Glossary of Terms
Overview
New platforms come with new vocabulary. This glossary explains every term you'll encounter in LinkSyncSell, in plain language. Bookmark this page and come back whenever something isn't clear.
Definitions
Master Product
A Master Product is the single record in LinkSyncSell that represents one product across all your selling platforms. If you sell a blue ceramic mug on Shopify, Tiktok Shop and Amazon, those three listings are grouped under one Master Product. It's your source of truth for that item - the central identity that ties all platform-specific listings together.
Master Variant
A Master Variant is a single option or variant within a Master Product, recognized across platforms. For example, if your mug comes in Small and Large, each size is a Master Variant. The Master Variant links the same size/option across platforms - so your Shopify "Large" and your Amazon "Large" are recognized as the same Master Variant.
Platform Listing
A Platform Listing is one listing on one specific selling platform. It's the individual product page that buyers see on Shopify, Amazon, Faire, etc. Multiple Platform Listings (one per platform) are grouped together under one Master Product.
Computed Status
The Computed Status is LinkSyncSell's unified view of a product's status across platforms. Because each platform uses slightly different terminology for listing states, LinkSyncSell translates them all into a consistent set of statuses (Active, Inactive, Draft, Sold Out, Pending etc.) so you can understand the state of a product at a glance, regardless of which platform it's on.
Active (status)
A listing with Active status is live and visible to buyers on that platform. Active products can be found, viewed, and purchased by customers.
Inactive (status)
An Inactive listing has been deactivated or archived. It still exists in your account on that platform, but it's no longer visible to buyers. You can reactivate an Inactive listing at any time.
Draft (status)
A Draft listing has been created but not yet published to buyers. It exists in your account (or in LinkSyncSell) but customers can't see or purchase it yet.
Active-Sold Out (status)
An Active-Sold Out listing is live and visible to buyers, but the inventory count has reached zero. The listing is still active, meaning it's still published, but customers may see it as out of stock or unable to add it to their cart, depending on platform settings.
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
A SKU is a unique identifier - usually a short alphanumeric code - that you assign to a product or variant to tell it apart from everything else you sell. For example, SHIRT-RED-M for a red medium shirt. SKUs are essential for automatic product linking in LinkSyncSell. When the same SKU appears on listings across multiple platforms, LinkSyncSell knows they represent the same item and groups them together automatically.
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
A GTIN is a standardized product identifier used internationally - barcodes, UPCs (Universal Product Codes), and EANs (European Article Numbers) are all types of GTINs. LinkSyncSell can store your products' GTINs, but auto-linking matches listings across platforms by SKU only - GTINs are not currently used in the automatic linking process.
Sync
A sync is the process of updating data between LinkSyncSell and your selling platforms. When a sync runs, LinkSyncSell pulls in the latest inventory, pricing, and order data from your platforms (or pushes changes out to them). Syncs happen automatically on a schedule - inventory and prices sync daily around 4am (your company's timezone), and orders sync every 15 to 30 minutes.
Import
An import is the process of bringing data into LinkSyncSell from an external source - usually from one of your connected selling platforms. When you first connect a platform, LinkSyncSell runs an initial import of all your existing products and listings. You can also import data from a file (like a CSV) through the Import History section.
Export
An export is the process of pulling data out of LinkSyncSell into a file (typically a CSV or spreadsheet) so you can use it outside the app. You can export product data, order data, expenses information, and reports from the Export Center.
Linking / Auto-Linking
Linking is the process of connecting Platform Listings across different platforms under one Master Product. Auto-linking is when LinkSyncSell does this automatically by matching SKUs across platforms. If your Shopify listing and Amazon listing both have the SKU MUG-BLUE, they'll be auto-linked to the same Master Product without any manual work from you.
Manual Linking
Manual linking is when you connect a Platform Listing to a Master Product yourself, rather than having LinkSyncSell do it automatically. You'll need to manually link products when SKUs are missing, mismatched, or duplicated. Manual linking is done through Catalog > Link Products > Listings that Need Attention.
Process Log
The Process Log is a record of technical system events - syncs, imports, data processing tasks, and any errors that occurred. It's found under Help & Records > Process Log. When something seems off (products didn't sync, data looks outdated), the Process Log is the first place to check for clues about what happened.
User Audit Trail
The User Audit Trail is a record of actions taken by users within your LinkSyncSell account. It logs who made changes, what was changed, and when. This is useful for teams - if a product status changed unexpectedly or a price was edited, the Audit Trail shows you exactly who did it. Found under Help & Records > User Audit Trail.
Expense Group
An Expense Group is a category of costs that you define in LinkSyncSell for profit calculation purposes. For example, you might create an Expense Group called "Packaging" or "Materials." Expense Groups help you organize your costs so the Expense & Profit Calculator can add them up accurately.
Expense Cost
An Expense Cost is an individual cost entry within an Expense Group. If your Expense Group is "Packaging," an Expense Cost might be "Mailer box - $1.20 each." These per-unit costs are used to calculate your real profit margin on each product.
Price Safeguard (Minimum & Maximum Price Rules)
A Price Safeguard is a rule you set to protect your pricing from going too low or too high. A Minimum Price rule ensures a product is never listed below a certain price (protecting your margins). A Maximum Price rule ensures a product is never listed above a certain price (staying competitive). Price Safeguards are configured in the Price Manager.
Authorized User
An Authorized User is a person you've added to your LinkSyncSell account who is allowed to log in and take actions. Different users can have different roles and permission levels. The account owner manages Authorized Users through the Settings area.
Company Account / Tenant
A Company Account (also called a Tenant) is the top-level account in LinkSyncSell that all your stores, users, and settings belong to. If your business has multiple team members using LinkSyncSell, they all operate within the same Company Account. This ensures your data stays together in one place, separate from other businesses using LinkSyncSell.
OAuth
OAuth is a secure authorization method used to connect LinkSyncSell to your selling platforms without sharing your passwords. When you connect a platform, you're redirected to that platform's login page where you approve the connection. The platform then gives LinkSyncSell a secure access token. You never enter your platform password into LinkSyncSell directly.
Webhook
A webhook is an automatic notification that a platform sends to LinkSyncSell when something changes - like a new order being placed or an inventory level changing. Instead of LinkSyncSell having to check for updates constantly, the platform proactively sends the update. LinkSyncSell uses webhooks for real-time updates from platforms like Shopify, TikTok, and Amazon (for example, new orders and inventory changes). For platforms or events not covered by webhooks, LinkSyncSell keeps data current with a scheduled sync that runs every 15 minutes.
Computed Status vs Platform Status
A Platform Status is the raw status of a listing as reported by the platform itself - "Active," "Archived," "Inactive," "Sold Out," etc. Different platforms use different words for similar states. A Computed Status is what LinkSyncSell shows you after translating those platform-specific terms into a consistent set of labels (Active, Inactive, Draft, Active-Sold Out, etc.). The Computed Status makes it easy to compare and manage listings across platforms using the same language.
