Product line descriptions on Sellsy invoices

This page explains how to configure the display of product line descriptions on your Sellsy invoices.

Overview

Product line descriptions on Sellsy invoices are configured through your connector settings. These settings determine which information is displayed in the "Description" column of each product line.

Configuration options

1. Product name only

Behavior: Displays only the product name in the description.

Example:

T-shirt en coton bio

Configuration: This option is selected by default for all new connectors.

2. Product name and description

Behavior: Displays the product name followed by its description (if available), separated by a line break.

Example:

T-shirt en coton bio
T-shirt 100% coton biologique, coupe classique, disponible en plusieurs coloris. Matériau doux et respirant, idéal pour un usage quotidien.

Configuration: This option is automatically enabled for certain specific connectors.

How to configure

Through the user interface

1. Go to the configuration page of your Sellsy connector
2. In the "Invoicing settings" section, find the "Configure your product line descriptions" field
3. Select the desired option:
   • Product name: Displays only the name
   • Product name and description: Displays the name followed by the description
4. Save your changes

Required configuration in Sellsy

1. Product requirements

SKU (Product code)

• Minimum length: The SKU must contain at least 2 characters
• Format: Alphanumeric recommended
• Uniqueness: Each SKU must be unique in your catalog

Important: Products with a SKU shorter than 2 characters will not be synced to Sellsy.

2. Document configuration

For descriptions to display correctly on your invoices, you must configure your Sellsy documents:

1. Go to the invoicing settings in Sellsy
2. Configure your document templates (invoices, estimates, purchase orders)
3. Make sure the "Description" column is enabled in your templates

2. Product configuration

For products in the Sellsy catalog

Descriptions come directly from your products in Sellsy:

• Product name: The name entered in the product record
• Product description: The product's detailed description

For custom order lines

Descriptions come from the order information:

• Product name: The product name in your store
• Product description: The product description in your store

Practical examples

E-commerce (Shopify, WooCommerce, PrestaShop)

Descriptions are automatically extracted from your store:

• Product name: The name displayed in your store
• Product description: The product description in your store

Manually created orders

For orders created directly in your system:

• Descriptions come from the information entered when creating the order
• Make sure to fill in the "Product name" and "Description" fields correctly during entry

Sellsy catalog translations

When an order is in a language other than your Sellsy account's default, each catalog line's designation uses the translation stored in the Sellsy catalog for that language.

The translation is never machine-generated: Sellsy stays the source of truth. We read exactly what you entered on the product record.

Example — Italian order, product translated in Sellsy:

Cappellino Compressport

instead of the default designation:

Casquette Compressport

Which language is used

1. The document language configured on the connector, when set;
2. otherwise the order's language (fr, en, de, es, it).

That same language is sent to Sellsy as the document language, so the standard labels (payment terms, payment methods, legal mentions) are localized too.

What Sellsy actually translates

Sellsy does not translate a catalog item's name — the translation is entered in the description. So the designation you get depends on your setting:

• Product name: the translation replaces the name, so the line really is in the document's language.
• Product name and description: the default name, then the translation underneath.
• Product description: the translation.

The language is matched on the translation language's flag, then on its name — the flag is chosen freely in Sellsy and does not always match the language.

Prerequisites in Sellsy

1. The language must be enabled as a translation language on your Sellsy account (Settings → Translations);
2. the product's translation (or the declination's) must be filled in on the product record.

What happens without a translation

A missing translation never blocks the document:

• A declination with no translation of its own inherits its parent product's, just like in Sellsy.
• If the parent has none either, the default designation is kept.
• The reference (SKU) is never translated: it stays identical to your catalog's product code.

Handling edge cases

Missing description

If no description is available:

• With "Product name": Only the name is displayed
• With "Product name and description": Only the name is displayed

HTML description

If your store uses HTML descriptions, they are automatically converted to plain text for display on invoices.

Description length

Descriptions are displayed as they are stored in your system. No automatic length limit is applied.

Troubleshooting

The description is not displayed

1. Check the configuration: Make sure the "Product name and description" option is selected
2. Check Sellsy: Verify that the "Description" column is enabled in your document templates
3. Check the products: Make sure your products have a description in your store

A product does not sync

1. Check the SKU: Make sure the product SKU contains at least 2 characters
2. Check uniqueness: Verify that the SKU does not already exist in your Sellsy catalog
3. Check the logs: Review the sync logs to identify specific errors

The description is truncated

1. Check the length: Verify the length of the description in your store
2. Check Sellsy: Check whether there are any limitations in your Sellsy configuration

Incorrect formatting

1. Check the content: Make sure your product descriptions are properly formatted
2. Test with a simple product: Create a test product with a simple description to verify how it works

Tips for an optimal configuration

In Sellsy

1. Enable the Description column in your document templates
2. Test with an estimate before generating invoices
3. Check the preview of your documents before printing

In your store

1. Write clear descriptions for your products
2. Avoid descriptions that are too long which could cause display issues
3. Regularly test how descriptions display on your invoices