Create PrestaShop combinations in bulk
You enter the attributes, colour, size or shoe size, and ListoMax generates every combination. Each combination gets its own reference, price impact, stock and EAN code, then goes to your PrestaShop 1.7, 8 or 9 store. And with the Series feature, publishing 12 complete listings takes less than 2 minutes.
By the ListoMax team · Updated
How do you generate PrestaShop combinations automatically?
By entering the attributes just once. ListoMax crosses all the values and builds the table of combinations for you.
Fill in the base listing
Name, descriptions, price excluding tax and VAT, images, categories, features and SEO tags. This information is shared by all the combinations.
Add one or more attributes
Colour, size, shoe size, material… Start from a preset or enter your own values.
ListoMax generates every combination
One row per combination, in an editable table: reference, price impact, stock and EAN code.
Publish
The product is created through the official Webservice and the combinations are created as combinations of the product. A progress bar shows each step, including the creation of the variants.
ListoMax is Windows software, not a module: nothing is installed in your store. It also handles bulk adding products to PrestaShop, combinations included.
How do you create combinations in the PrestaShop back office, and where does it get stuck?
The native method works well for one product. It becomes heavy going when there are fifty.
The back office generator
You first create the attributes and their values in the catalogue, then, on the page of a product with combinations, you choose the values and generate the combinations. You still have to fill in the reference, impact on price, quantity and EAN of each combination, product by product.
Combination import
PrestaShop can also import a combinations file. It requires a spreadsheet that is already built, one row per combination, in the right format. One column error and the batch has to be redone. See our guide to importing a CSV or Excel file into PrestaShop.
With ListoMax, the listing, its images, its translations and its combinations go out in a single operation. No more switching from tab to tab for every product.
How do you create size and colour combinations in PrestaShop?
Add the colour attribute, then the size attribute, and tick the values. The presets save you from retyping everything.
14 ready-made values
Black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, pink, grey, brown, beige, orange, purple, gold, silver.
8 + 8 ready-made values
Clothing sizes from XS to 4XL, and numeric sizes from 34 to 48.
23 ready-made values
From 35 to 46 (EU), half sizes included.
10 ready-made values
Cotton, polyester, leather, linen, silk, wool, denim, synthetic, velvet, satin.
3 ready-made values
New, used, refurbished.
Your own attributes
Capacity, power, format, length: enter any value and combine your attributes.
How many combinations will be created?
The number of combinations is the number of values of each attribute multiplied together. Two attributes with five values each give twenty-five combinations, generated and listed automatically.
| Attributes entered | Calculation | Combinations generated |
|---|---|---|
| 5 colours and 5 sizes | 5 × 5 | 25 |
| 3 colours and 8 clothing sizes (XS to 4XL) | 3 × 8 | 24 |
| 2 materials and 23 shoe sizes | 2 × 23 | 46 |
How do you set a reference, price and stock for each combination?
Directly in the combinations table, before sending. Each row has its own fields.
One reference per combination
It is derived from the product reference and unique to each combination. No duplicates, so no risk of a republication targeting the wrong row.
One price per combination
The price impact is added to the base price. It can be positive or negative: +€3 for XXL, -€2 for an end-of-line colour.
One stock level per combination
Each combination has its own quantity. Running out of red in size M does not affect the other sizes or colours.
One EAN per combination
Enter the specific barcode of each combination if you have one. The field can be left empty.
Images, VAT and categories remain those of the product. For details of what is sent, see the attributes and variants section of the features page.
Do combinations work on PrestaShop 1.7, 8 and 9?
Yes. ListoMax publishes to PrestaShop 1.7, 8.x and 9.x through the Webservice. Publishing is tested on real PrestaShop 8.2 and 9.0 stores before every release.
Checked after sending
ListoMax reads the listing back from the store and compares what was requested with what was received, combinations included.
Safe republishing
You change a price or a stock level and republish: existing combinations keep their IDs, and only the edited fields change.
Several stores
The same listing can go to several stores at once. See how to publish your products to multiple stores.
Connecting takes five minutes: the step-by-step guide is in the help page on connecting PrestaShop.
Combinations or a separate listing per colour: which is best in PrestaShop?
The sizes of one model work well as combinations. Colours that shoppers search for individually often benefit from having their own listing.
| Combinations | One listing per colour (Series) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pages in the store | A single page, choice in a menu | One page per colour |
| SEO | A single page to rank | Title, description and URL specific to each colour |
| Photo in category listings | The product's photo | Each colour's own photo |
| Best for | Sizes, price options | Colours searched for by name |
Many stores combine the two: one listing per colour, and in each listing the sizes as combinations. The Series feature to bulk create product listings builds one listing per value, with its own reference (REF-0042-RED, REF-0042-BLUE) and its own URL.
Why are my combinations not being created in PrestaShop?
In most cases, the Webservice key does not have the necessary permissions on combinations and attributes.
Key permissions
In Advanced Parameters, Webservice, tick read and write access on combinations and attributes. The simplest is to tick everything: the key is only used by ListoMax.
Missing VAT rate
If the requested rate does not exist in the store, publishing is refused with a message listing the available rates.
Retry the upload
Each failure shows the product, the store and the reason. One button retries that product, another retries all failed products.
See also: bulk upload product images, translate your product listings into 8 languages, and the WordPress equivalent: bulk create WooCommerce variations.
Your questions, answered
How many combinations can ListoMax generate for a PrestaShop product?
As many as the values entered multiplied together. Two attributes with five values each give twenty-five combinations, all listed in an editable table before sending.
Can I set a different price for each combination?
Yes. Each combination has a price impact, positive or negative, which is added to the product's base price.
Does each combination have its own reference and stock?
Yes. The reference is derived from the product's reference and unique to each combination. Stock and EAN code are entered row by row.
Is ListoMax a PrestaShop module?
No. It is Windows software. It creates products and their combinations through the official PrestaShop 1.7, 8 and 9 Webservice, without installing anything on your server.
What happens to combinations when I republish a product?
They are preserved. Existing combinations keep their IDs and only the edited fields, such as price or stock, are updated.
How long does it take to publish a product range in several colours?
With the Series feature, the publisher measures less than 2 minutes to publish 12 complete product listings, one per value, from a single entry. You can try it with the 5 free publications.
Try it on your own stores
5 real publications free, no credit card required. Then a lifetime licence: €49 for one computer, €149 for up to 20 computers.