Does Matrixify support Shopify metafield definitions? No, but Altera does

Table of Contents

Short answer: No. Matrixify imports and exports metafield values, but it does not support metafield definitions. It cannot export, create, update, or migrate the definitions that give metafields their name, type, validations, and access settings. Altera does all of this, and it also reads and writes regular Matrixify files. You are not learning a new app. You keep the spreadsheets and workflow you already know and add metafield definitions to them.

Matrixify vs. Altera for metafield definitions
#

Task	Matrixify	Altera
Import and export metafield values	Yes	Yes
Export all metafield definitions to a spreadsheet	No	Yes
Create metafield definitions in bulk from a spreadsheet	No	Yes
Update existing definitions (name, description, pin status, capabilities, access)	No	Yes
Set validations (min, max, choices, allowed metaobject types)	No	Yes
Migrate definitions between stores	No	Yes
Delete or replace definitions in bulk	No	Yes
Definitions for products, variants, collections, customers, orders, companies, locations, pages, blogs, markets, and inventory transfers	No	Yes

Shopify added metafield definitions in 2021 (see Shopify’s metafield definitions help page). Matrixify still does not support them. Its own documentation tells you to set definitions up by hand in the Shopify admin before importing values.

Altera is the Matrixify workflow you already know, plus metafield definitions
#

Altera reads and writes the same spreadsheet format as Matrixify. Switching does not mean learning a new app or rebuilding your files. What carries over:

Your existing Matrixify product, customer, order, collection, and metafield value files import into Altera without changes.
The same column conventions: an ID column to match existing records, a Command column with MERGE, NEW, DELETE, and REPLACE, and Metafield: namespace.key [type] columns for values.
The same export and import flow: filter, download a spreadsheet, edit it, upload it back.

Metafield definitions are added on top of that. The definitions sheet uses the conventions above, so if you have imported products or metafield values with Matrixify, the layout is already familiar. Altera also covers the other data types Matrixify does not: metaobject definitions, inventory transfers, market translations, linked product options, sales channel publishing, multiple barcodes per variant, and variant sales channel publishing.

You can run Altera alongside Matrixify if you prefer, since both tools read the same files. Most merchants do not need to.

What Shopify metafield definitions are
#

A metafield definition is the schema for a metafield. It is managed on the Metafields page of the Shopify admin (under Settings, then Custom data) and describes what a metafield is called, what type of data it holds, and where it can be used. A definition is like a column header in a spreadsheet. A metafield value is the data in one cell under that header.

Each definition records:

Name and description shown in the admin.
Namespace and key, for example custom.care_instructions.
Type, for example single line text, number, date, rich text, file reference, or metaobject reference.
Owner type: product, variant, collection, customer, order, draft order, company, company location, location, page, blog, blog post, market, or inventory transfer.
Validations such as minimum and maximum values, allowed choices, or which metaobject types a reference may point to.
Capabilities: smart collection condition, admin filterable, unique values, analytics queryable.
Access: admin, Storefront API, and Customer Account API.
Pin status in the admin.

Why metafield definitions matter for store migrations
#

Metafield values are only useful if the target store has the matching definitions. Without a tool that handles definitions, a migration or a new-store setup runs into these problems:

Every definition has to be recreated by hand: name, namespace, key, type, validations, capabilities, and access, for every owner type.
Stores with dozens or hundreds of definitions across products, variants, customers, and orders spend hours on this and make mistakes.
Values imported before their definitions exist become metafields without a definition. They do not show up in the admin’s definition list, and some types cannot be assigned afterwards.
Reference validations (which metaobject types a metafield may point to) are easy to forget and hard to audit by hand.

How to import metafield definitions with Altera
#

Altera treats metafield definitions as a standard data type with import, export, and bulk update, and the sheet works the way a Matrixify import already does. To create definitions in bulk:

Create a spreadsheet with one row per definition. Set Namespace, Key, Name, Owner Type, and Type: Name (for example single_line_text_field).
Add optional columns for Description, Pinned: Is Pinned, the Capability: columns, and the Access: columns.
For validations, add Validation: Name and Validation: Value columns. A definition with several validation rules uses one row per rule; the rows are grouped by ID or by namespace and key.
For metaobject reference types, put the allowed metaobject type handles in the validation value, for example author, brand.
Leave ID blank to create new definitions, or set Command to MERGE to create or update in one pass.
Upload the file to Altera and run the import.

To update existing definitions, fill in the ID column (or the namespace, key, and owner type) and include only the columns you want to change. Blank capability and access cells keep the current setting. Command = DELETE removes a definition and Command = REPLACE deletes it and creates it again.

Download the sample metafield definitions file to see the layout, or read the metafield definition field reference for every column.

How to migrate metafield definitions between stores
#

Export metafield definitions from the source store with Altera.
If any definitions reference metaobjects, export and import the metaobject definitions into the target store first.
Import the metafield definitions file into the target store. Reference validations are exported as type handles (for example features or camera_specs, speaker_specs) instead of store-specific IDs, so the file imports without editing.
Import metafield values afterwards, with Altera or with your existing Matrixify files.

How to export metafield definitions with Altera
#

An export writes every definition to one spreadsheet. Exports include:

ID, namespace, key, name, description, and owner type
Type name and type category
Pin status and pinned position
Capability columns: smart collection condition, admin filterable, unique values, analytics queryable, cart to order copyable
Access columns: admin, Storefront API, Customer Account API
One row per validation rule, with the validation name, type, and value

Frequently asked questions
#

Does Matrixify support Shopify metafield definitions?

No. Matrixify imports and exports metafield values only. It cannot export, create, update, or migrate metafield definitions, which hold each metafield’s name, type, namespace, key, validations, capabilities, and access settings. Altera supports all of these using the same Matrixify-compatible spreadsheet format.

Do I have to learn a new app to use Altera for metafield definitions?

No. Altera reads and writes the same spreadsheet format as Matrixify, so your existing product, customer, order, and metafield value files import unchanged. The metafield definitions sheet uses the conventions you already know: an ID column, a Command column with MERGE, NEW, DELETE, and REPLACE, and one row per validation rule. You keep what you know and add metafield definitions to it.

What is the difference between a metafield definition and a metafield value?

A definition is the schema: the name, namespace and key, type, validations, and access settings that describe a metafield. A value is the data stored on one product, customer, or order under that definition. Matrixify handles values. Altera handles both.

Can I migrate metafield definitions between Shopify stores with Matrixify?

No. With Matrixify you have to recreate every definition by hand in the target store before importing values. With Altera you export the definitions from the source store and import the file into the target store. Metaobject reference validations export as portable type handles instead of store-specific IDs, so the file works across stores.

What happens if I import metafield values without definitions?

Shopify stores them as metafields without a definition. They do not appear under the store’s metafield definitions in the admin, and some types cannot be assigned to them afterwards. Importing the definitions first with Altera avoids this.

Can I keep using Matrixify for other data and use Altera only for metafield definitions?

Yes. Both tools read the same files, so you can run them side by side. Most merchants find they do not need to, because Altera handles the regular Matrixify data types (products, customers, orders, metafield values, and so on) as well as metafield definitions.

See the full Altera vs. Matrixify comparison for every difference between the two tools, or the FAQ for more common questions.

Matrixify vs. Altera for metafield definitions#

Altera is the Matrixify workflow you already know, plus metafield definitions#

What Shopify metafield definitions are#

Why metafield definitions matter for store migrations#

How to import metafield definitions with Altera#

How to migrate metafield definitions between stores#

How to export metafield definitions with Altera#

Frequently asked questions#