diff --git a/frepple/controllers/frepplexml.py b/frepple/controllers/frepplexml.py
index bbdb3bc5..31077cdd 100644
--- a/frepple/controllers/frepplexml.py
+++ b/frepple/controllers/frepplexml.py
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ def xml(self, **kwargs):
                     == "true",
                     version=version,
                     delta=float(kwargs.get("delta", 999)),
+                    language=language,
                 )
                 # last empty double quote is to let python understand frepple is a folder.
                 xml_folder = os.path.join(str(Path.home()), "logs", "frepple", "")
diff --git a/frepple/controllers/outbound.py b/frepple/controllers/outbound.py
index 47babcab..fc88862c 100644
--- a/frepple/controllers/outbound.py
+++ b/frepple/controllers/outbound.py
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ def __init__(
         singlecompany=False,
         version="0.0.0.unknown",
         delta=999,
+        language="en_US",
     ):
         self.database = database
         self.company = company
@@ -185,6 +186,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.timeformat = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S"
         self.singlecompany = singlecompany
         self.delta = delta
+        self.language = language
 
         # The mode argument defines different types of runs:
         #  - Mode 1:
@@ -342,7 +344,6 @@ def load_uom(self):
         unit of measure of the uom dimension.
         """
         self.uom = {}
-        self.uom_categories = {}
         for i in self.generator.getData(
             "uom.uom",
             # We also need to load INactive UOMs, because there still might be records
@@ -350,8 +351,6 @@ def load_uom(self):
             search=["|", ("active", "=", 1), ("active", "=", 0)],
             fields=["factor", "uom_type", "category_id", "name"],
         ):
-            if i["uom_type"] == "reference":
-                self.uom_categories[i["category_id"][0]] = i["id"]
             self.uom[i["id"]] = {
                 "factor": i["factor"],
                 "category": i["category_id"][0],
@@ -1013,6 +1012,34 @@ def export_items(self):
         ):
             self.product_templates[i["id"]] = i
 
+        # Check if we can use short names
+        # To use short names, the internal reference (or the name when no internal reference is defined)
+        # needs to be unique
+        use_short_names = True
+
+        self.generator.env.cr.execute(
+            """
+            select count(*) from
+            (
+            select coalesce(product_product.default_code,
+            product_template.name->>%s,
+            product_template.name->>'en_US'), count(*)
+            from product_product
+            inner join product_template on product_product.product_tmpl_id = product_template.id
+            where product_template.type not in ('service', 'consu')
+            group by coalesce(product_product.default_code,
+            product_template.name->>%s,
+            product_template.name->>'en_US')
+            having count(*) > 1
+            ) t
+                """,
+            (self.language, self.language),
+        )
+        for i in self.generator.env.cr.fetchall():
+            if i[0] > 0:
+                use_short_names = False
+                break
+
         # Read the products
         supplierinfo_fields = [
             "partner_id",
@@ -1047,13 +1074,20 @@ def export_items(self):
                 continue
             tmpl = self.product_templates[i["product_tmpl_id"][0]]
             if i["code"]:
-                name = ("[%s] %s" % (i["code"], i["name"]))[:300]
+                name = (
+                    (("[%s] %s" % (i["code"], i["name"]))[:300])
+                    if not use_short_names
+                    else i["code"][:300]
+                )
+                description = i["name"][:500] if use_short_names else None
             # product is a variant and has no internal reference
             # we use the product id as code
             elif i["product_template_attribute_value_ids"]:
                 name = ("[%s] %s" % (i["id"], i["name"]))[:300]
+                description = i["name"][:500] if use_short_names else None
             else:
                 name = i["name"][:300]
+                description = i["name"][:500] if use_short_names else None
             prod_obj = {
                 "name": name,
                 "template": i["product_tmpl_id"][0],
@@ -1063,8 +1097,15 @@ def export_items(self):
             }
             self.product_product[i["id"]] = prod_obj
             self.product_template_product[i["product_tmpl_id"][0]] = prod_obj
-            yield '<item name=%s uom=%s volume="%f" weight="%f" cost="%f" category=%s subcategory="%s,%s" %s>\n' % (
+
+            # For make-to-order items the next line needs to XML snippet ' type="item_mto"'.
+            yield '<item name=%s %s uom=%s volume="%f" weight="%f" cost="%f" category=%s subcategory="%s,%s"%s>\n' % (
                 quoteattr(name),
+                (
+                    ("description=%s" % (quoteattr(description),))
+                    if use_short_names
+                    else ""
+                ),
                 quoteattr(tmpl["uom_id"][1]) if tmpl["uom_id"] else "",
                 i["volume"] or 0,
                 i["weight"] or 0,
@@ -1074,7 +1115,7 @@ def export_items(self):
                 #  max(0, tmpl["standard_price"]) or 0)  # Option 2: Map the "cost" to frepple
                 / self.convert_qty_uom(1.0, tmpl["uom_id"], i["product_tmpl_id"][0]),
                 quoteattr(tmpl["categ_id"][1]) if tmpl["categ_id"] else '""',
-                self.uom_categories[self.uom[tmpl["uom_id"][0]]["category"]],
+                tmpl["uom_id"][0],
                 i["id"],
                 ' type="item_mto"' if self.route_mto in tmpl["route_ids"] else "",
             )