Managing a product catalog shouldn’t be a headache—but it often is. If you work in sales ops, product management, or are just the “Dealhub person” by default, you know how messy things can get when products, prices, and rules aren’t nailed down. This guide cuts through the noise and shows you how to actually keep your Dealhub product catalog working for you, not against you.
Let’s get into why your catalog matters, what you should do (and skip), and how to avoid common messes.
Why Your Product Catalog Deserves Attention
A clean, well-structured catalog in Dealhub isn’t just nice to have. It’s the backbone for accurate quotes, fast deal cycles, and avoiding those “wait, which product is this?” moments. If your catalog’s a mess, you’re going to lose time, annoy sales, and probably make a few embarrassing mistakes in front of customers.
If you’re reading this, you likely know the pain: duplicate products, outdated pricing, mysterious custom fields, and a general sense of chaos. The good news? There are proven, no-nonsense ways to get it under control.
Step 1: Get a Handle on What You’ve Got
Before you start fixing, you need to know what you’re working with.
- Export your current catalog. Dealhub lets you export product data—do it. Spreadsheets are still the best way to spot weirdness fast.
- Look for duplicates. If you’ve got “Widget X” and “Widget X (2022),” that’s a red flag.
- Check for outdated or unused products. If something hasn’t been quoted in 6 months and nobody knows what it is, consider archiving it.
- Review your categories and attributes. Are similar products grouped together, or is it chaos? Are attributes (like color, size, tiers) consistent?
Pro tip: Don’t try to fix everything in one go. Just map out the problems so you know what you’re up against.
Step 2: Define Naming and Organization Rules
A lot of catalog pain comes from inconsistent naming and loose rules.
- Set a naming convention. Pick a format for product names and stick with it. Example: “Product Family – Model – Version.”
- Decide on categories. Group products logically—by type, family, or whatever makes sense for your business.
- Standardize attributes. If you have custom fields, make sure they’re used the same way across products. No “Color” in one product and “Colour” in another.
- Document your conventions. Write them down somewhere accessible. Future you (and your team) will thank you.
What to ignore: Don’t go overboard with categories or attributes you might need “someday.” Stick to what’s actually used.
Step 3: Clean Up (and Archive, Don’t Delete)
Now that you’ve got your rules, it’s cleanup time.
- Merge or archive duplicates. Pick one “real” product and retire the rest. Most teams archive instead of deleting, so nothing breaks.
- Remove or hide outdated products. If nobody sells it, get it out of sight. If it’s needed for legacy deals, mark it clearly.
- Fix naming and attributes. Go through and update names, categories, or fields to match your new rules.
- Update pricing and descriptions. If you’re cleaning anyway, now’s the time to fix wrong prices or confusing descriptions.
Pro tip: Do this in batches. Don’t try to fix 500 products in one sitting. Start with your top sellers.
Step 4: Set Up Workflows for Adding or Changing Products
The best way to avoid future chaos is to put guardrails in place.
- Decide who can add/edit products. Too many cooks spoil the catalog. Limit access to folks who know what’s what.
- Create a simple intake process. Even a shared Google Form beats “someone just adds it when they feel like it.”
- Review changes before they go live. One extra set of eyes can catch embarrassing mistakes.
- Schedule regular catalog reviews. Once a quarter is usually enough for most teams.
What to skip: Complicated approval chains. If it takes three weeks to add a new SKU, sales will find workarounds (and your catalog will suffer).
Step 5: Use Dealhub Features (But Don’t Get Lost in Them)
Dealhub has plenty of tools for catalog management, but you don’t need to use every single feature.
- Product bundles and rules. These are great for grouping products that always go together or need special pricing logic.
- Guided selling flows. If your sales team struggles to pick the right products, set up prompts that filter choices.
- Bulk import/export. For big updates, use CSV import/export. It’s fast and minimizes manual errors.
- Version control/history. Track changes so you can see who broke what (or just fix accidental edits).
- Integrations. Only turn on connections (like to your CRM or ERP) if you’re ready to keep data consistent on both sides.
What to ignore: Don’t get sucked into creating overly complex product rules just because you can. Simpler is almost always better unless you’re running a truly complicated pricing model.
Step 6: Train (and Listen to) Your Users
Your catalog isn’t just for you—it’s for everyone who touches quotes and deals.
- Run short, focused training. Show sales how to find products, request changes, and flag issues.
- Ask for feedback. Sales will tell you if something’s confusing or missing. Take them seriously, but don’t try to please everyone.
- Keep documentation light. A one-pager beats a 30-slide PowerPoint. Make it easy for people to find answers fast.
Pro tip: If you keep getting the same questions, your catalog needs fixing—not just more training.
Step 7: Keep It Simple, and Don’t Be Afraid to Prune
The best catalogs are boring. Don’t add products, categories, or custom fields unless there’s a real need.
- Less is more. The fewer products and options, the easier it is for everyone.
- Regularly archive old stuff. Don’t let your catalog become a museum.
- Review new requests critically. Push back on “just add it for this one deal” unless there’s a strong case.
What to ignore: The urge to make your catalog future-proof for every possible scenario. You’ll just end up with a bloated mess.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
- Letting anyone add products. This is the fastest route to chaos.
- Ignoring feedback from sales. They’re the ones using it daily.
- Over-complicating bundles or rules. If nobody understands how products fit together, they’ll just skip them.
- Forgetting to update prices. Outdated pricing leads to errors and awkward conversations.
- Not documenting decisions. Relying on memory is a mistake. Write it down, even briefly.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Boring, Keep It Working
A good product catalog in Dealhub should be almost invisible—nothing fancy, just solid and reliable. Don’t chase shiny features or try to predict every edge case. Focus on what actually gets sold, keep your rules simple, and be ready to clean up as you go. Perfection isn’t the goal—clarity and usability are.
And if you find things drifting back to chaos, remember: a little regular maintenance beats a huge overhaul every time.