CatalogGuard / Catalog operations
Did that CSV edit change more than you meant?
A bulk price update can hide a misplaced decimal, a cleared field or a changed variant. Compare the edited file with the original before you put it into your store.
This exercise uses four fictional variant rows. It takes you through the findings and the decisions they require. Keep these practice files out of a real store.
1. Run the comparison
- Open CatalogGuard. Choose the supplied original and edited CSVs, or select Load sample files.
- Select Update existing products. Set the price-change review threshold to 30%.
- Select Run preflight. Read the findings before accepting formatting changes or exporting anything.
The threshold is your review preference. It is not a Shopify validation rule.
2. Interpret the before and after
| Field | Original → edited | Decision required |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday mug / Price | 24.00 → 2.40 | A 90% reduction. Confirm the intended price against your approved price list. |
| Linen tote / Vendor | Studio North → blank | Was clearing the vendor intentional? |
| Weekly notebook / Size | A5 → A4, same SKU | Confirm which variant should exist. The tool does not assume these are the same identity. |
| Linen tote / Price format | Spaces around 38.00 | A proposed whitespace trim, separate from pricing decisions. |
| Weekly notebook / Status | active → Active | A proposed spelling normalization back to active. |
Only two proposed fixes concern formatting. Neither chooses the correct mug price, restores the vendor nor decides whether A4 is right. The report also shows an added A4 identity and an absent A5 identity; that is a review signal, not evidence that anything was already deleted from a store.
Download the expected change report to compare with your result.
3. Test blank versus omitted
Shopify distinguishes a blank value in an included column from leaving a column out of an overwrite import. Its CSV reference also describes dependencies between variant fields. Review those rules before removing any column. Read Shopify’s current CSV reference.
For a second local exercise, compare the same original against this edited file with Vendor omitted. The expected result is an omitted-column entry, rather than a blank-Vendor warning. This practice comparison does not establish how all other fields will behave.
Your real-file checklist
- Preserve a fresh export and work on a copy.
- Write down exactly which fields and products you intend to change.
- Review unexpected clears, large price changes and handle/option identity changes.
- Review formatting fixes separately from business decisions.
- Check Shopify’s import preview and a small intended product group before a large update.
CatalogGuard cannot see the live store, verify every field or guarantee an import. It is a local review aid; the files you select stay in browser processing.