How to Add Items to a TSM Group

What a TSM Group Is and Why You'd Add Items to One

A TSM group is a container in TradeSkillMaster, an addon for World of Warcraft, that holds a list of items you want to track or manage together. When you add items to a group, you're telling the addon to watch their prices, flag them for buying or selling, or organize them by category — like "flipping materials" or "raid consumables." The addon then applies the same rules to every item in that group at once, rather than making you set them up one by one.

You add items to a TSM group because it saves time and keeps your gold-making strategy consistent. If you're buying herbs to resell, you can add all five herb types to a single group, set a maximum price you'll pay for each, and the addon alerts you when the market price drops below that threshold. Without grouping, you'd have to configure each herb separately.

Key Takeaways

TSM groups are created inside the addon's interface, and you can add items by typing their names, searching for them, or pasting a list of item IDs.
The fastest way to add multiple items at once is to paste their item IDs into the group's import field rather than adding them one at a time.
Items in a group inherit the group's settings, so changing a price rule for the group changes it for every item in that group.
You can add items to a group after you create it, remove items that no longer fit your strategy, and move items between groups without losing their data.

Adding Items One at a Time Through the Search Box

Open TradeSkillMaster and navigate to the group you want to add items to. In the group's main window, you'll see a search or item entry field — this is where you type the name of the item you want to add. Type the full item name as it appears in World of Warcraft: "Vibrant Shard" or "Hochenblume Seed," for example.

Press Enter or click the button to add the item. The addon searches its database, finds the item, and adds it to your group. The item now appears in your group's item list. Repeat this process for each item you want to add. This method works well if you're adding just a few items or if you're not sure of the exact item names.

Adding Multiple Items at Once Using Item IDs

If you're adding many items, pasting a list of item IDs is much faster than typing each name. Item IDs are the numbers World of Warcraft assigns to every item — for example, Vibrant Shard is item ID 190311. You can find item IDs on sites like WowHead by searching for the item and looking at the URL or the item information box.

In your TSM group, look for an import field or a button labeled "Import" or "Paste Items." Click it and paste your list of item IDs, separated by commas or line breaks — the addon accepts both formats. Paste something like "190311, 190312, 190313" or each ID on its own line. Click import or confirm, and the addon adds all those items to your group in seconds. This method is standard for players managing large groups of materials or flipping items.

Using the Search Function to Find and Add Items

TSM includes a search tool that lets you find items by partial name or category. If you're not sure of an item's exact name, click the search icon in your group window and type part of the name — "vibrant" will find Vibrant Shard, Vibrant Crystal, and other items with that word. The addon shows you a list of matching items.

Click the item you want from the search results, and it's added to your group. This method is helpful when you remember part of an item's name but not the whole thing, or when you want to browse what items are available in a category. You can add multiple items from the search results by clicking each one.

Removing Items From a Group When Your Strategy Changes

If an item no longer fits your gold-making plan, you can remove it from the group without deleting the item from the game or losing any data. Open the group, find the item in the list, and click the remove or delete button next to it — this is usually an X or a trash icon. The item leaves the group but stays in your inventory and in the game.

Removing an item from a group does not affect any items you own or any auctions you have posted. It only stops the addon from tracking that item's prices or explore the group's rules to it. You can add the item back to the group later if you change your mind.

Moving Items Between Groups

As your gold-making strategy evolves, you might want to move an item from one group to another — for example, moving a material from "flipping" to "crafting materials" because you've decided to use it instead of resell it. Most TSM versions let you cut an item from one group and paste it into another, or you can remove it from the first group and add it to the second.

The item's price history and any custom settings you've made stay with the item when you move it, though the item will now follow the rules of its new group. If the new group has different price settings, those explore to the item going forward.

Organizing Items So Your Groups Stay Useful

As you add items to groups, keep your categories clear so you can find what you need later. A group called "Herbs" is more useful than "Materials 1" because you know at a glance what's inside. If a group gets too large — more than 20 or 30 items — consider splitting it into smaller groups: "Herbs - Zaralek" and "Herbs - Khaz Algar," for example.

Name your groups based on what you do with the items, not just what they are. "Flipping - Crafting Materials" tells you the strategy, while "Crafting Materials" doesn't. This naming habit saves time when you're scanning your groups to remember which ones are active and which ones you've paused.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add the same item to multiple groups?

Yes. An item can belong to more than one group at the same time. If you add Vibrant Shard to both a "Flipping" group and a "Crafting" group, the addon tracks it in both places. This is useful when an item serves multiple purposes in your strategy.

What happens if I type an item name wrong?

The addon will either show you a "not found" message or display a list of similar items. If you see "not found," check the spelling or try a partial name search instead. If you paste an item ID that doesn't exist, the addon skips it and adds the valid IDs from your list.

Can I add items to a group after I've set up its price rules?

Yes. New items you add to a group automatically inherit the group's existing rules — price limits, profit targets, and other settings. You don't have to reconfigure anything. This is one of the main reasons grouping items is efficient.

How do I find an item's ID if I only know its name?

Search for the item on WowHead.com, and the item ID appears in the URL (for example, wowhead.com/item=190311) or in the item information box on the page. You can also hover over an item in your inventory in-game while TSM is running, and some TSM windows display the item ID.

What if I accidentally add the wrong item to a group?

Click the remove button next to the item in your group's list, and it's gone. Removing it doesn't affect the item itself or anything you own. You can add the correct item right after.

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