➡️ What This Error Means
Getting this error means that the item number (SKU) you're trying to use is already assigned to another item in your SureStock catalog. This can happen when creating either a material or an equipment item; item numbers need to be unique across your entire catalog, not just within one item type.
📌 If you recently imported or updated materials from Ferguson's catalog via Ply Library, this is one of the most common causes; slightly different naming or a re-import can trigger a conflict with an item number that's already in your catalog.
➡️ What to Check
Search for the Existing Item in Your Catalog
The first thing to do is find out which material is already using that item number.
Go to Catalog in the left-hand navigation.
Use the search bar to look up the item number or SKU in question.
Check if a material already exists with that number.
If you find it, review whether it's the same item or a duplicate. From there, you can decide whether to update the existing entry, use a different item number for the new material, or delete one of them.
➡️ Check Your Bulk Upload File (if applicable)
If you're seeing this error during a bulk upload, it likely means:
The item number in your Excel file already exists in the catalog
You have duplicate rows within the upload file itself using the same item number
What to do:
Open your upload file and look for duplicates in the item number column.
Remove or correct duplicate rows.
For materials that already exist in SureStock, use the Bulk Catalog Update mode instead of a new import; this lets you update existing records by ID without triggering the duplicate error.
Re-upload the corrected file.
SureStock's bulk upload has built-in duplicate detection that will flag these before processing. Review the duplicates screen carefully before confirming the upload.
➡️ Common Issues
"I got this error right after importing from Ferguson's catalog via Ply Library."
This is a common scenario; a slightly different naming or a re-import of the same product can conflict with an item number already sitting in your catalog. Search for the existing item number in the catalog first to confirm whether it's a true duplicate or the same product imported twice.
"I'm bulk uploading and getting this error even though I don't see duplicates in my file."
Double-check the item number column carefully; this error also fires if the number already exists in your live catalog, not just within the file itself. If you're updating existing materials, make sure you're using Bulk Catalog Update mode instead of a fresh import.
"I found the duplicate. Should I delete it or update it?"
Depends on the situation. If it's the exact same material, update the existing entry instead of creating a new one. If they're genuinely different materials that happen to share a number, give the new one a different item number instead.
"I'm getting this error while creating an Equipment item, not a material."
Item numbers need to be unique across your whole catalog; materials and equipment share the same numbering pool. Search the catalog for that item number to see whether it's already assigned to a material or another equipment item, then decide whether to update the existing entry, use a different number, or delete one of them.
➡️ FAQs
Does SureStock check for duplicates automatically during bulk uploads?
Yes, built-in duplicate detection flags these before processing; review the duplicates screen carefully before confirming.
What's the difference between a new import and a bulk catalog update?
A new import creates new records and will throw this error if the item number already exists. Bulk Catalog Update updates existing records by ID instead, so it won't trigger the duplicate error for materials that are already in your catalog.
What if I still see the error after checking everything?
Reach out to Support with the item number in question; we can look up where the conflict is coming from on the backend.
Still need help?