Goal: Set up automatic imports from Google Sheets to Shopify that run on a schedule, keeping your store data synchronized with your spreadsheet without manual file uploads.
Video walkthrough: Watch the step-by-step video
Prerequisites:
You have Altera installed on your Shopify store
You have a Google Sheet with your Shopify data in Matrixify-compatible format
You have edit access to the Google Sheet
Step 1 - Publish Your Google Sheet to the Web
In Google Sheets, make your data accessible via a URL:
Click File > Share > Publish to web
Under Link, choose Entire Document
In the format dropdown, select Comma-separated values (.csv)
Click Publish
Copy the published URL that appears (you'll use this in the next step)
Step 2 - Navigate to Remote Import in Altera
In your Shopify admin, open Altera, then click Remote import in the left menu.
Alternatively, you can access this from the home page by clicking Import from URL/FTP/SFTP.
Step 3 - Enter the Google Sheets URL
Paste the published URL from Step 1 into the URL field, then click Download.
Altera will retrieve the file from Google Sheets and analyze it.
Step 4 - Configure Import Settings
On the analysis screen:
If Altera didn't automatically detect the data type, select the appropriate type from the dropdown (e.g., Products, Orders, Customers)
Review the column mappings to ensure your columns match correctly with Shopify fields
Configure any additional import settings as needed
Step 5 - Set Up Scheduling
To have this import run automatically on a schedule:
Scroll to the Scheduling section
Enable Repeat this import
Choose your preferred frequency (e.g., Every hour, Every day, or a custom interval)
Set the specific time when the import should run
Step 6 - Start the Import
Click Start Import to begin the import process.
The import will run immediately with the current data
If you enabled scheduling, the import will automatically run at the specified intervals
Each scheduled run will fetch the latest data from your Google Sheet
Outcome
Altera will import your Google Sheets data into Shopify. If you configured scheduling, any changes you make to the Google Sheet will automatically sync to Shopify at your specified intervals.
You can monitor scheduled imports on the Altera home page under Recent Jobs. Each job run shows the import date, time, and results.
Making Changes to Your Data
Once the scheduled import is active, you can update your Google Sheet and the changes will automatically sync to Shopify:
Edit any cell in your Google Sheet and save the changes
Wait a few seconds for Google Sheets to publish the updated version
The next scheduled import will automatically fetch and apply your changes
You can also click Run again on the job details page to manually trigger an immediate sync
Example
Your Google Sheet might contain product data like this:
Handle | Title | Vendor | Tags |
hidden-snowboard | The Hidden Snowboard | Alterara | Snowboard, Winter |
spring-jacket | Spring Jacket | Alterara | Apparel, Spring |
When you change "The Hidden Snowboard" to "The Hidden Snowboard V2" and add a new product row, the next scheduled import will automatically update the title and create the new product in Shopify.
Example Use Cases
Product inventory updates: Keep your Google Sheet as a central product database that automatically syncs to Shopify throughout the day
Team collaboration: Allow team members to edit product information in Google Sheets, which automatically updates in Shopify without needing Shopify admin access
Price updates: Update prices in bulk via Google Sheets and have them sync automatically to your store
Daily data synchronization: Import customer data, order updates, or metafields from a Google Sheet that multiple team members maintain
Important Notes
Published version delay: After making changes in Google Sheets, wait a few seconds for the published version to update before triggering an import
Job history: Each import run is logged with a timestamp, allowing you to download the original source file used for that specific import
Add new fields: You can add new columns to your Google Sheet at any time, and they'll be included in subsequent imports
Matrixify compatibility: Your Google Sheet should follow the Altera/Matrixify format for the data type you're importing
Scheduled imports continue until disabled: The import will keep running automatically until you disable scheduling, archive the job, or delete it
Managing Scheduled Imports
To modify or stop a scheduled import:
Click on the import from the home page
To change settings, click Edit and update any configuration
To temporarily stop the schedule without hiding the import click on the 'Scheduling' toggle
You can also archive the job which will stop the repeating schedule and hide the import from your main jobs list.