# How to work with variants

**URL:** <https://forum.mergado.com/t/how-to-work-with-variants/593>\
**Category:** Help Center\
**Tags:** mergado-2\
**Created:** [September 27, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.mergado.com/t/how-to-work-with-variants/593 "2022-09-27T12:37:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lukashorak](https://forum.mergado.com/user_avatar/forum.mergado.com/lukashorak/32/154_2.png) [@lukashorak](https://forum.mergado.com/u/lukashorak)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.mergado.com/t/how-to-work-with-variants/593/1 "2022-09-27T12:37:06Z")

</div>

# How to work with variants

To begin, see what “variants” look like within the different formats.

## 👩‍🏫 How different formats work with variants

### 🟢 Structure A

Some formats (such as _Upgates_, or _Samba_) use elements **immersed within the main item** - let’s call it the “parent” - to define item variants.

- For example, this item might have the **following entry in the XML feed** : [XML feed with variants](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WJDwkwdFfwxcyxHywBLVOy7yxXU8Rleg/view)

### 🔵 Structure B

In contrast, most other formats (e. g. _Google_) use **data in a special element** ITEMGROUP\_ID (or item\_group\_id) to define the item variant.

The same value in the ITEMGROUP\_ID element for multiple items defines it is the same item, only in a different variant.

- **Sample solution:** [XML feed with ITEMGROUP\_ID](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zJUet0_RMUGjf-rm3dwSYUT8DcWXG9gZ/view)

## ![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/M-_iyPzeGpjC9DbemhCsQ7HE3WqlwKq7CdthqoW_NOtybzKqRUNc2ZW8b3klT7TqXOH9wRpDHFPEAcVhm2Lt-LwG2OyDWKUKNbNNuYilqQXSprqhhbMQlMg9LMK07BRqBmeOJ82LDcr7bqzEYTQo5fd7ps8XmAKwNhtFdCvORTjucWnkfc3kM5zMXg)

## What is the current status of Mergado variant processing

### 1️⃣ Mergado 1 (current status)

- In _Mergado 1_, **it is not possible to fully handle variants in both structures**.
- It can **save and export data** in _structure B_, but it can **only import and convert data in structure A to structure B**.
- If an item in the input has “variants” (for example, the item color), it is **automatically converted to separate items** within Mergado.
- _ **Example:** _ For example, we have 5 items in the input feed, where each item has 4 color variations. Therefore, 20 separate products will now be displayed within _Mergado 1_.

### 2️⃣ Mergado 2 (the current status)

- _Mergado 2_ can already **correctly process variants in both A and B structures** , but it cannot yet convert them between each other (within the processing of the same format on input and output).
- _ **Example:** _
  1. **A situation that is possible:** data processing between _Structure A → Structure A_
  2. **A situation that is not possible:** data conversion between _Structure B → Structure A_

### 3️⃣ Mergado 2 (the goal state)

- Within _Mergado 2_, you can **work efficiently with variants in both structures**. It makes conversion between all formats possible.

If you have questions about setting up Mergado 2, please contact our [support](https://www.mergado.com/contact), or follow the [forum category](https://forum.mergado.com/tag/mergado-2).

Thank you for continuing to help us improve Mergado.