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Integrations & Field Mapping

Using Import Filters

Control which products import from your platform using filtering rules.

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Using Import Filters

Import filters let you choose exactly which products from your platform actually come into Merchkit. Instead of importing your entire catalog at once, you can work category-by-category, test with a small subset, or exclude products you don't need.

Why Use Import Filters?

Scenario 1: You have a huge catalog

  • 50,000+ SKUs across multiple product lines
  • You want to enrich them in Merchkit, but need to tackle them in phases
  • Import by category: First run kitchen products, then furniture, then decor

Scenario 2: You're testing Merchkit

  • Import a small subset (e.g., one collection) to test the workflow
  • Verify that mappings are correct before running a full import
  • Expand gradually once you're confident

Scenario 3: You don't need all products

  • Some products are archived, discontinued, or don't need enrichment
  • Filter out products with certain tags (e.g., "no-sync") to keep Merchkit lean
  • Sync only products marked "ready-for-enrichment"

How Import Filters Work

Filters are AND rules: All conditions must match for a product to be imported.

If you set:

  • Category = "Kitchen" AND
  • Tag = "Active"

Only kitchen products tagged "Active" will import. Everything else is skipped.

Setting Up Import Filters

Step 1: Open Import Mapping

Go to Workspace → Integrations → Your Integration → Configure Fields → Import Mapping tab

[SCREENSHOT: Configure Field Mapping modal, Import Mapping tab]

Step 2: Expand "Import Filters"

At the top of the modal, find the Import Filters section (usually shows "Import Filters (Expandable, 1 rule)" or similar). Click to expand.

[SCREENSHOT: Import Filters section in the Import Mapping tab, showing 0-1 existing rules]

Step 3: Add a Filter Rule

Click + Add Filter to create a new rule.

You'll see options like:

  • Category — Filter by product category
  • Collection — Filter by collection (Shopify-specific)
  • Tag — Filter by assigned tag
  • Vendor — Filter by brand/vendor
  • Status — Filter by product status (active, draft, archived)
  • Text Pattern — Filter by SKU or name matching a text search

[SCREENSHOT: Filter rule creation dialog showing dropdown options]

Step 4: Set the Condition

Select the attribute and the value(s):

  • Category is "Apparel"
  • Collection contains "New Arrivals"
  • Tag equals "Enriched"
  • SKU starts with "PROD-"
  • Status is not "archived"

Step 5: Add More Rules (Optional)

Click + Add Filter again to add another rule. All rules must match for a product to import.

Example multi-rule filter:

  • Category is "Electronics"
  • AND Tag equals "Active"
  • AND Status is not "archived"

[SCREENSHOT: Import Filters with 3 rules displayed]

Step 6: Preview and Save

Some integrations let you Preview Matching Products to see how many items will be imported with your filter rules. Review the count to make sure you're capturing the right set.

Once satisfied, click Save Mapping to apply the filters and field mappings together.

Common Filter Patterns

Pattern 1: Phased Rollout (Category-by-Category)

Create one import with filters for each category:

Import 1

  • Category = "Furniture"

Import 2 (run this later)

  • Category = "Decor"

Import 3 (run this later)

  • Category = "Accessories"

Each import brings in one category, so you can enrich and export them on your own timeline.

Pattern 2: Test and Expand

First import (narrow):

  • Collection contains "Test Products"
  • Status is "active"

This might be 50 items. Test the enrichment workflow, verify the data looks good, then remove the filter and import the rest.

Pattern 3: Active Products Only

Filter out archived or hidden products:

  • Status is not "archived"
  • Status is not "draft"

Pattern 4: Specific Vendors or Brands

If you work with multiple vendors:

  • Vendor equals "Acme Corp"

Separate imports can bring in products from different vendors into different Merchkit collections.

Editing Filters After Import

You can change your filters and re-import the same integration. The new filter will apply to the next import.

However, products already in Merchkit will not be deleted if they no longer match the filter. Filters only control what comes in going forward. If you want to remove products, you'll need to delete them manually from Merchkit.

Removing All Filters (Import Everything)

If you've set filters but want to import your full catalog:

  1. Go back to Import Mapping
  2. Expand Import Filters
  3. Delete any existing rules (click ✕ on each)
  4. Save the mapping

On your next import, every product from the platform will come in.

No Filters vs. Empty Filters

  • No filters: All products import (default behavior)
  • Filters present: Only products matching all filter rules import
  • No matching products: If your filter rules match 0 items, the import will complete but bring in no data

Combining Filters with Export Mapping

Filters only affect imports (platform → Merchkit). When you export (Merchkit → platform), all products in Merchkit are eligible unless you manually exclude them at sync time.

This means you might import only "Kitchen" products, enrich them, then export all of them back to Shopify (not just kitchen). Export mappings don't have filters—they're all-or-nothing per sync.

Next step: Setting Up Export Mapping

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Setting Up Import Mapping
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Setting Up Export Mapping