A custom collection is a grouping of products that merchants can create to make their store easier to browse. Merchants create a custom collection first and then select the products that will go into it.
While importing or exporting Shopify custom collections, it’s crucial to understand the concept of mapping fields. Mapping all fields correctly is essential for the plugin to function properly. Any errors in your import file could lead to unexpected issues with your product import.
This article provides a detailed overview of the data columns that can be imported or exported using the StoreRobo Import Export Suite.
>> Download sample CSVBasic Columns
Basic columns in a Shopify custom collection export file typically contain the core custom collection-related information essential for managing your product data.
| Column | Explanation | Allowed values / Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ID | Unique character generated by Shopify to identify each collection. | Allowed values: Number Example: 232342332 |
| Handle | This is a URL-friendly version of a collection’s title. URL address has a great impact on SEO, so be sure to give it a meaningful name.For the give URL, men's-t-shirts is the handle.https://thestore.com/collections/mens-t-shirts | Allowed values: Any characters Example: men's-t-shirts |
| Title | Title of the collection | Allowed values: Text Example: Men’s T-Shirts |
| Body (HTML) | Description created using HTML markup. This description gets displayed on the collection page itself. | Allowed values: Text/HTML Example: <b>Description</b> <p>This is a demo description in paragraph format</p> |
| Sort Order | Defines the sort order for products within a custom collection. | Allowed values:
|
| Template Suffix | Template Suffix allows you to use an existing template from your theme for this specific collection. The name of the template will be used here. | Allowed values: Text Example: Shirts |
| Updated At | Timestamp of the last modification made to the collection. | Allowed values: Date & Time Example: 2024-12-17 18:20:07 +0200 |
| Published | Specifies whether the collection should be live on your site. If you leave this column empty, the Collection form will be hidden from the Online Store. | Allowed values:
|
| Published At | Timestamp indicating when the collection was published on the store. | Allowed values: Date & Time Example: 2024-12-17 18:20:07 +0200 |
| Published Scope | Specifies where the collections are published. Global – Product available on all sales channels. Web – Product only available on online storefront (web channel). | Allowed values:
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| Image Src | Publicly available image URL for the collection. This image will be used as the collection image | Allowed values: Text Example: https://store.com/images.png |
| Image Width | Width of the collection image in pixels. | Allowed values: Number Example: 1232 |
| Image Height | Height of the collection image in pixels. | Allowed values: Number Example: 1232 |
| Image Alt Text | Alt Text for the Collection image. Great for SEO, because then search engines will know, what is inside the image | Allowed values: Text Example: This is an image of shirts |
Linked Products
linked products are the building blocks of custom collections, individual items you’ve chosen to include within a custom collection.
| Column | Explanation | Allowed values / Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Product: ID | During export, all products linked to the collection will be listed under a Product: ID column. This feature is useful when importing a custom collection with linked products to another Shopify store, as it helps identify which products need to be linked in the new store using the Product: ID. Make sure to add the correct product ID in case of migration/import as ID on the import site might not be the same when migrating. | Allowed values: Number Example: 232342332 |
| Product: Handle | Product handle for linked products. Complements the Product: ID by providing a user-friendly identifier for each linked product. | Allowed values: Any characters Example: polo-shirt |
| Product: Position | Specifies the order in which each product appear within the collection on your storefront. This information might not always be present in the export, depending on the collection’s “Sort Order” setting | Allowed values: Number Example: 23 |
Product Count
Exporting product counts allows you to track your overall inventory levels across different categories or brands. This can help you identify potential stock outs and plan your ordering needs more effectively.
| Column | Explanation | Allowed values / Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Products Count | Number of total products preset in each collection. | Allowed values: Number Example: 35 |
Meta fields
The Meta Field column in the Shopify export data refers to custom data you’ve added to your products, collections, orders, or customers. Shopify itself doesn’t have data fields for every specific detail you might want to track. Meta fields are a way for you to add your own custom fields to store that extra information.
