In WooCommerce Variable products are made using Attributes, if you’re not sure what attributes are, try Assigning Attributes to Products in WooCommerce before this lesson.

In this lesson we’ll assume that you’ve already set up some global attributes already using the Products > Attributes menu option.

In the left hand admin menu click on Products then Add product. Alternatively hover over Products and click Add product on the flyout menu that appears.

Fill in the product title, description and assign it to the relevant categories. Set your Product Image and add a Product Gallery if needed.

Scroll down to the Product Data box, and from the dropdown select Variable product. You’ll see a new vertical tab appear called Variations

The product data box contains different panels accessed by using the vertical navigation on the left hand side. The panels you’ll see depends on the type of product you’re creating and the other woocommerce settings. Additional plugins may also add more panels.

Assigning Global Attributes to your Products

In the product data box click on the Attributes tab, using the dropdown Custom product attribute choose from your previously created attributes, select one then click the Add button.

Your attribute is now displayed, hovering over the name area of the attribute reveals a toggle arrow to open and close the attribute details and a link to remove the attribute.

Click in the Value(s) box to select from the terms you previously set up, or click the Select all button to get all terms associated with that attribute. Select none removes the attributes.

If your product needs another term that’s not already set up, then click the Add new button. This will add a new term to the attribute.

Visible on the product page checkbox

Ticking the Visible on the product page checkbox will add the Value(s): to the Additional information tab for customers to view.

Used for variations checkbox

[note color=red title=”IMPORTANT”]Ticking the checkbox Used for variations means customers will be able to choose from the options Value(s) you set for each attribute on the product page – and you can change prices etc. depending on their choices – so tick this box.[/note]

Repeat this for other attributes you’re using on your product – go back up to the Custom product attribute choosing your next attribute and clicking the Add button.

You can toggle all Attributes open and closed by using the Expand / Close links above and below your list of attributes.

[note color=green title=”HINT”]Toggle all your Attributes closed, then drag and drop them into your preferred order of display. This will affect the order of the dropdowns your customers see if you’re using the Attribute for Variations.[/note]

When you have all your attributes added click the blue Save attributes button.

Creating Variations from Attributes

Next click on the Variations side menu option. There are now a couple of way to add in your variations.

Adding Variations one-by-one

Set the dropdown to Add variation and click the Go button. You should see an empty variation appear.

A dropdown will show for each attribute you previously set on the attributes tab (remember ticking Used for variations?). Use this to select terms that apply to this variation.

Notice the top of the form has dropdowns for Default Form Values: these allow you to preset the product page, e.g. If you’re selling T-Shirts you could set the Red, Small T-Shirt as the default view.

Hover over your variation in the list and click the small down arrow toggle (right hand side) to open it up. Here you can now set your individual prices, an image, and all the usual stock information for the variation.

You can toggle all Variations open and closed by using the Expand / Close links above and below your list of variations.

Repeat this for each variation, then click the blue Save Changes button.

Adding Variations from all attributes

Using the dropdown Add variation you can select ‘Create variations from all attributes’ and click the Go button. A couple of info popups will appear telling your how many variations are being added. You should now see all the possible variations added.

You can also use the dropdown to set prices and other information to ALL variations in one go – so if all your products share some common data, e.g. length you can set them in one go without having to edit each one manually.

Edit your variations as you need, then click the blue Save Changes button.

Scroll back up and click the blue Publish button to make your variable product live.

To change the order inside the dropdowns your customers see visit Products > Attributes, edit your attribute and set Default sort order to Custom ordering and Update. Go back to Attributes and repeat for the other attributes. Next click again on Attributes and click on Configure terms (far right) in your first attribute and drag and drop the terms into your preferred display order – repeat for the other attributes.