---
title: Inherited Fields & Preserve Empty Values
description: How to control variant field inheritance during import using the Preserve Empty Values option and the __EMPTY__VALUE__ placeholder in Shopware 6.
---

In Shopware 6, variant products can inherit certain values from their parent product. When a field is in an **inherited state**, the variant does not store its own value — instead, it automatically uses the value defined on the parent product.

In the admin interface, such fields are marked with a **link icon**, indicating that inheritance is active.

![](/images/Shopware_6_inherited_fields_for_variants_admin_view.jpg)

The **"Preserve empty values"** option in the import configuration allows you to control this inheritance behavior during import.

![](/images/Shopware_6_preserve_empty_values_on_import.jpg)

When this option is enabled, you can explicitly set a product field to **inherited** for a variant by marking it as empty in the import file.

As a result, the variant will take its value from the parent product instead of storing its own value.

## How It Works During Import

To make a variant field inherited from a parent product via Shopware 6 import, follow these steps:

1. Enable the **"Preserve empty values"** option in the import profile.
2. In the import file, set the target field value to `__EMPTY__VALUE__`.
3. During import, our app will interpret this as:
    - The field should remain empty on the variant.
    - The inherited state stays active.
    - The value will be taken from the parent product.

This behavior mirrors clicking the **link (inheritance) icon** in the Shopware admin manually.

## Important Limitations

This mechanism works **only for basic product fields**, such as:

- Name
- Description
- Manufacturer
- Other core product attributes

It **does not apply to associations**.

If the "Preserve empty values" option is disabled, empty values in the import file may overwrite existing data instead of preserving inheritance.

## Practical Use Case

This feature is especially useful when importing or updating variants where:

- The parent product contains the canonical data.
- Variants should not override those values.
- You want to restore or maintain inheritance automatically via import, without manual edits in the admin UI.

By combining **"Preserve empty values"** with the `__EMPTY__VALUE__` placeholder, you can precisely control whether a variant uses its own value or inherits data from its parent product — fully aligned with Shopware 6's native inheritance model.