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# 🆔 GID references in SyncBase: How to use them in your Synchronization

Some fields in your synced Airtable base don't hold a normal value like text or a number — instead they hold a **GID**, a reference pointing to another Shopify object. This article explains what a GID is, why SyncBase requires this exact format, and where you'll run into it.

# What is a GID?

A GID (Global ID) is Shopify's internal identifier for every single object in your store: a `Product`, a `Variant`, a `MediaImage`, a `Metaobject` entry, a `Collection`, and so on.

It always follows the same structure: **gid://shopify/<ObjectType>/<id>**

For example:

* `gid://shopify/Product/10372488298805`
* `gid://shopify/MediaImage/57257873768781`

The `<ObjectType>` tells Shopify **which kind of object** this is, and the `<id>` tells it **which specific one**. Both parts are needed — Shopify can't resolve the reference from the number alone.

# Why SyncBase uses GID format for reference values

Most fields you sync (Title, Price, SKU…) store a plain value. But some fields — called **reference-type fields** — don't describe the object itself, they **point to another object**. A few examples:

* A metafield of type Product reference, Image reference, or Metaobject reference
* A metaobject field that links to a product or to another metaobject entry
* A variant option value driven by a metafield instead of a standard Shopify Option

||| These are always **reference values**, never a name, a URL, or a record link. Shopify only accepts the exact GID string — anything else will fail the sync.

This is why the value you see (and edit) in Airtable for these fields looks like `gid://shopify/Product/10372488298805` rather than the product's name. It's the same format Shopify itself uses internally, and SyncBase mirrors it exactly so the reference stays unambiguous on both sides.

# How to edit a GID reference value

To point a field at a **different** object, you only need to change the number at the end:

`gid://shopify/Product/10372488298805` → replace `10372488298805` with the ID of the object you want to reference.

||| ⚠️ Keep the structure (`gid://shopify/ObjectType/`) exactly as it is. Only the numeric ID at the end should change.

__To find the correct ID__:

* **From your Airtable synced base** — open the related table (`Products`, `Orders`, `Customers`, etc.) and copy the value in the `[Object name] ID` field.
* **From Shopify admin** — open the object and copy the number at the end of the browser URL.

# Where you'll run into GID references

GID reference values show up in three places across your synced base:

👉 [Metafields synchronization: how does it work?](https://help.syncbase.app/en/article/metafields-synchronization-how-does-it-work-i26yl8/) — metafields using a reference type (Product reference, Image reference, Metaobject reference…) store a GID instead of a plain value.

👉 [How to create a new metaobject entry from Airtable with SyncBase?](https://help.syncbase.app/en/article/how-to-create-a-new-metaobject-entry-from-airtable-with-syncbase-1jypbf4/) — a metaobject's fields can themselves reference another Shopify object (a product, or another metaobject entry), using the same GID structure.

👉 [How to create a new variant from Airtable with SyncBase?](https://help.syncbase.app/en/article/how-to-create-a-new-variant-from-airtable-with-syncbase-mxwrpf/) — when a variant's options are driven by a metafield instead of standard Shopify Options, the link between them is a GID reference.

# Building these relations directly from Airtable

Reading and editing an existing GID is straightforward. **Creating new relations from scratch in Airtable** — for example, auto-generating the correct reference every time a new record is created — is a different level of complexity. It usually requires:

* Formula fields or automations that reconstruct the target's GID
* Linked records between your Airtable tables to resolve which object to point to
* Logic specific to your exact metafield or metaobject definitions

There's no single guide that covers every case, since it depends entirely on how your Shopify metafields/metaobjects and your Airtable base are structured.

||| This is a custom, advanced setup. Our in-house Airtable experts can build this for you as part of a paid **SyncBase Studio** mission — reach out via the live chat with your use case for a proposal.

# Need help?

Reach out via the in-app live chat and one of our Airtable experts will take a look at your specific setup.