Overview
Many retailers move their online store from Lightspeed eCom (C-Series) to Shopify while continuing to run Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) in-store for point of sale and inventory. Mortar keeps your new Shopify store in sync with Lightspeed Retail (R-Series), but there is one step you must complete before you migrate, or your products will not link correctly.
This article explains the gap and how to close it.
How Mortar links products
Mortar reads product data from Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) and pushes updates to Shopify. To do this, it must link each Shopify variant to the correct R-Series item. Mortar uses a unique SKU or barcode to make that match. The match must be unique (1:1), so the right item is identified on both platforms and locked to a single pairing.
Note: Because Mortar reads from Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) and writes to Shopify, any images or descriptions that live only in Lightspeed eCom (C-Series) — and not in Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) — cannot be pushed by Mortar. Migrate that content into Shopify directly during your product import. See the Matrixify section below.
Why some products won't link
A migration tool like Matrixify reads from Lightspeed eCom (C-Series), not from Lightspeed Retail (R-Series). The value that ends up in Shopify is whatever is in the C-Series record.
If a product already has a unique SKU or barcode in C-Series, it carries through migration and Mortar can match on it.
If your products don't have unique SKUs or barcodes, we recommend using the Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) System ID. Every R-Series item has a System ID, and it is always unique, which makes it a reliable value to match on. The catch is that the System ID does not carry over to eCom on its own. If an item has no UPC or EAN in R-Series, its C-Series Barcode is blank, so the product lands in Shopify with no SKU or barcode and Mortar has nothing to match on.
Matrixify carries over whatever barcode or SKU exists in C-Series, but it cannot create a value that was never populated. The fix is to place the System ID into a field that syncs to C-Series before you migrate.
How Lightspeed Retail fields map to eCom
Lightspeed populates eCom (C-Series) from your Retail (R-Series) item fields. Knowing where each R-Series field lands in C-Series tells you which one to use to carry the System ID across:
Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) | Lightspeed eCom (C-Series) |
UPC | Barcode |
EAN | Barcode (only if UPC is blank) |
Manufacturer SKU | SKU |
Custom SKU | Article Code |
The System ID itself is not in this list, which is why it never appears in C-Series unless you place it into one of the fields above.
Copy the System ID into a field that syncs
For items missing a SKU or barcode, write the item's System ID into one of the R-Series fields that syncs to C-Series, so the value flows into eCom and then into Shopify as the SKU or barcode Mortar can match on.
Which field should you use?
Use a field you are not already using for real barcode data, so you do not overwrite legitimate values. Any of these carry into eCom:
EAN - the usual choice in North America and Australia, where EAN is rarely used and the field is almost always empty. It populates the eCom Barcode when UPC is blank. If you do not use EAN, this is the safest target.
UPC - populates the eCom Barcode directly, but only use it if you are not already storing real UPC barcodes there.
Custom SKU - populates the eCom Article Code. A good option if EAN and UPC are both in use. Note that it arrives in eCom as the Article Code, not the Barcode, so map that field accordingly in Matrixify.
Tip: Pick whichever of EAN, UPC, or Custom SKU is empty in your catalog. The goal is to land the System ID in a field that will not overwrite real barcode data.
European retailers: The eCom Barcode is fed by UPC, and falls back to EAN only when UPC is empty. If you already rely on EAN for your barcodes and then write the System ID into UPC, the System ID takes over the eCom Barcode and displaces your EAN value. To avoid losing your real barcodes, use Custom SKU (which maps to the eCom Article Code) instead.
Steps in Lightspeed Retail (R-Series)
Go to Lightspeed > Inventory > Item Search.
Use the advanced options to filter to products published on eCom, and export the inventory results to a CSV file.
In the file, copy the System ID column into your chosen field (EAN, UPC, or Custom SKU). Delete every other column except the System ID and the field you pasted it into.
Import the new file back into Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) using the import tool. Allow time for the change to sync to eCom before migrating.
Learn more: Importing and updating items using a spreadsheet (Lightspeed)
Migrate your products with Matrixify
Matrixify is a third-party app that imports products into Shopify, including images, descriptions, and 301 redirects. Once your System IDs have synced into C-Series, follow their process so your Shopify products arrive with the SKU or barcode Mortar needs. If you used Custom SKU, make sure the eCom (C-Series) Article Code is mapped to the Shopify SKU or barcode field during the import.
Learn more: Migrate Products from Lightspeed C-Series to Shopify (Matrixify)
Note: Matrixify requires a paid plan to import a full catalog. You can downgrade back to the free plan once your product migration is complete.
Caution: Order matters. Complete the System ID step in Lightspeed Retail (R-Series) and let it sync to eCom before running the Matrixify import. Fixing it afterward means re-exporting, re-importing, and reconciling SKUs in Shopify by hand.
Quick checklist
Confirm every item you are migrating has a unique SKU or barcode in Lightspeed eCom (C-Series), this is what Matrixify reads.
For any item without one, write the System ID into an unused R-Series field that syncs (EAN preferred in NA and AU; Custom SKU if EAN and UPC are in use) and re-import to Lightspeed Retail (R-Series).
Let the change sync to eCom.
Run the Matrixify migration to Shopify, mapping the correct eCom field to the Shopify SKU or barcode.
Confirm Shopify products have SKUs or barcodes populated.
Connect Mortar and verify products are linking.
If you run into products that will not link after migrating, reach out to our support team and we will help you reconcile them.