> ## Knowledge Base Index
> Fetch the complete knowledge base index at: https://help.stock-sync.com/sitemap.xml
> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
> Pure-Markdown content can be obtained by appending a '.md' suffix to the content URLs listed in the sitemap (without the trailing slash).
# Custom Data (Metafield)
|| Available on: ✔️ Add ✔️ Update ✔️ Export
|| If the metafield you are trying to update is not created in your store, then Stock Sync will create the metafield, but adding snippets into Shopify Theme Liquid needs to be done manually.
|| Custom data (Metafield) allows multiple columns, but it must be of type multi-line text or list of values. If a metafield column is missing from the feed file and you want to set a default value for all products, you can use a fixed value for configuration.
Stock Sync supports standard Shopify metafield content types, including **Single line text, Multi-line text, Integer, Decimal, Date, Date and time, URL, JSON string, True or False, Color, Weight, Volume, Dimension, and Rating**, provided the feed value matches the metafield definition in Shopify. The Shopify definition and Stock Sync content type must use the same data type; for example, numeric values should use **Decimal**, boolean values should use **True or False**, and text values should use **Single line text**. Reference types—including Product, Page, File, Variant, Metaobject, and list-based reference types such as `list.metaobject_reference`—are not supported for mapping or updates. Some Shopify-defined system metafields may appear in the dropdown but are read-only and cannot be updated through Stock Sync.
${frame}[](https://app.supademo.com/embed/cm6azfaw50oym280iq21k07fl?embed_v=2)
When it comes to metafields, several options are available such as metafield 1, 2, 3, and so on. Additionally, a few settings are provided.
When it comes to metafields, several options are available such as metafield 1, 2, 3, and so on. Additionally, a few settings are provided.
Note: Some Shopify-defined metafields (such as preset system metafields like shopify.color-pattern) may appear in the dropdown but cannot be updated through Stock Sync. These metafields are read-only in Shopify and therefore will show as unsupported for updates.
Let's take a closer look at the explanation of these settings below.
# 1. Metafield Namespace and Key
The dropdown will display the list of metafields available in the store. It also displays the Owner and Content Type respectively.
||| How to update Google Fields using Metafields with Stock Sync? Please click [here](https://help.stock-sync.com/en/article/update-google-fields-using-metafields-1et73m8/) to know more.
# 2. Metafield Owner
Based on your Shopify admin settings, this field has been prefilled.
# 3. Skip update when feed value is blank (value zero is not blank)
When enable this option, it will skip the update when the feed value its blank. By default its enable the option.
| For example: To skip the update for products with **feed value blank** can **enable** this option.
# 4. Remove metafield when value is blank in feed
When this option is enabled, a blank value in the feed will automatically be set as empty in the store instead of as a hyphen.
| For example: Enable this option to avoid a hyphen in the metafield value when the feed value is blank; see the image below for details.
| 
# 5. Only update if the current metafield is empty (Only Shopify Update Feed)
The toggle icon will update the empty product metafield in the Shopify store.
| For example: To update products with **NO metafield** without disrupting the products with metafield, **enable** this option.
# 6. Find
Find multiple words or phrases separated by commas. The search will match any part of the words include * and supports regular expressions.
| For example: (Find: *man) will include - woman, manicure etc from the feed file.
| Example of regular expression: To remove all links from the description field, enter *,,*
# 7. Replace with
Replace the words or phrases that were used with Find above separated by a comma.
| For example: To replace the words with the column name, use {{description}} and place the column mane inside the bracket {{}}
# 8. Translation From
Please select the translation from to translate the metafield. There are more than ten languages available. Its only available for **content type single line text.**
# 9. Translation To
Please select the translation to translate the metafield. There are more than ten languages available. Its only available for **content type single line text**.
