Metafields are custom fields that let you store extra structured information that is not available in standard fields. You can add them to products, collections, customers, orders, and more.
Examples
Expiration dates for food products
Part numbers
Launch dates
Ingredient lists
Benefits
Customization and flexibility
Store and display business specific details such as product care instructions, ingredients, or technical specs.
Internal tracking and organization
Use metafields for internal data such as supplier codes, internal SKU systems, cost tracking, reorder points, internal notes, or vendor specific info you do not want shown publicly.
Enhanced reporting
When you enable the option like Use in analytics for a metafield definition, you can filter and segment reports by that metafield value. This helps you analyze performance using custom attributes such as material type, supplier, or product line.
Deeper product analysis examples
How much revenue came from products made of Wood
Which supplier’s products have the highest conversion rate
Which product line is driving the best results
How to create metafields and see them in reports
Create a metafield definition
Go to Settings, then Metafields and metaobjects
Choose the area like Products or Orders
Click Add definition
Enter a name, choose the type, and set validation rules if needed
Enable reporting use
Turn on Use in analytics if you want it available in reporting filters and segments. Add values
Open a product or order, scroll to the metafields section, enter the value, and save.
Use it in reports
Open your report builder
Select the metafield as a dimension or filter
You will then see the metafield and its values inside the report results
Metafields are custom fields that let you store structured information beyond Shopify’s standard fields. They can be added to resources such as Products, Variants, Collections, Customers, Orders, and more.
Some common examples include:
Expiration dates
Part numbers
Launch dates
Ingredient lists
Supplier codes
Internal notes or business specific data
One of the key benefits of metafields is flexibility. They allow you to store information that is specific to your business without modifying Shopify’s core data structure.
If you want to use a metafield in Shopify Analytics you can enable the Use in analytics option when creating the metafield definition. This makes the metafield available for filtering and segmenting supported reports, allowing you to analyze data based on your custom attributes (for example, supplier, material type, or product line).
To create a metafield:
Go to Settings → Metafields and metaobjects.
Select the resource (such as Products or Orders).
Click Add definition.
Enter a name choose the appropriate field type and configure any validation if needed.
Enable Use in analytics if you want the metafield to be available in supported Analytics reports.
Save the definition.
After that open the relevant product order or other resource enter a value in the Metafields section, and save it.
You can then use that metafield in supported Shopify Analytics reports as a filter or dimension making it easier to segment and analyze your data using your own business specific attributes.
Note Down This : The Use in analytics option is only available for supported metafield types and reports, so not every metafield can be used in Analytics.
Metafields are among the most useful Shopify features when you need data beyond the standard fields.
We use them for things like product specifications, compatibility information, materials, and other custom attributes without cluttering the product description. Since they’re structured data, they’re also much easier to reference in themes and apps than free-form text.
One thing worth mentioning is the “Use in analytics” option. If you enable it when creating a metafield definition, you can filter and segment reports based on that data, which is great for analyzing performance by custom attributes like supplier, material, or product line.
If you’re just getting started, it’s worth planning your metafields up front. A consistent structure makes it easier to store and manage as your catalog grows.
