Add Custom Metafields

Metafields in ShipTurtle let you store and manage custom data on top of standard Shopify fields. Think of them as flexible “extra fields” for your products (and other entities) when Shopify’s default fields aren’t enough. ShipTurtle reads and writes these metafields to power workflows like vendor-specific logic, richer product info, and custom operational fields—without cluttering your main Shopify data.

Common examples of what you can store

• Custom shipping instructions for vendors
• Internal tags for vendor-specific pricing
• Warehouse location references
• Product certification / compliance info
• Auction-related metadata or subscription details 

Where to find Metafields in ShipTurtle

1. Log in to your ShipTurtle admin panel
2. Go to: Settings → Multi Vendor Settings → Product Meta Settings
3. You’ll see a list of existing metafields
4. Click ADD CUSTOM FIELD (or Add New Metafield, depending on your screen) 

Note: Currently, ShipTurtle supports product-level metafields from this section. 

Create a new metafield

1. Click ADD CUSTOM FIELD
2. Fill in the required details:
3. • Field Name (what you want to call it)
   • Field Type (text, number, date, URL, boolean, file, etc.)
   • Digital Product (enable this if the custom field is meant for digital files like documents, audio, etc.) 
3. Vendor-Based Visibility
   You can select one or more vendors when creating a metafield.
   When vendors are selected:
   The metafield will only be visible to the selected vendors

• Other vendors will not see this metafield when creating products

Example
A marketplace selling electronics and clothing may want technical specification fields to appear only for electronics vendors.
In this case, the metafield can be assigned only to those vendors.

4. Category-Based Visibility
   You can also assign a metafield to specific product categories.
   When categories are selected:

• The metafield will only appear when a product belongs to the selected category.

Example
A Fabric Material metafield might only be relevant for the Clothing category and unnecessary for electronics or furniture.
By assigning the metafield to the Clothing category, vendors will only see it when creating products in that category.

5. Vendor AND Category Visibility
   ShipTurtle also allows metafields to appear only when both conditions are satisfied.
   When this option is enabled:

• The metafield appears only if the selected vendor AND the selected category match.

Example
A marketplace may require a Warranty Period field only for:
Vendor: ElectroWorld
Category: Smartphones
In this case, the metafield will appear only when ElectroWorld creates a product in the Smartphones category.
If either condition does not match, the metafield will not appear.

6. Click on Save.

Note: Visibility Toggle Logic:

• If OFF: The system uses 'OR' logic (processes if either condition is satisfied).
• If ON: The system uses 'AND' logic (processes only if both conditions are satisfied).

Once saved:

• The metafield is created in Shopify and visible in Shopify’s metafields section
• You can update values from either ShipTurtle or Shopify, and changes reflect on both sides 

Update metafield values (where you’ll edit)

After the metafield is created:

• Go to the relevant Product inside ShipTurtle (or in Shopify)
• Locate the metafield section
• Enter/update the value and Save
  ShipTurtle and Shopify stay in sync for these fields. 

Bulk import or export metafield data (optional)

If you need to update metafields for many products:

• Use ShipTurtle’s CSV import/export tools to edit in bulk
• Ensure the namespace/key matches your metafield definition to prevent overwriting the wrong field 

Important notes (to avoid confusion)

• Unpinned metafields: Shopify may place new metafields under Unpinned by default. You can pin them in Shopify if needed (Shopify limits pinned metafields). 
• Create metafields from ShipTurtle (recommended): ShipTurtle may not sync existing metafields created only inside Shopify. For best compatibility, create/delete metafields from ShipTurtle. 
• Image metafields: Shopify doesn’t store images directly in some metafield formats. If you add images via ShipTurtle, they may be saved as image URLs in Shopify. Your developer can render these URLs as images on the storefront. 

API access (advanced users)

For developers building custom flows:

• You can read/write metafields programmatically using the Shopify API (and ShipTurtle APIs, if enabled for your setup) for large-scale or dynamic updates.

If you’re stuck, reach us at team@shipturtle.com or open a ticket on the support page.