Object vs catalogue work

What you are choosing

You will see two options: Object and Catalogue work. (Edition copy appears automatically under a discrete configuration; you do not pick it yourself.)

Both hold the usual details: artist, title, medium, photos. The difference is whether this row is the thing you sell and track, or a parent record whose sales happen through configurations underneath.

Object: one work

Pick Object for a single physical work: a painting, sculpture, unique print, original etching. You get the full custody picture: location, status, provenance, condition: and you can list that work directly on your storefront from the Commerce tab.

You can still add configurations later (print runs, sizes). That is useful when you sell the original and reproductions from the same record.

• Best for: one painting, one invoice, one place on the wall.
• Storefront: the work itself can be listed; configurations optional.
• Tracking: full status and provenance on the parent row.

Catalogue work: parent record, variants below

Pick Catalogue work when the parent is a master entry, not the SKU you ship. Think photographs sold in several sizes, posters, merchandise, or jewelry in multiple sizes: shared info lives on the parent; each variant is a configuration with its own price and stock.

The parent row is not sold on the storefront. You add configurations on the Editions or Options tab, then list those. The Commerce tab on a Catalogue work points you there: that is intentional, not a missing button.

• Best for: multiple sizes, open editions, stock keeping by quantity.
• Storefront: configurations only: not the parent row.
• Tracking: stock lives on configurations; see copy tracking for numbered vs quantity runs.

Which one fits?

If both seem close, ask: Would I ever ship or invoice this exact row? Yes → Object. No, I sell sizes or runs → Catalogue work (with configurations for each variant).

• One painting for sale → Object.
• Original etching plus paper prints → Object (original on Commerce; prints as configurations).
• Photo in 8×10 and 16×20 → Catalogue work, two aggregate configurations.
• Numbered edition 1/25…25/25 → Catalogue work, one discrete configuration.
• Posters or pins in stock → Catalogue work, aggregate configuration(s).

Can you change it later?

Work type is meant to stay put, but Object → Catalogue work is supported if your workflow shifts (for example you listed a single print and later split into sizes). The work-level storefront listing comes down; you sell through configurations instead.

Going the other way is uncommon: if you truly have one physical work, an Object from the start is simpler. Changing work type does not change copy tracking on configurations you already created.

Where it shows in the app

After create, Overview shows structural type (Object or Catalogue work). Commerce follows the rules above; Configurations (Editions or Options tab) holds sellable variants on catalogue works.

Switch type from work Details when supported. Numbered impressions appear as Edition copy rows under discrete configurations, not as a third work type on the create form.