Start with a product record you can quote
Build your catalog around a stable product identifier. A SKU should point to the exact product or configuration your team intends to sell, rather than a folder of loosely related pictures. Keep dimensions, finishes, compatible options, and product images connected to that record. If several finishes share one base model, make the selected finish explicit in the proposal.
Separate product facts from commercial conditions
Treat price, availability, and lead time as information that can change. Record the source and update date, and decide who checks each field before a proposal is released. Keep project-dependent delivery and installation charges separate from the furniture line items. An empty field should remain visibly unresolved instead of silently becoming a zero or an assumed value.
Test a small collection before importing everything
Choose a representative set of desks, chairs, and storage. Prepare one sample quote and one visualization, then check whether each item can be traced back to its record. Include a configurable desk, a product with multiple images, and an unavailable finish. Use the exceptions to improve the import rules before adding the rest of the catalog.
A practical handoff checklist
Before handing the catalog to your sales workflow, confirm: unique identifiers; dimensions with units; named finishes; matching images; current price source; availability status; and an owner for updates. This is a working checklist, not a guarantee that every project requirement is covered. Add the fields your own sales and operations teams need.