How to Set a Shipifi Routing Metafield in Shopify for Shipifi

Use the Shipifi Routing metafield to tell Shipifi exactly how to route a specific product or variant at checkout. This helps you force certain items to ship via Freight (LTL) even if they don't meet the usual weight thresholds.

This is especially useful for oversized items that should always ship as freight.

Step 1: Go to Custom Data Settings

1. Log in to your Shopify Admin.
2. Click Settings (bottom‑left).
3. Select Custom data.
4. Click Variants (recommended; use Products only if all variants share the same behavior).

Step 2: Create a New Custom Field (Metafield Definition)

1. Click Add definition (top‑right).
2. Set Name to Shipifi Routing.
3. Under Type, choose Single line text.
4. Click Save.

Step 3: Add a Shipifi Routing Value to a Product/Variant

1. Go to Products in Shopify.
2. Open the product → select the Variant you want to configure.
3. Scroll to Metafields and find Route Mode.
4. Enter one of the following values exactly (lowercase, underscore):

• • force_freight - Forces the item to ship as Freight (LTL) regardless of weight. Intended for oversized items.

5. Click Save.

What Shipifi Routing does

• force_freight

Best for oversized items that must move via LTL even when they are light.

• • Overrides normal parcel vs freight logic for that item
  • Ensures the line item is treated as freight during checkout rating.

Blank (no value)

If the value is left blank, Shipifi will use its default routing logic based on your normal rating rules.

Tip: If your item is always oversized, set Shipifi Routing at the product level instead of variant. Otherwise, use variants for precise control.

Examples

Light but oversized display case: Shipifi Routing = force_freight

Standard boxed goods: Shipifi Routing is left blank

Shipifi will route normall based on your rules.

Bulk Edit (time‑saver)

1. In Products, select multiple variants.
2. Click Bulk edit.
3. Add the Route Mode column (Columns → Metafields → Route Mode).
4. Fill in values (smartpack, direct_pallet, as_is) and Save.

Common Questions

Do I have to set this on every product?

No. If left blank, Shipifi will use the default smartpack behavior.

What if I mistype the value?

Typos or values other than the three listed above may be ignored or fall back to default behavior. Use lowercase and underscores exactly as shown.

Does Route Mode affect rates at Shopify checkout?

Yes. Route Mode influences how Shipifi calculates shipping for each line item when quoting LTL and parcel at checkout.

Updated on: 12/12/2025