Free tool · Stock planning
SKU Generator
Make SKU codes for every variant of a product in one go, from its category, size, colour and other attributes
- Free
- No signup
- Indian rules
Item or brand
Attributes
· one value per lineCodes are made for you: Black becomes BLA, Navy Blue becomes NB and 500ml stays 500ML. To set your own, write the value, an equals sign and the code: Maroon = MRN.
Format
Add a running number
A serial at the end, such as 001, 002, 003
Add an HSN column
The same HSN code on every row
Good to know
- A SKU is your own stock code. GS1 India points out that SKUs are not standardised and differ from company to company.
- A GTIN is different: the global number in a retail barcode, issued in India by GS1 India and starting with 890. Marketplaces and large retailers usually ask for it.
- Keep codes short and use only letters, digits and one separator. Avoid O and I, which are easily read as 0 and 1.
- Do not start a SKU with 0: Excel drops leading zeros when it opens a CSV.
- Never reuse a retired SKU for a different item, or old stock and sales reports will mix the two.
Your SKUs
SKUs generated
40
4 colour × 5 size × 2 sleeve
| SKU | Item name | HSN |
|---|---|---|
| TSH-BLA-S-HS | T-shirt - Black, S, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-S-FS | T-shirt - Black, S, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-M-HS | T-shirt - Black, M, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-M-FS | T-shirt - Black, M, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-L-HS | T-shirt - Black, L, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-L-FS | T-shirt - Black, L, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-XL-HS | T-shirt - Black, XL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-XL-FS | T-shirt - Black, XL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-XXL-HS | T-shirt - Black, XXL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-BLA-XXL-FS | T-shirt - Black, XXL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-S-HS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, S, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-S-FS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, S, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-M-HS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, M, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-M-FS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, M, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-L-HS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, L, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-L-FS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, L, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-XL-HS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, XL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-XL-FS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, XL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-XXL-HS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, XXL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-NB-XXL-FS | T-shirt - Navy Blue, XXL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-S-HS | T-shirt - White, S, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-S-FS | T-shirt - White, S, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-M-HS | T-shirt - White, M, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-M-FS | T-shirt - White, M, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-L-HS | T-shirt - White, L, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-L-FS | T-shirt - White, L, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-XL-HS | T-shirt - White, XL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-XL-FS | T-shirt - White, XL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-XXL-HS | T-shirt - White, XXL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-WHI-XXL-FS | T-shirt - White, XXL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-S-HS | T-shirt - Maroon, S, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-S-FS | T-shirt - Maroon, S, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-M-HS | T-shirt - Maroon, M, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-M-FS | T-shirt - Maroon, M, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-L-HS | T-shirt - Maroon, L, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-L-FS | T-shirt - Maroon, L, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-XL-HS | T-shirt - Maroon, XL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-XL-FS | T-shirt - Maroon, XL, Full | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-XXL-HS | T-shirt - Maroon, XXL, Half | 6109 |
| TSH-MRN-XXL-FS | T-shirt - Maroon, XXL, Full | 6109 |
Need labels? Paste a SKU into our barcode generator and pick CODE128, which takes letters, digits and separators. EAN-13 is only for GTINs from GS1.
The codes are generated in your browser and nothing is uploaded. Check the HSN code against your GST invoices before you import the list into your billing or ERP software.
How it works
What this tool does.
Generate SKU codes in bulk from a category or brand prefix and attributes such as colour, size and variant. Codes are shortened for you or set by you, joined with the separator you choose, with an optional running number and HSN column. Copy the list or download it as CSV.
Type the item, category or brand name; its code is shortened automatically (T-shirt becomes TSH, as a hyphenated word counts as one word) or you can set your own. Add up to five attributes, such as Colour, Size and Sleeve, and list their values one per line. Each value gets a short code: a single word gives its first letters (Black becomes BLA), several words give their initials (Navy Blue becomes NB), and a value with a number stays whole (500ml becomes 500ML). To choose a code yourself, write the value, an equals sign and the code, such as Maroon = MRN. Pick the code length and separator, and switch on a running number or an HSN column if you need them. The tool builds every combination of the values, warns if two values shorten to the same code, and lets you copy the list for Excel or download it as a CSV with SKU, item name, each attribute and HSN. Up to 5,000 SKUs at a time, all in your browser.
