Metafields
Metafields let you store custom data for products, orders, customers, and other resources in Shopify. They are useful for adding extra information like size guides, specifications, SEO data, or internal notes.
Learn more about metafields in Shopify →
With DataEase, you can import, export, and update metafields easily using dynamic columns in your files.
📊 How Metafields Work in DataEase
Section titled “📊 How Metafields Work in DataEase”When you export data from DataEase, metafields are shown as dynamic columns. This means each metafield gets its own column in the file, using a specific naming format:
metafield {namespace}.{name} [{type}]
Example:
Section titled “Example:”metafield global.description_tag [single_line_text_field]
This structure tells DataEase (and Shopify) which metafield you’re referring to, and in what format.
🧠 Metafield Import Logic
Section titled “🧠 Metafield Import Logic”- If a metafield is not in your import file, it will not be changed.
- If a metafield is in the file but empty, it will be deleted from Shopify.
- If a metafield has a value, it will be created or updated.
This makes it easy to manage metafields without overwriting data you don’t want to change.
🧩 Supported Metafield Types
Section titled “🧩 Supported Metafield Types”Shopify supports a wide range of metafield types. You can see the full list here:
Use these types in your column headers when importing. For example:
metafield specs.material [multi_line_text_field] metafield shipping.weight [number_decimal]
📏 Metafield Limits
Section titled “📏 Metafield Limits”Before working with metafields, be aware of the Shopify limits:
🔢 Limits per resource
Section titled “🔢 Limits per resource”- 250 definitions per resource type
- 20 pinned definitions per resource type
📦 Character limits by type
Section titled “📦 Character limits by type”| Type | Character Limit |
|---|---|
| boolean | 65,000 |
| color | 65,000 |
| date | 65,000 |
| date_time | 65,000 |
| dimension | 65,000 |
| id | 2,048 |
| json | 2,000,000 ¹ |
| link | 65,000 |
| money | 65,000 |
| multi_line_text_field | 65,000 |
| number_decimal | 65,000 |
| number_integer | 65,000 |
| rating | 65,000 |
| rich_text_field | 65,000 |
| single_line_text_field | 65,000 |
| url | 2,048 |
| volume | 65,000 |
| weight | 65,000 |
¹ A json value longer than 2,000,000 characters is rejected before it is sent to Shopify, with a clear row error (“…the maximum length of a JSON metafield value is 2,000,000 characters”). Shopify may apply a lower limit of 128 KB to JSON values for some apps; if Shopify rejects a value for its size, the row shows that error.
🧰 Use Case Example
Section titled “🧰 Use Case Example”Add custom SEO tags to products:
- Export products with DataEase
- Add a new column: metafield global.title_tag [single_line_text_field]
- Enter your SEO titles in the column
- Import the updated file - your metafields are now live!
✅ Best Practices
Section titled “✅ Best Practices”- Use the correct format in square brackets for each metafield.
- Avoid overwriting important data - remove columns for fields you don’t want to change.
- Use export to back up your current metafields before making changes.
Metafields are a powerful way to extend your Shopify store’s functionality. With DataEase, you can manage them efficiently - in bulk - and without needing to write code.