diff --git a/src/features/products/products/product.service.js b/src/features/products/products/product.service.js
index e30a7de..ec6e7a7 100644
--- a/src/features/products/products/product.service.js
+++ b/src/features/products/products/product.service.js
@@ -291,6 +291,32 @@ export class ProductService {
     return formatProductResponse(json);
   }
 
+  async generateSku(family, finalCode, transaction) {
+    let familyPrefix = 'PRD';
+    if (family) {
+      familyPrefix = (family.name || family.code || 'PRD')
+        .toUpperCase()
+        .replace(/[^A-Z0-9]/g, '')
+        .substring(0, 4);
+      if (!familyPrefix || familyPrefix.length < 2) familyPrefix = 'PRD';
+    }
+
+    let runningSeq = '00001';
+    if (family) {
+      const familyProductCount = await models.Product.count({
+        where: { family_id: family.id },
+        transaction
+      });
+      runningSeq = String(familyProductCount + 1).padStart(5, '0');
+    } else {
+      const totalProductCount = await models.Product.count({
+        transaction
+      });
+      runningSeq = String(totalProductCount + 1).padStart(5, '0');
+    }
+    return `${familyPrefix}-${finalCode}-${runningSeq}`;
+  }
+
   async create(data, context = {}) {
     const transaction = await sequelize.transaction();
     try {
@@ -384,31 +410,6 @@ export class ProductService {
       }
       data.code = finalCode;
 
-      // 4b. Autogenerate Master SKU (FAMILY_PREFIX-PRODUCT_CODE-SEQUENCE)
-      let familyPrefix = 'PRD';
-      if (family) {
-        familyPrefix = (family.name || family.code || 'PRD')
-          .toUpperCase()
-          .replace(/[^A-Z0-9]/g, '')
-          .substring(0, 4);
-        if (!familyPrefix || familyPrefix.length < 2) familyPrefix = 'PRD';
-      }
-
-      let runningSeq = '00001';
-      if (family) {
-        const familyProductCount = await models.Product.count({
-          where: { family_id: family.id },
-          transaction
-        });
-        runningSeq = String(familyProductCount + 1).padStart(5, '0');
-      } else {
-        const totalProductCount = await models.Product.count({
-          transaction
-        });
-        runningSeq = String(totalProductCount + 1).padStart(5, '0');
-      }
-      const generatedSku = `${familyPrefix}-${finalCode}-${runningSeq}`;
-
       // Setup default inherited channels and workflows
       const metadata = data.metadata || {};
       if (!metadata.channels) {
@@ -438,7 +439,12 @@ export class ProductService {
       metadata.currentStage = currentStage;
 
       // Pack general form fields into metadata since they aren't core columns
-      metadata.sku = generatedSku;
+      const initialStatus = data.status || 'draft';
+      if (initialStatus === 'pending') {
+        metadata.sku = await this.generateSku(family, finalCode, transaction);
+      } else {
+        metadata.sku = null;
+      }
       metadata.price = data.price || '';
       metadata.stock = data.stock !== undefined ? data.stock : 0;
       metadata.barcode = data.barcode || '';
@@ -478,7 +484,7 @@ export class ProductService {
           }
         }
       }
-      if (Array.isArray(family.attributes)) {
+      if (family && Array.isArray(family.attributes)) {
         for (const a of family.attributes) {
           if (a && a.id) familyAttributesMap.set(a.id, a);
         }
@@ -486,12 +492,14 @@ export class ProductService {
 
       const attrKeys = typeof bodyAttributes === 'object' && bodyAttributes !== null ? Object.keys(bodyAttributes) : [];
       if (familyAttributesMap.size === 0 && attrKeys.length > 0) {
+        const uuidKeys = attrKeys.filter(k => /^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$/i.test(k));
+        const orConditions = [{ code: attrKeys }];
+        if (uuidKeys.length > 0) {
+          orConditions.push({ id: uuidKeys });
+        }
         const dbAttrs = await models.Attribute.findAll({
           where: {
-            [Op.or]: [
-              { code: attrKeys },
-              { id: attrKeys }
-            ]
+            [Op.or]: orConditions
           },
           transaction
         });
@@ -644,6 +652,13 @@ export class ProductService {
         metadata.currentStage = record.metadata?.currentStage || 'draft';
       }
 
+      const oldStatus = record.status || record.metadata?.currentStage || 'draft';
+      const newStatus = data.status || metadata.currentStage || oldStatus;
+
+      if (!metadata.sku && oldStatus === 'draft' && newStatus === 'pending') {
+        metadata.sku = await this.generateSku(family, record.code, transaction);
+      }
+
       // Keep general fields inside metadata up to date
       if (data.hasOwnProperty('sku')) metadata.sku = data.sku;
       if (data.hasOwnProperty('price')) metadata.price = data.price;
@@ -697,12 +712,14 @@ export class ProductService {
 
       const attrKeys = typeof bodyAttributes === 'object' && bodyAttributes !== null ? Object.keys(bodyAttributes) : [];
       if (familyAttributesMap.size === 0 && attrKeys.length > 0) {
+        const uuidKeys = attrKeys.filter(k => /^[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}$/i.test(k));
+        const orConditions = [{ code: attrKeys }];
+        if (uuidKeys.length > 0) {
+          orConditions.push({ id: uuidKeys });
+        }
         const dbAttrs = await models.Attribute.findAll({
           where: {
-            [Op.or]: [
-              { code: attrKeys },
-              { id: attrKeys }
-            ]
+            [Op.or]: orConditions
           },
           transaction
         });