# 10. Metafield Content Type
Based on your Shopify admin settings, this field has been prefilled.
| Name | Description | Example value |
| ---- |
| Single line text | A single-line text field. | This item contains dairy products. |
| Multi-line text | A multi-line text field. | Ingredients: Flour, Water, Milk, Eggs |
| Integer | A whole number in the range of +/-9,007,199,254,740,991. | 10 |
| Decimal | A number with decimal places in the range of +/-9999999999999.999999999. | 10.4 |
| Date | A date in ISO 8601 format without a presumed timezone. | %Y-%m-% |
| Date and time | A date and time in ISO 8601 format without a presumed timezone. When setting the current date, the timezone will depend on the store's timezone. | 2021-01-01T12:30:00 |
| URL | A URL with one of the allowed schemes: https, http, mailto, sms, tel. | https://www.shopify.com |
| JSON string | A JSON-formatted string. N**ote:** The json_string type is deprecated but still exists because it behaves differently than the new json type in Liquid. | [{ "k": "v1" }, { "k": "v2" }] |
| True or False | Boolean is a data type with two possible values: true or false. | TRUE |
| Color | The hexadecimal code for a color. | #fff123 |
| Weight | A value and a unit of weight. Valid unit values: oz, lb, g, kg | { "unit": "kg", "value": 2.5 } |
| Volume | A value and a unit of volume. Valid unit values: ml, cl, l, m3 (cubic meters), us_fl_oz, us_pt, us_qt, us_gal, imp_fl_oz, imp_pt, imp_qt, imp_gal. | { "unit": "ml", "value": 20.0 } |
| Dimension | A value and a unit of length. Valid unit values: in, ft, yd, mm, cm, m | { "unit": "cm", "value": 25.0 } |
| Rating | A rating measured on a specified scale | |
||| We do not support the following content types: Reference (e.g., Product Reference, Page Reference, File Reference, Variant Reference, Metaobject Reference, etc.). This also includes list-based reference types such as `list.metaobject_reference`, which cannot be updated or mapped through Stock Sync.
||| How do I set the metafield content type true and false value? To know more about this can refer [here](https://help.stock-sync.com/en/article/how-do-i-set-the-metafield-content-type-true-and-false-value-10d3qmp/).
||| To view the accurate format of metafield, please do open your feed file via notes or notepad so that can see it clearly. If open via excel, it could change some of the value formatting such as numbers and dates.
For example, if you have a metafield like this:
| Namespace | Key | Value |
| ---- |
| EstimatedTimeArrival | ETA | 1 days |
| EstimatedTimeArrival | ETA | 2 days |
The **Namespace** is the *Estimated Time of Arrival*, the **Key** is *ETA,* and the **Value** will be attached to the **Product** of the **Variant** according to the metafield owner.
||| For the metafield type, you should choose the correct data type. The data type must also be the same in Stock Sync and Shopify; otherwise, it will generate an error. Refer [here](https://help.stock-sync.com/en/article/how-to-update-metafield-date-content-type-in-shopify-np9t69/) for more information.
# 11. Default value if cell is blank
Default value if the cell is blank. If the feed has a blank cell for a product, then the default value will be added to the metafield value instead. The default value can't be left blank.
# 12. Append new metafield without overwriting them (✔️ Update for single-line list values)
This option allows you to append new values from the feed to existing values in the store. [Learn more here.](https://help.stock-sync.com/en/article/how-to-append-new-metafield-without-overwriting-them-1tfdmum/)
# Metafield Validation Errors
Metafield updates may fail if the value provided does not match the validation rules defined in Shopify. Common issues include:
* Required fields that are blank in the feed.
* Minimum or maximum numeric constraints not met (e.g., value must be ≥ 1).
* Values that do not exist in allowed choices defined in the metafield.
* Owner subtype mismatch when updating values that belong to a different owner type.
To resolve validation errors:
* Check the error list in the activity log to identify the invalid metafield.
* In Shopify Admin, go to Settings > Custom Data and review the metafield’s validation rules.
* Adjust the rules (e.g., remove minimum value, allow more choices, or make it not required), or update the feed to match the constraints.
* Re-run the feed after corrections.