Text options are the most versatile and commonly used option type in Optionify. They allow customers to enter short, single-line text for personalization, customization, and special requests.
What Are Text Options?
Text options create a single-line input field where customers can type text. Perfect for:
- Names and initials
- Short messages (up to ~200 characters)
- Product codes or references
- Custom identifiers
- Single-line instructions
!Text option example on product page A text option field for engraving on a jewelry product
Real-World Use Cases
1. Personalization & Engraving
Jewelry Engraving
Label: "Engraving Text (max 20 characters)"
Example: "Love Always, Mom"
Monogramming
Label: "Enter Initials (3 letters)"
Example: "JKL"
2. Gift Messages
Gift Card Message
Label: "Gift Message (optional)"
Example: "Happy Birthday Sarah!"
3. Custom References
Order Reference
Label: "PO Number or Reference"
Example: "PO-2024-001"
Creating a Text Option
Step 1: Basic Setup
- Click Create New Option
- Select Text option type
- Enter option details:
Option Label: "Engraving Text"
Internal Name: "engraving-text"
Help Text: "Enter text for engraving (max 20 characters)"
!Text option configuration screen Configure your text option with labels and help text
Step 2: Configure Text Settings
Character Limit
Always set a character limit to prevent issues:
Enable Character Limit: Yes
Maximum Characters: 20
Show Counter: Yes
Recommended limits by use case:
- Engraving: 15-30 characters
- Initials: 1-5 characters
- Gift messages: 100-150 characters
- Names: 30-50 characters
Placeholder Text
Show customers what format you expect:
Placeholder: "e.g., John & Sarah 2024"
Good placeholder examples:
- ✅ "e.g., Happy Birthday!"
- ✅ "Enter your initials (ABC)"
- ✅ "Your name here"
- ❌ "Text"
- ❌ "Enter text here"
!Placeholder text example Helpful placeholder text guides customers
Step 3: Validation Rules
Required vs Optional
Make it required when:
- The product NEEDS this information
- You can't fulfill without it
- It's critical to the order
Make it optional when:
- It's a nice-to-have
- You can proceed without it
- Not all customers need it
Required: No (for optional features)
Required: Yes (for critical personalization)
Input Validation
Character Type Restrictions:
Allow All Characters: Default
Letters Only: For names, initials
Numbers Only: For quantities, codes
Alphanumeric: For mixed inputs
Pattern Matching (Advanced):
Pattern: [A-Z]{3}
Use Case: Three uppercase letters for initials
Step 4: Assignment & Pricing
Assign to relevant products:
Assignment: Tagged Products
Tags: "engravable", "personalizable"
Add pricing if applicable:
Add Price: Yes
Price: $10.00
Price Label: "Engraving Service"
!Text option with pricing Add charges for premium personalization services
Advanced Text Option Features
Input Transformation
Automatic Capitalization:
Transform: UPPERCASE
Input: "hello world"
Stored As: "HELLO WORLD"
Use cases:
UPPERCASE: Initials, codeslowercase: Email addresses, usernamesCapitalize Each Word: Names, titles
Prefix & Suffix
Add automatic text before or after customer input:
Prefix: "Engraved: "
Customer enters: "Mom"
Displays as: "Engraved: Mom"
Default Values
Pre-fill common choices:
Default Value: "Gift"
Customers can change it, but it saves time for common inputs.
Best Practices
1. Clear Labeling
Good labels:
- ✅ "Engraving Text (max 20 characters)"
- ✅ "Your Name for Certificate"
- ✅ "Gift Message (optional)"
Poor labels:
- ❌ "Text 1"
- ❌ "Enter here"
- ❌ "Custom"
2. Helpful Help Text
Explain what customers should enter:
Help Text: "Enter the exact text you want engraved.
Check spelling carefully - we engrave exactly as typed."
3. Character Limits
Set realistic limits:
Jewelry engraving: 15-25 characters
Shirt text: 30-50 characters
Gift messages: 100-200 characters
4. Examples in Placeholders
Show, don't just tell:
❌ Placeholder: "Enter text"
✅ Placeholder: "e.g., Sarah & John Est. 2024"
5. Validation Messages
Customize error messages:
Error (too long): "Engraving text must be 20 characters or less"
Error (empty): "Please enter text for engraving"
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ No Character Limit
Problem: Customer enters 500 characters Solution: Always set maximum length
❌ Unclear Purpose
Problem: Label says "Text Option" Solution: Be specific: "Engraving Text"
❌ No Examples
Problem: Customers don't know what format to use Solution: Add placeholder examples
❌ Too Restrictive
Problem: Blocks common characters like apostrophes Solution: Allow all characters unless necessary
❌ Wrong Option Type
Problem: Using text for long messages Solution: Use Textarea for multi-line input
Styling & Display
Input Field Width
Text fields can be sized:
Width: Full (100%)
Width: Half (50%)
Width: Small (30%)
Sizing guidelines:
- Initials (3 chars): Small width
- Names: Medium width
- Messages: Full width
!Different text field widths Match field width to expected input length
Character Counter
Show remaining characters:
Show Counter: Yes
Position: Below field
Format: "15 characters remaining"
Live Preview
Some themes support live preview:
Enable Preview: Yes
Preview Format: "Engraved: {input}"
Integration with Orders
How Text Appears in Orders
In Shopify order details:
Product: Gold Ring
Options:
- Engraving Text: "Love Always"
- Font Style: Script
Exporting Data
Text option data exports to:
- Order CSV exports
- Third-party apps
- Fulfillment systems
Make sure your fulfillment team knows where to find this data!
Troubleshooting
Customer Can't Type Special Characters
Cause: Too restrictive validation Fix: Change to "Allow All Characters"
Character Counter Doesn't Update
Cause: Theme incompatibility Fix: Disable and re-enable in settings, or contact support
Text Not Appearing in Orders
Cause: Customer added to cart before entering text Fix: Add validation to require text before "Add to Cart"
Text Gets Cut Off
Cause: Character limit too high for product Fix: Reduce limit to what actually fits
Examples by Industry
Jewelry Store
Option: "Engraving Text"
Limit: 20 characters
Required: Yes
Price: $15.00
Assignment: Tagged "engravable"
Apparel Store
Option: "Custom Team Name"
Limit: 30 characters
Required: No
Transform: UPPERCASE
Assignment: Collection "Custom Jerseys"
Gift Shop
Option: "Gift Card Message"
Limit: 100 characters
Required: No
Placeholder: "e.g., Happy Birthday!"
Assignment: All Products
Print Shop
Option: "Custom Text Line 1"
Limit: 40 characters
Required: Yes
Assignment: Tagged "customizable"
Related Option Types
- Textarea Options: For longer, multi-line text → Learn more
- Email Options: For validated email addresses → Learn more
- Number Options: For numeric input only → Learn more
Next Steps
Now that you understand text options:
- Try Textarea Options for longer messages
- Learn Conditional Logic to show text fields conditionally
- Explore Radio Options for predefined text choices
Need help? Check our Troubleshooting Guide or contact support.