Issue with Importing Customized Product CSV

[Zameer1908]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to Shopify and trying to import my products with custom fields in addition to the default CSV. After editing the default template to include extra columns, the import fails or shows errors.

How can I import a CSV with both default and custom fields? Do I need to use Metafields or an app for this?

Any guidance would be appreciated!

Thanks!

[Ahmad31]

To import products with custom fields into Shopify, there are a few key steps and considerations to keep in mind. Here’s how you can approach this:

---

1. Understand the Default Shopify CSV Template

Shopify's default product CSV template supports specific fields, such as title, price, inventory, and tags. If you try to add custom fields (like "Material" or "Supplier") directly to the CSV, Shopify won't recognize these unless they're properly configured as Metafields.

---

2. Use Metafields for Custom Fields

Shopify allows you to store additional information about your products using Metafields. To import custom fields via a CSV:

• Set Up Metafields:
  • Go to Settings > Custom data in your Shopify admin.
  • Define the metafields for your products. For example, if you want a "Material" field, create a metafield for it.
• Format Your CSV:
  • After creating metafields, you'll need to include these fields in your CSV. Use a column naming format like Metafield:namespace.key.
    • Example: If your metafield has a namespace of custom and a key of material, the column in your CSV should be named Metafield:custom.material.

---

3. Use an App for Easier Import

If managing custom fields via a CSV is too cumbersome, consider using a Shopify app that simplifies the process. Some popular apps for importing products with custom fields are:

• Matrixify (formerly Excelify)
• Metafields Guru
• Bulk Product Editor

These apps can handle both default and custom fields seamlessly and often provide better error handling than the native CSV importer.

---

4. Troubleshooting Import Errors

If the import fails:

• Check for Errors: Shopify provides error messages after an import attempt. These will indicate if columns are missing or improperly formatted.
• CSV Formatting: Ensure that all required fields (e.g., "Title," "Handle") are included, and columns match Shopify's naming conventions.
• Metafields Setup: Double-check that the metafields are correctly defined in Shopify before importing.

---

5. Test with a Few Products

Before importing your entire product catalog:

• Start with a small test CSV file (1–5 products).
• Verify that both default and custom fields are imported correctly.
  Let me know if you need help setting up metafields or recommendations for apps!

[Renars]

Hi @Ahmad31 and @Zameer1908 

Thank you for suggesting the use of the Matrixify app.

You sure can import Products into your store using the Matrixify app. You can also have any additional custom columns in your file. If the column is not recognized, the app will just ignore it when importing.

Here we have a great tutorial that explains the basics of how to import Products with Matrixify.

But if your file is already in Matrixify or Shopify Products template then it should be as simple as uploading the file in the app and importing it.

Another benefit of using the Matrixify app is that you can use Excel XLSX files. They are a lot more user-friendly than CSV files.

And even more, you can use Google Sheets file where you have your product data and do an import from a shared Google Sheets link.

If you have any questions or concerns along the way when using the Matrixify app, please contact Matrixify support directly.