> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.littledata.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/event-customiser-faq.md).

# FAQ and troubleshooting

Answers to common questions about the Littledata Event Editor, recipes, trigger conditions, custom events, field mappings and the event preview.

Common questions and solutions for the Event Editor.

#### General

**Do changes affect historical data?** No. Only future events use the new configuration.

**Does the Event Editor change my Shopify data?** No. Customizations run in Littledata's server-side pipeline after we receive the event. The original Shopify data is never modified, and removing a customization restores the default behavior immediately.

**Do my changes affect other destinations?** No. Every customization belongs to one event on one connection. A mapping change on `purchase` for GA4 has no effect on `purchase` going to Meta or anywhere else.

**Which destinations support the Event Editor?** Each connected destination has its own Event Editor, but what you can do in it varies:

| Destination              | What you can do                                             |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| Google Ads               | Enable or disable standard events only                      |
| Microsoft Ads, Attentive | Edit, enable and disable standard events. No custom events. |
| All other destinations   | Edit, enable and disable events, and create custom events   |

**Can I customize client-side events?** Client-side events can only be [enabled or disabled](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/enable-disable-events). Editing mappings and trigger conditions is available for server-side events, both standard and custom.

**Can I apply several customizations to one event?** Yes. An event can have trigger conditions, changed mappings, and custom parameters at the same time.

#### Recipes

**What is a recipe?** A ready-made event built by Littledata, with its base event, trigger conditions, and field mappings already set. Adding one creates a normal custom event in that connection. See [Recipes](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/recipes).

**Where do I find recipes?** In the **Recommended for your store** carousel at the top of the destination's Event Editor.

**Do I have to enable a recipe after adding it?** No. A recipe is enabled the moment you add it, and starts sending on the next event that matches its conditions.

**Can I change a recipe?** Yes, before or after adding it. Click **Customize** in the preview to edit it before it's saved, or open the **⋯** menu on the event row and select **Edit** once it's in your list. Nothing about a recipe event is locked.

**Why can't I preview a recipe I've used before?** Because you already added it. Recipes you've added stay in the carousel, moved to the end, with their **Preview** button turned off. Hover it to see "Already added. Delete the event to use this recipe again." The event itself is in your events list.

**What does the "Built by Littledata" label mean?** The event came from a recipe instead of being built by you. It's a label, not a restriction.

**Does a recipe apply to my other destinations?** No. Like every Event Editor change, a recipe applies only to the connection you added it in. To get the same event elsewhere, add the recipe in that destination too.

#### Sending and trigger conditions

**What's the difference between disabling an event and adding trigger conditions?** Disabling is all or nothing: the event is never sent. [Trigger conditions](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/trigger-conditions) keep the event enabled but only send it when the conditions match. Use disable for "never", conditions for "only when".

**Why did my event stop sending?** Check two things in the Event Editor: whether the event is disabled, and whether its trigger conditions are stricter than intended. In an **All** group, one wrong condition stops every event from matching.

**Why is my destination receiving two events for one purchase?** A [custom event](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/custom-events) based on `purchase` with no trigger conditions fires alongside the original on every purchase. Add conditions to the custom event so it only fires in the scenario it was made for.

**Do multiple conditions combine with AND or OR?** You choose for each condition group. Set a group to **All** (every condition must match) or **Any** (one match is enough). If an event has more than one group, every group must pass. See [Combine conditions](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/trigger-conditions#combine-conditions).

#### Custom events

**Do custom events start with an empty payload?** No. A custom event inherits the complete field mappings of its base event, so it sends a full, valid payload from the moment it's created. You then edit whatever the variation needs.

**Can I base a custom event on another custom event?** No. Custom events can only be based on standard events.

**Can I use the same custom event in several destinations?** A custom event exists only in the connection where you created it. To use it elsewhere, create it in that connection too.

**Does creating a custom event change the original event?** No. The base event keeps working exactly as before.

**If I disable the base event, what happens to custom events based on it?** Nothing. They keep sending, because each custom event has its own status. Disable them separately if you want them to stop too.

**Are custom events market-specific when Shopify Markets is enabled?** No. If Shopify Markets is enabled in Littledata, a custom event applies to every market. To scope one to a single market, add [trigger conditions](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/trigger-conditions) on the market fields (`market.id` or `market.handle`, see the [Tracking schema glossary](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/glossary#market)).

#### Field mappings

**What is a locked mapping?** A [mapping](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/field-mappings) required by the destination platform. Both the source and the destination are read-only.

**Can I remove a standard mapping?** No. You can change its source, but the destination field stays.

**What happens if a mapped field is missing or the path is wrong?** Littledata skips that mapping for that event. The event still sends. Use the [event preview](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/event-preview) to spot empty values before saving.

**Can I send a fixed value instead of a schema field?** Yes. Open the source dropdown of any editable mapping or custom parameter, type the value in the search box, and click **Use "your value" as custom value**. See [Custom values](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/field-mappings#custom-values).

**Is there a limit on custom parameters?** Yes, and it varies by destination. A counter next to **Add custom attributes** shows how many you've added, and the button turns off when you reach the limit.

**Are mapping changes market-specific when Shopify Markets is enabled?** No. If Shopify Markets is enabled in Littledata, a customization on a standard event applies across all markets.

#### Custom Data Sources

**My metafield doesn't appear in the setup dropdown.** Click **Refresh definitions** and give it a few minutes to discover the store's metafields, then check again.

**My metafield doesn't appear in the Event Editor.** Only metafields you've selected and saved in the [Custom data sources setup](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/custom-data-sources) are exposed to the Event Editor. Go back to the source settings and confirm it's added.

**My metafield is mapped but the value is empty on some events.** Metafield availability depends on the event type. Customer metafields are available on order and customer events, product metafields on product and order events, and variant metafields on add to cart and order events.

**Can I pull in cookies or local storage values?** Not yet. Metafields are the custom data source available today.

#### Event preview

**Does the preview respect my trigger conditions?** Yes. Your saved trigger conditions are applied to the sample event in the [preview](https://help.littledata.io/event-editor/event-preview). If the sample doesn't meet them, your mappings aren't applied to it, so the values may not be what you expect.

**The preview shows an outdated value.** The preview uses your saved setup, so save your changes first. The sample is built from example values recorded across recent events in your shop, so very recent changes on your store, like newly added metafield values, may not appear yet.