How to Create Planograms When You Don’t Have Files

Being asked by a major retail chain to contribute to their planogram process without files, data, or guidance feels overwhelming, uncertain, and high-pressure, requiring quick thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving from scratch.

Planograms are the language of category management.

They translate strategy into execution at shelf, dictating how products are presented to shoppers and how space drives sales. But what happens when you don’t have the planogram files, or worse, when the retailer only sends you a PDF that looks nice on screen but is unusable for updates?

This is a common frustration for suppliers and category managers, particularly when engaging new retailers or taking over accounts. Yet, lacking files doesn’t mean you can’t act. With the right process, you can still create credible, actionable planograms that deliver impact.

Step 1: Treat the Shelf as Your Database

When you don’t have files, the shelf itself becomes your starting point.

• Take panoramic, high-quality photos of the shelf and break them into bays.

• Record fixture measurements — width, height, number of shelves, and any unique features (clip strips, side stacks).

• Document adjacencies (what categories are to the left and right). Shopper flow is critical context.

• If possible, film short videos walking along the aisle to capture shopper perspective.

Case Example: One supplier rebuilt a snacks category planogram for a retailer entirely from in-store photos. By overlaying gridlines in software, they matched dimensions accurately and used it as the foundation for future reviews.

Step 2: Build Your Own Product Database

Without a master file, start from scratch. Use every available source:

• Retailer websites for product codes, pack sizes, and images.

• Supplier catalogues and invoices for SKU accuracy.

• Competitor shelf scans to cross-check.

• Field teams to capture barcode scans and shelf facings.

At a minimum, include:

• Brand, SKU description.

• Pack size / unit count.

• Pack type (bottle, jar, carton).

• Price point.

This becomes your surrogate database and allows you to scale into real files later.

Step 3: Recreate Visuals in Software

Even without official files, most planogram tools (Blue Yonder, Spaceman, Apollo, etc.) let you upload placeholders:

• Use coloured “dummy blocks” in place of missing images.

• Upload pack shots over time to enhance realism.

• If the retailer only shares a PDF planogram, you’ll need to manually rebuild it in software.

It’s tedious, but once done, you now have an editable version for future scenarios.

Pro-tip: Prioritise bays or subcategories that account for 70–80% of category sales. Don’t waste effort perfectly replicating fringe SKUs at first.

Step 4: Apply Shopper-Led Category Principles

You may lack files, but you don’t lack logic. Apply principles that drive shopper clarity and category performance:

• Brand blocking: shoppers find products faster when brands are grouped.

•  Size progression: order from small to large packs.

•  Velocity-based facings: give best-sellers more space to reduce out-of-stocks.

•  Logical adjacencies: pasta near pasta sauce, nut spreads grouped together, etc.

Example: Even without data, it’s common sense not to bury the number-one SKU on the bottom shelf with one facing. Good principles substitute for missing numbers.

Step 5: Document & Future-Proof

Once the mock-up is done:

• Save PDFs as working files.

• Export an SKU list with product dimensions.

• Capture notes on fixture types and constraints.

This forms your first file set - ensuring you’ll never be starting from zero again.

The Takeaway

You don’t need perfect data to create planograms!

Start with the shelf, build a working SKU list, rebuild visuals (even from PDFs), and apply shopper-led rules. Yes, it’s time-consuming, but the payoff is huge: you’ll have editable, reusable planograms that drive category conversations and support range reviews.

In many cases, the process of recreating files actually gives you deeper insight into how the shelf really works.

If you’ve been asked to contribute to shelf layouts using Planograms and you don’t know where to start, speak with us… We specialise in helping suppliers to get ‘retailer-ready’ shelf layouts in minimal time.

Learn More

The Haley Group Category Management & Space Experts

Planogram, Retail strategy, Space planning, Category management, Data gaps, Problem-solving, Rapid adaptation, Retail operations, Workflow design, Decision-making, Process development, Retail execution, Visual merchandising, Cross-functional collaboration, Operational challenge, Planograms, Range Review, Category Review, Space Management, Space Planning, Shelf Management, Shelf Layouts, The Haley Group, Space Unlimited, Planogram Consultant