What you'll build:
You'll create a customized data export that pulls specific information from your Shopify store into a downloadable file. By the end, you'll have exported data in your chosen format and understand how to configure exports for different business needs.
Who this is for:
Store owners, agencies, and developers who need to extract Shopify data for reporting, analysis, backup, or migration purposes.
Prerequisites
Altera app installed on your Shopify store
Basic familiarity with spreadsheets and data analysis
Estimated time to complete: 10 minutes
1. Configure Your Export Data
This phase covers selecting which types of data you want to export and choosing the specific fields to include.
Step 1 - Start a New Export
From your Altera home page, click New export.
You'll see the export configuration page where you can customize exactly what data to extract.
Step 2 - Select Data Types
Choose the data types you want to export by clicking on them:
Products for product catalog data
Orders for transaction information
Collections for product groupings
Customers for customer information
Files for media assets
Each selected data type will appear below the list for further customization.
Note: If you see "10,000+" items for a data type, the app will export all matching records - we're just unable to show the exact count beforehand because the Shopify API timed out when trying to calculate the precise count. This typically happens with very large datasets where counting takes too long.
Step 3 - Choose Fields for Each Data Type
For each data type you selected, choose which fields to include:
Click on field group buttons (like General, Variants, Images/Media, etc.) to include those groups
To select specific fields within a group, click on an already-selected field group button
A modal will open showing all fields in that group - check or uncheck individual fields as needed
Click Save to apply your field selection
Quick selection tips:
Start by selecting the field groups that contain most of the data you need
Then fine-tune by clicking on groups to deselect fields you don't want
Use the Select all button in the modal to quickly select all fields in a group
Focus on essential fields for faster exports and smaller files
Complex field groups like metafields will increase processing time, so only select what you need.
2. Customize Export Settings
This phase covers filtering your data and configuring the output file format and naming.
Step 4 - Add Filters (Optional)
If you want to export only specific records:
Click Add filter in any data type section
Set conditions like date ranges, product types, or customer segments
Multiple filters can be combined for precise data selection
Step 5 - Configure File Settings
Scroll to the bottom of the export page and set:
File name: Use placeholders like
Product-Export-{shop_name}-%Y-%m-%dfor dynamic namingFile format: Choose Excel (.xlsx) for formatted data or CSV for simple text format
Common placeholders:
{shop_name}- Your store name%Y-%m-%d- Current date (2025-01-15)%H-%M- Current time (14-30)
View the documentation for all placeholders.
3. Generate and Download Your Export
This final phase covers running the export and accessing your data file.
Step 6 - Start the Export
Click Start export to begin data processing.
Altera will process your data in the background - you can navigate away and the export will continue running.
Step 7 - Monitor Export Progress
Watch the status on your export page. Processing time depends on:
Amount of data selected
Complexity of fields (metafields take longer)
Current system load
Step 8 - Download Your Data
Once processing completes, click the Download button that appears.
Save the file to your device and open it in your preferred spreadsheet application.
4. Verify the Results
Open your downloaded file and confirm it contains the expected data types
Check that field selections match what you configured
Verify any filters were applied correctly by reviewing the data contents
Ensure the file format (Excel/CSV) meets your needs
5. Recap
You successfully configured and generated a custom data export from your Shopify store. You learned how to select data types, choose specific fields, apply filters, and configure file settings - giving you a reusable process for extracting exactly the data you need.