Map supplier CSV columns to Shopify product fields
Suppliers rarely use Shopify’s column names. One file says Item code, another says Article no. or EAN. Mapping is the step where you decide which supplier column becomes which product field, and it is where most silent mistakes start.
By FeedNeat · Reviewed October 27, 2026
Start from the supplier’s headers
Open the original file in a plain-text viewer and list its headers. FeedNeat suggests a match for common names (for example Product name to Title, Item code to SKU, Retail price to Price, Brand to Vendor, EAN or UPC to Barcode, Categories to Tags), but every suggestion is editable. Confirm each one against a real row, not just the header text.
Fields this workflow prepares
The current tool prepares Title, URL handle, SKU, Price, Vendor, Barcode and Tags for new products with one default variant. Each source column can map to only one field. If no handle column is mapped, a handle is generated from the title: accents are removed, letters are lowercased and other characters become hyphens.
What gets left out, on purpose
Unmapped columns are not exported, and the workspace lists them as excluded before you download. Descriptions, images, inventory, weights, costs and metafields are outside this version. Add them in your store afterward or use a workflow that supports them. Do not assume an excluded column was carried over.
Variant and image rows are blocked, not merged
If the source contains filled option, variant ID or image-position columns, the workspace stops with an explanation. Those rows usually describe sizes, colors or extra images of one product, and flattening them into separate products would create the wrong catalog.
Check tags before export
Shopify’s CSV reference describes tags as comma-separated values and recommends letters, numbers and hyphens, avoiding accented characters and symbols. A cell that holds several tags must stay inside double quotes in the CSV. FeedNeat keeps tag text as supplied, so tidy supplier categories first if they contain symbols.
Worked example
Product name → Title Item code (00124) → SKU (stays 00124) Retail price (24,50) → Price: needs your decision before export Brand → Vendor Stock, Image URL → excluded and listed before download
Related guidance
- Complete pre-import checklist
- Keep leading zeros in CSV SKUs and barcodes
- Fix ambiguous prices in a supplier CSV
- Understand repeated handles in a Shopify CSV
- Fix CSV encoding and delimiter problems before a Shopify import
- Draft or active? Status and publishing in a Shopify CSV
- Common Shopify CSV import errors and how to avoid them
For the destination format and field dependencies, consult the official Shopify CSV reference. FeedNeat is independent software and supports a limited subset.