# Products (new) Products are at the core of everything you do in Flow Retail – from sales and inventory to reports and campaigns. Taking time to set up your product data properly makes daily work smoother and reporting more useful. *** ### Before you add products A few things need to be in place first:

What	Required?	Why
Product Groups	Yes	Required for every product. Used for reporting and campaigns
Brands	Yes	Required for every product. Track performance by manufacturer
Properties	Only for variants	Defines options like size and color for configurable products
VAT codes	For import	Required when importing products. Set up by Flow Retail – contact support if you're missing any

If you're not sure where to start, head to [Catalog setup](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new/catalog-setup.md) for a checklist. *** ### How do I add products?

Method	Best for
Manual entry	Single products or small batches
Cloning	Products similar to ones you already have – duplicate and modify
Spreadsheet import	Bulk additions (100+ products)
API integration	Ongoing sync with ERP/PIM

When adding products, you can also include [images](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new/product-images.md), [linked products](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new/linked-products.md) (like accessories or insurance), and set up [variants](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new/adding-products/configurable-products.md) for different sizes or colors. Need to look up a specific field? See [Product fields reference](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new/adding-products/product-fields-reference.md). *** ### Shortcuts in the Client Use [Categories](/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new/categories.md) to add quick-access buttons in the Client for products your staff use often – like bags, gift cards, or popular product groups. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.flowretail.com/docs/day-to-day-operations/products-new.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.