Rules and dates last reviewed: October 2026
SKU Generator formula
SKU = prefix + separator + code of attribute 1 + separator + code of attribute 2 + … (+ separator + running number). Number of SKUs = number of values of attribute 1 × number of values of attribute 2 × … Item name = item name − value 1, value 2, …
Worked example
A Tiruppur T-shirt brand sells round-neck T-shirts in 4 colours (Black, Navy Blue, White, Maroon), 5 sizes (S, M, L, XL, XXL) and 2 sleeve lengths (Half, Full). It wants one SKU per variant for its billing software and marketplace listings, with HSN 6109.
- Prefix: T-shirt shortened to TSH
- Colour codes: Black → BLA, Navy Blue → NB, White → WHI, Maroon = MRN (set by hand)
- Size codes stay as they are (S, M, L, XL, XXL). Sleeve codes set by hand: Half = HS, Full = FS
- Number of SKUs = 4 colours × 5 sizes × 2 sleeves = 40
- First SKU: TSH-BLA-S-HS (T-shirt - Black, S, Half). Last SKU: TSH-MRN-XXL-FS
- With a 3-digit running number, the first becomes TSH-BLA-S-HS-001 and the last TSH-MRN-XXL-FS-040
The brand downloads a CSV of 40 SKUs, each with its item name, colour, size, sleeve and HSN 6109, ready to import into its item master. Each code says what the item is, so packers can read it without a lookup.
Sleet ERP
Want this done on every order?
Sleet ERP keeps every SKU in the item master with its HSN code and prints barcode labels straight from it.
- Orders that matchPurchase orders are matched to the goods received and the supplier’s bill.
- Dispatch with papersDelivery challans and e-way bills for stock moving between godowns and branches.
- Labels from your itemsBarcodes print from the item master and are scanned at billing and stock counts.
Questions
SKU Generator, answered.
Something else? Message us on WhatsApp at +91 82001 72869 or write to sales@getsleet.cloud.
What is a SKU?
A SKU (stock keeping unit) is a code a business gives each distinct item it stocks, so every size, colour or pack of a product can be counted and sold separately. GS1 India describes SKUs as internal identifiers that are not standardised and vary from company to company.
How do I create SKU codes for my products?
Start with a short code for the category or brand, then add a short code for each attribute that makes a variant different, such as colour and size, in the same order every time. Join them with one separator, such as a hyphen. For example, a black, small, half-sleeve T-shirt could be TSH-BLA-S-HS. Keep the codes short, use only letters and digits, and never reuse a code for a different item.
What is the difference between a SKU and a barcode?
A SKU is your own code for an item. A barcode is a machine-readable symbol that carries a number or code. Retail barcodes (EAN-13) carry a GTIN, a globally unique product number that GS1 India issues to businesses in India, starting with 890. You can print your SKU itself as a CODE128 barcode for use inside your own warehouse.
Should each size and colour have its own SKU?
Yes. If a variant is stocked, priced or sold separately, it needs its own SKU, or you cannot tell which size or colour is running out. GS1 India applies the same idea to GTINs: when an attribute such as size or type changes, the GTIN changes too.
Should I put the HSN code in the SKU?
No. Keep HSN in its own column. The HSN code decides the GST rate on your invoice, while the SKU identifies the item. Many variants share one HSN code, and an HSN code can change with the tariff, while a SKU should stay the same for the life of the item.
Why should a SKU not start with zero?
When you open a CSV in Excel, it treats a code made only of digits as a number and drops the leading zeros, so 00125 becomes 125. Starting with letters, or keeping the running number at the end, avoids this.
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