases. If a direct match is found when an item is scanned or searched for by name, Square will use this information to auto-populate an item’s Name, Image, and Category suggestion.

How are item descriptions automatically generated?

Square uses AI to automatically generate item descriptions. For GTIN items, product information is sourced from third-party databases and rewritten into compelling, informative item descriptions. With any AI tool, it is always best to review generated content for quality and accuracy.

Can descriptions be generated for items without a GTIN?

At this time, descriptions can only be generated for items with a GTIN. However, we have plans to extend this functionality to all item types in the near future.


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