Exporting Metafield Definitions
Export your Shopify metafield definitions — the schema that describes each custom field: its namespace, key, data type, and validation rules — to a CSV or Excel file, across every connected store at once. Each definition is one row, so this is the clean way to document, back up, or replicate your custom-data structure.
For the wizard itself — picking entities, choosing a format and destination, scheduling — see the exporting overview.
Definitions are the schema. If you want the stored values, see Exporting Metafields.
What you can export
In Simple mode you pick from a curated list. The most-used fields:
| Field | What it is |
|---|---|
| ID | The definition's unique id in the index. |
| Name | The human-readable name of the definition. |
| Namespace | The container the definition belongs to. |
| Key | The unique key within the namespace. |
| Owner Type | The Shopify resource type the definition is attached to. |
| Type | The metafield data type (e.g. single_line_text_field). |
| Type Category | The type's category (TEXT, REFERENCE, NUMBER, …). |
| Metafields Count | How many metafields use this definition. |
| Validation Status | The validation status of metafields under the definition. |
| Description | The definition's description. |
| Pinned | Whether the definition is pinned (and its pinned position). |
| Store | Which connected store the definition belongs to (name, domain, email). |
| Created / Updated At | When the definition was created and last changed. |
A dedicated Validations section adds a count of validation rules and a full JSON digest of them (min/max, choices, and so on). Template (Advanced) mode opens the full column tree for anything else.
Filtering what you export
Narrow the export to the definitions you want. The available filters:
- Store — limit to one or more connected stores.
- Owner type — a single type or several.
- Type category / Type name — filter by the data type or its category.
- Validation status — definitions in a given validation state.
- Namespace / Key — a specific namespace or key.
- Pinned — only pinned (or unpinned) definitions.
- Use as collection condition — definitions usable as a collection condition.
- Created / Updated date — a date range or a shorthand like the last 30 days.
There's also a free-text search that matches the definition name. This per-entity filter is part of the export and is independent of whatever filter you last used on the Metafield Definitions dashboard.
Exporting from the dashboard vs the wizard
From the Metafield Definitions dashboard, the Export button (the Export Builder) does a quick single-entity export scoped to what you're viewing — Current page, Filtered (everything matching your dashboard filters), Selected (rows you've ticked), or All definitions across your stores. The Export Wizard (Exports → New export) is the place for multi-entity exports and scheduled runs. Both share the same columns, filters, formats, and destinations.
Scheduling
Any metafield definitions export can be saved as a recurring daily, weekly, or monthly schedule instead of a one-time run — each run rebuilds from live data. See scheduled exports.
Tutorial: document all product metafield definitions
- Go to Exports → New export (
/exports/new). - In Step 1, tick Metafield Definitions and click Next.
- In Step 2, keep the Basic columns (name, namespace, key, type, validation status) and open the Validations section to add the validations JSON.
- Add a filter: set Owner type to
PRODUCT. - In Step 3, choose Excel and set the destination to Email.
- In Step 4, name it "Product definitions" and click Run now.
- You'll get an in-app notification when the file is ready.
Permissions
- View Exports (
viewExports) — build a metafield definitions export. - Download Exports (
downloadExports) — download the finished file.
Account owners have both. Grant them to team members from their permissions.
FAQ
Can I export Shopify metafield definitions to Excel? Yes — choose Excel
(.xlsx) or CSV in Step 3.
Does the export include validation rules? Yes — the Validations section adds a rule count and a full JSON digest of the validations (min/max, choices, and so on).
What's the difference between metafield definitions and metafields? Definitions are the schema (namespace, key, type, validations); metafields are the stored values. Each has its own export.
Can I export definitions for one owner type only? Yes — use the Owner type filter to limit the export to products, orders, customers, and so on.
Can I export definitions from all my stores at once? Yes — an export spans every connected store by default. Add a Store filter to narrow it to one.
Can I schedule this export? Yes — save it as a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule; each run rebuilds from live data and is delivered to your destination.