Overview
Data Transformations allows you to automatically modify the structure of your spreadsheets. This powerful feature enables you to convert data between different formats, customize your exports to match specific requirements, or prepare data for import to third-party systems without manual post-processing.
What are Data Transformations?
Data transformations are automated changes applied to your spreadsheet structure, including:
Convert Shopify Products Export to Altera Format: Converts Shopify products exported from Shopify admin to the Altera import format
Extract data from one column into separate columns
Rename columns to match your preferred naming conventions
Reorder columns to arrange data in your desired sequence
Combine columns to merge related data
Filter rows based on specific criteria
Create calculated fields from existing data
And more custom transformations based on your needs
How It Works
There are two ways to use data transformations:
1. Public Transformations (Available to All Users)
Public transformations are pre-built recipes that anyone can use to convert common data formats.
Currently Available:
Shopify Admin Orders Export → Altera Format: Converts orders exported from Shopify admin to the Altera import format
Shopify Admin Products Export → Altera Format: Converts products exported from Shopify admin to the Altera import format
How to Use:
Navigate to Transform Data
Go to the "Transform Data" section in the app
Upload Your Spreadsheet
Upload the spreadsheet you want to transform
The file should be in the format expected by the transformation (e.g., Shopify admin export format)
Select a Transformation
Choose from the available public transformations
Each transformation will show what format it expects and what it produces
Run the Transformation
Click to start the transformation process
The transformation will be applied to your spreadsheet
Download Your Transformed File
Once complete, download the output file
Your file will contain the transformed data ready for use
2. Custom Transformations (Pro Plan)
Custom transformations are tailored recipes created specifically for your business needs and can be automatically applied to your exports.
Features:
Custom transformation recipes created by our team based on your requirements
Can be automatically applied to any compatible export
Available only on Pro plan
How to Use:
Contact Support
Reach out to our support team to discuss your transformation needs
Provide examples of your desired output format
Setup
Our team will create custom transformation recipes for your use cases
Once configured, the transformations will be available in your account
Apply to Exports
When creating or editing an export, scroll to the bottom of the export configuration page
In the "Data Transformations" section, select your custom transformations
For each data type you're exporting, you can optionally select from your available transformation recipes
Automatic Processing
When you run the export, it will gather your data from Shopify
After the data is collected, the selected transformations will be applied automatically
Download the transformed file when complete
Example Transformations
Here are some examples of transformations that can be configured:
Split Full Names: Transform a "Full Name" column into separate "First Name" and "Last Name" columns
Standardize Phone Numbers: Reformat phone numbers to a consistent format
Extract SKU Prefixes: Pull product categories from SKU codes into a separate column
Reorder for Import: Arrange columns to match a third-party system's import requirements
Extract Custom Attributes: Extract specific custom attributes from orders into separate columns
Important Considerations
Excel Formatting
When data transformations are applied to Excel files:
The color formatting of column headers will be replaced with a standard gray header style
All data will retain Arial font at size 11
Column widths will be automatically adjusted for readability
This formatting change occurs because the transformations create a new file structure that may not match the original template
File Formats
Data transformations work with:
Excel files (.xlsx) - Each sheet can have its own transformation
CSV files - Single transformation per file
ZIP files containing CSVs - Each CSV can have its own transformation
Performance
Transformations are applied after all data is exported, so they add a small amount of processing time
The transformation step appears in your job progress, so you can track when it's being applied
If a transformation fails for any reason, you'll still receive your original untransformed data
Migrating Data Between Stores
If you are copying data between stores we recommend that you do not use data transformations. Data transformations change the format of the data and may cause the data to not match the Altera/Matrixify format.
Getting Started
Using Public Transformations
Public transformations are available to all users immediately:
Navigate to the "Transform Data" section in the app
Upload a spreadsheet in a supported format
Select a transformation and run it
Download your transformed file
Getting Custom Transformations (Pro Plan)
To get custom data transformations configured for your account:
Upgrade to the Pro plan (if not already on it)
Contact our support team to discuss your transformation needs
Provide examples of your desired output format
Our team will create custom transformation recipes for your use cases
Once configured, the transformations will appear in your export options
Troubleshooting
Q: I don't see any transformation options when creating an export A: Custom transformations that can be added to exports are only available on the Pro plan. Contact support to discuss adding custom transformations to your account.
Q: Where can I find the Transform Data section? A: The Transform Data section is available in the main navigation of the app. Public transformations are available to all users.
Q: My transformation didn't apply A: Check the job details for any error messages. If transformations fail, you'll receive information about what went wrong.
Q: Can I modify the transformations myself? A: Currently, public transformations are pre-built and custom transformations are configured by our team. We're working on self-service options for the future.
Q: What's the difference between public and custom transformations? A: Public transformations are available to all users and convert between common formats (like Shopify admin exports to Altera format). Custom transformations are tailored to your specific needs, can be applied automatically to exports, and are available on the Pro plan.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback! Let us know:
What public transformations you'd like to see added
What custom transformations would be most valuable for your workflow
Any issues you encounter
Suggestions for improving the feature
Contact our support team with your feedback and transformation requests.