Upgrading from 1C-Bitrix Standard to Small Business Edition
Upgrading from 1C-Bitrix Standard to Small Business Edition
The need to upgrade from "Standard" to "Small Business" is almost always driven by one of three reasons: an online store is required, 1C integration is needed, or there is a desire to manage promotions and pricing. "Standard" is an edition for content websites. "Small Business" is an edition for commerce — even if basic.
Key Differences Between the Editions
The "Online Store" module (sale). Not available in "Standard." In "Small Business" — a full cart, orders, order statuses, delivery, payment. Without this module, bitrix:catalog cannot be used in retail mode — only browsing.
The "Trade Catalog" module (catalog). In "Small Business" an extended version is available with trade offers (SKUs), price groups, and discounts. In "Standard" the catalog exists but only for display — without trade logic.
1C integration. The sale module includes support for 1C exchange via the CommerceML protocol through bitrix:catalog.import.1c. This enables synchronization of products, prices, and stock levels.
Marketing tools. Coupons, promotions, rule-based discounts (bitrix:sale.discount) — appear in "Small Business."
Affiliate and referral programs — basic functionality for referral marketing.
Technical Aspects of the Upgrade
After changing the license key and installing new modules (sale, full version of catalog), configuration of the commercial section is required:
Catalog setup. If an infoblock with products already existed in "Standard" — it must be "linked" to the trade catalog via CCatalog::Add() or through the interface. This is not an automatic action.
Trade offers (SKUs). If products have variations (size, color, volume) — a separate trade offers infoblock is configured, linked to the main one. Structure: parent element in the main infoblock + offers in the linked infoblock. This must be planned before data migration.
Price types. In "Small Business" multiple price types can be created (retail, wholesale, VIP). Types are stored in b_catalog_price_type. If the pricing logic is complex — design it before starting.
Payment systems and delivery. Connecting payment gateways and delivery services is a separate task. Each handler is a separate module or custom handler. Testing payment integration takes time.
What Is Not Transferred Automatically
When upgrading from "Standard" to "Small Business" content and data are preserved. But trade logic is created from scratch:
- Price types must be created manually
- Delivery and payment methods must be configured
- Discount rules must be designed and created
- 1C integration must be configured separately — it is a separate project
- Cart and checkout component templates require layout adapted to the site design
Case Study: Converting a Service Catalog to a Full Online Store
Client — an office supplies vendor. Site on "Standard" with a catalog in an infoblock; the "Order" button led to an email form. Task: move to a proper cart and connect online payment via SberPay.
After the license upgrade:
- Linked the existing infoblock to the trade catalog — products were not migrated, only trade logic was added on top.
- Created a "Retail" price type and populated prices via CSV import (in "Small Business" price import is available separately from products).
- Configured delivery: pickup and courier (fixed cost).
- Connected SberPay via the official module from Marketplace.
- Adapted the cart and checkout templates to the existing site design.
Result: 8 business days. The main time was spent on payment setup (sandbox testing) and template adaptation.
Timeline
License change, module installation, and basic commercial configuration — 5–10 business days. With 1C integration, complex discount rules, or custom templates — 15–25 business days.