Start with a same-day reference export
Export the products you intend to update and keep one copy untouched. This is both the comparison baseline and a recovery reference. Do not assume an older export reflects recent app, staff, inventory, or content changes.
Keep the identifiers Shopify needs
Shopify’s current documentation says update CSVs require the URL handle and Title columns. Variant-level values such as Price depend on option identity, so retain the applicable option name and option value columns. Shopify warns that missing variant dependencies can replace existing variants with a default variant.
Price values should contain the monetary number without a currency symbol. Review Shopify’s official required columns and data dependency guidance before preparing the file.
Use an intent diff before import
- Compare every edited row with the untouched export.
- Allow Price, Compare-at price, or Cost per item only if each was part of the planned update.
- Block blank values that would clear live fields.
- Block handle, option, SKU, barcode, status, content, inventory, or image changes unless separately intended and reviewed.
- Check that compare-at prices reflect the desired storefront presentation.
Test, verify, then scale
Import a small subset first. Confirm the product page, variants, actual selling price, compare-at display, inventory behavior, images, and any connected sales channels or apps. A file-level check cannot observe every store-specific dependency.
An update file containing identity dependencies plus the exact price columns being changed is easier to inspect than a full export containing dozens of unrelated blank or stale fields.
Lock the update to pricing
Select “Prices and costs” as the intent. ImportProof turns every other changed field into a blocker.
Run a price preflight