Filters

Use the Malachyte Portal to manage what filters are displayed in the search experience.

By default, Malachyte offers Price and Availability filters. Clients can also choose from several product options generated from their Shopify product options (e.g., size, color, or material).

Search filters vs. rule filters

Search filters are the options shoppers click on the storefront to narrow results (for example, Color = Black). They are different from the filters inside merchandising rules, which the merchandiser sets in the Portal (for example, "only show products tagged sale"). This page covers search filters.

Creating a New Filter

When a new filter is created in the Malachyte Portal, the system automatically generates the required Metaobject definitions and product Metafields in Shopify behind the scenes.

Create a Filter

Navigate to Filters > Create New in the Malachyte Portal.
Enter the filter name, select the display type (Text, Visual, or Range), and define the initial filter values.

Filter Types Supported

Filter Type	Description	Supported Fields / Inputs
Text / List	Standard drop-downs or multi-select options	Name / Value string
Visual	Color or image swatches	Name, Hex color code (image swatches come from the Shopify product media)
Range	Numerical range filters	Decimal / Float numbers (Min & Max inputs)
Boolean	A single yes/no toggle (for example, "In stock")	None

Note: Visual swatches configured in the portal currently support Hex color codes. Image swatch uploads are managed directly via the Shopify product media mappings.

Filters created directly through the Malachyte Portal are app-owned. This keeps the Shopify store clean by automatically removing associated Metaobject definitions and Metafields if the application is ever uninstalled. Clicking Delete removes the filter configuration and cleans up the associated Shopify Metaobject definitions.

Importing Existing Filters

If a Shopify store already uses custom Metaobjects for filters (for instance, product options mapped to native Metaobjects), they can be imported into Malachyte rather than recreating them.

Prerequisites for Import

To import an existing Metaobject into Malachyte, use the following identifiers from the Shopify Admin:

Metaobject Type: Located in Settings > Custom Data > Metaobjects.
Metafield Name (optional): Located in Settings > Custom Data > Products.

Import Process

Go to Filters > Add Filter in the Malachyte Portal and choose Connect Existing Metaobject.
Input the Shopify Metaobject Type and Metafield Name if applicable.
Click Import. Malachyte will sync the existing data structure and make the filter values editable within the portal.

Filters connected from pre-existing Shopify Metaobjects are store-owned. Clicking Disconnect removes the filter from the Malachyte search experience while keeping the Shopify Metaobjects intact.

How Syncing Works

Portal to Shopify: When filter values are added or modified in the Malachyte Portal, updates are synced to the Shopify Metaobjects in real time.
Shopify to Portal: If new Metaobject entries are added directly inside the Shopify Admin, Malachyte's daily background process syncs these values before updating product-level filter mappings.

Note

If a new value added in Shopify doesn't appear on the storefront yet, it will appear after the next daily sync.

Bulk Updates

Because filters are stored as Shopify metafields, filter values can be updated in bulk with various tools:

One-time setup: create or import the filter in the Malachyte Portal so it's mapped to the correct metafield.
Ongoing updates: write to that same metafield key and format in the bulk-update file. Changes are picked up on the next daily sync.

Tip

Filters return clean results only when product data is consistent. Where possible, use metafield dropdowns (fixed lists) instead of free text, so values like "grey" and "gray" don't end up as separate options.