This guide explains how to bulk create and edit Shopify data using Excel or Google Spreadsheets. You can use this exact same step-by-step process to import collections and product data.

Data exported in non-CSV formats, such as JSON or XML, can be easily converted to CSV format using free online converters.

Prerequisites

  • CSV data exported from your previous platform, or article/collection data exported via the Blog Importer app.
  • A Google Account (to use Google Spreadsheets).
  • Blog Importer (Shopify App).

Open the CSV Template

Use the provided Blog Importer CSV template or prepare your exported CSV data. Exported data already contains the exact column headers required for importing into Shopify.

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Article Template

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15QaPOGYdoQDPl_L39AoLlmwE-yzEc6GB69tI0QxbJZc/edit?usp=sharing
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Collection Template

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fd1W0B_Vdo1DP_LM3-Fi2rY-iFj-EZ6goEvBfcoP7N0/edit?usp=sharing

Do not change the column headers (the first row) of the template. Altering these headers will cause import errors.

Import Data into Google Spreadsheets

Load your prepared data into Google Spreadsheets for easy editing.

  1. Open Google Spreadsheets.
  2. Go to File > Import.
  3. Select your CSV file and import the data.

Edit the Data

Next, edit your data. Below is a breakdown of common article fields. For handling custom metafields, please refer to the Metafields guide below.

Data Fields Overview

title

The title of the article. Example: Spring New Arrivals

handle

The URL slug (identifier) for the article. Alphanumeric characters and hyphens are recommended. Duplicate handles will affect whether records are skipped or overwritten. Example: spring-new-items

body_html

The main content of the article in HTML format.

author

The author’s name. You can leave this blank if preferred.

published

The visibility status. Use TRUE for published and FALSE for draft (hidden). Example: TRUE

published_at

The publication date and time. Must use the ISO 8601 format. Example: 2025-09-24T11:02:14Z

tags

Article tags. Specify multiple tags separated by commas. Example: news, spring, campaign

image

The URL for the article’s thumbnail image. Example: https://…/cover.jpg

template_suffix

Specifies the Liquid template to use.

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About Metafields

/guide/metafields

Managing custom metafields is an advanced operation because data types must match strictly. Ensure you have created the designated custom metafields in Shopify beforehand. To prevent inconsistencies, we highly recommend testing your import with about 5 records first.

Export as CSV

Once your data is properly formatted, export it as a CSV file.

  1. Go to File > Download > Comma Separated Values (.csv).
  2. Save the downloaded CSV file to your device.

Upload via Blog Importer

Open the Blog Importer app in Shopify, drag and drop your saved CSV file, and start the import process.