Why Channel SKU Mapping Matters for EDI
When working with EDI (Electronic Data Interchange), it's common that your Luminous SKU (what you call a product) doesn't match what your trading partner (e.g., Tractor Supply, Home Depot, etc.) calls that same product.
Trading Partner: Retailer or Wholesale Client (this is the wholesale customer of the Luminous Client).
For EDI to function properly, Luminous needs to be able to translate between the Luminous Client's internal SKUs and their trading partners' SKUs. Think of it like a Rosetta Stone for product data. Luminous allows the Trading Partner and the Luminous customer to speak the same language.
For example, this might be the same product, but is referred to by different SKUs by the Trading Partner and the Luminous Customer. In this case, Redhouse Tools is the Luminous Customer and Tractor Supply is the Trading Partner:
The product is a "Torque Wrench", but each party uses a different SKU to identify it:
Redhouse Tools SKU: RHT-001-WRENCH
Tractor Supply SKU: TSC-5501A
Mapping these ensures that when a purchase order comes in from a trading partner, Luminous knows exactly which product it refers to on your end.
🛠️ Step-by-Step: How to Set Up and Map Channel SKUs for EDI
1. ✅ Confirm SKUs Exist in Luminous
Before anything else, make sure the SKU you're mapping already exist in Luminous:
Go to Inventory -> SKUs
Search for the SKU your customer uses internally (referred to as the LUM SKU).
If the product isn't there, it must be created before mapping. Ensure that the name of the SKU in Luminous is the SKU the Luminous customer uses to refer to the product internally.
2. Understand the Mapping Structure
Each row in your mapping file needs to include at least:
LUM SKU: What the Luminous customer calls it
Channel SKU: What the trading partner calls it
Product Name: The name of the product as the customer refers to it
Important: You can’t simply add the Trading Partner's SKU as an Alternate SKU. It must be tied to a specific channel/trading partner. A single product may have different SKUs across different partners, so precision matters. This is why it needs to created in the Integration in Luminous.
3. Prepare the Mapping File
The Luminous customer will provide you with the data you need. In Luminous, under Integrations, you can click on the three dots on the right and select "Manage Products" under any given integration. Think of the Manage Products Mapping page as the Product Catalog for this particular Trading Partner.
You may need to arrange the data into the Luminous format. To see the Luminous format, export an example of the template under Integrations -> Manage Products -> Actions -> Export Products. This will give you the template for importing products into the integration to create the product catalog for the Trading Partner.
NOTE: The integration for the Trading Partner should exist already in Luminous. You will need to create both an Integration and Channel in Luminous to properly configure the EDI setup.
In this example, the three required fields are listed (other fields may be needed depending on the Trading Partner). You may need to do an import from the Manage Products page. If I were importing the list below, I would follow these steps:
First, Save an excel file with the following columns populated with the data given to you by the Luminous Customer:
lum_sku | channel_sku | product name |
RHT-001-WRENCH | TSC-5501A | Torque Wrench |
RHT-002-HAMMER | TSC-5502B | Hammer |
RHT-003-DRIVER | TSC-5503C | Driver |
Next, follow these steps:
Navigate to the Channel Mapping page
Click on username in lower left
Click "Integrations"
Find the desired integration (should be named with the name of the trading partner. If this integration does not exist, you may need to create it as a new integration with help from Brendon or Surpass Biz)
Click on the three dots on the right
Click "Manage Products"
Click "actions"
Select "Import App Integration Account Products"
Follow instructions to import by selecting the previously saved file and ensure that mapping is accurate
Optional fields you may need to include:
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
UPC
4. 📥 Import the Mapping File
To upload the file:
Go to Integrations > [Your Trading Partner].
Click Manage Products.
Click Actions > Import App Integration Account Products
Upload your Excel file (e.g., redhousetools.xlsx).
Make sure the columns map correctly and hit Import.
You should see a confirmation once the mapping is complete.
🎧 Bonus Tip from Jared (CEO of Luminous)
In one of Jared’s podcast episodes, he emphasized that clean data is everything in EDI. Mapping SKUs accurately reduces order errors, improves fill rates, and minimizes chargebacks from big-box retailers. Start small, test often, and maintain those mappings!