Function

Style gets a customer interested. Function closes the sale. Customers need to know what a product does, not just what it looks like.

OVERVIEW

The Function field captures the primary use or functional purpose of a Home & Living product. It goes beyond the product category to describe what the product does: a sofa functions as Seating, but also potentially as Storage (ottoman storage) or as a Sleeping surface (sofa bed). Structured function data enables discovery by use case, not just by product type.

Function is distinct from Room (where the product is used) and Style (how the product looks). It answers: what does this product do? What problem does it solve? What behaviour does it enable? A decorative bowl that does not hold anything functions as Decoration. One that holds fruit functions as Storage. Both look identical but serve different functional purposes.

BUSINESS VALUE

Why this field matters

Function-based search ('storage solutions for living room') is common and converts well — structured data captures this intent
Multi-functional products (sofa beds, extendable tables) can be surfaced across multiple use-case searches with one product listing
AI recommendation systems use function to group products into use-case-based suggestions ('complete your workspace')
Function data powers editorial content — 'best storage solutions under £200', 'top lighting picks' — with automated product linking
B2B and contract buyers specify by function (seating capacity, workspace solutions) — structured function data supports trade sales
Space-optimisation content (small space living, studio apartments) relies on function tags like 'Space-saving' and 'Convertible'

ACF SETUP

How to configure this field in Accentuate Custom Fields

Where

ACF dashboard → Templates tab → Product scope → Add new field

Label

Function

Name / Key

function

Namespace

accentuate (default)

Field type

Shopify >> Single-line text (List)

Multi-value

Yes — multi-functional products are common in home & living

Note: Multi-value is essential for this field. A storage ottoman functions as both Seating and Storage. An extendable dining table is both Dining and Space-saving. Forcing a single function value misrepresents the product and limits discovery.

STEP-BY-STEP IN ACF

Open ACF, go to Templates tab and select the Product scope
Click 'Add new field'
Label: 'Function' — Key auto-fills as 'function'
Namespace: leave as 'accentuate'
Field type: Shopify >> Single-line text (List)
Enable 'Allow multiple selections' — most home products serve more than one function
Click Done, then Save
Populate each product with every function it genuinely performs, not aspirational functions it might theoretically serve

REFERENCE VALUES

Example values — assign based on what the product actually does

Value

When to use

Storage

Product holds, organises, or contains items — drawers, baskets, shelves, cabinets

Seating

Product supports a person sitting — chairs, sofas, stools, ottomans, benches

Sleeping

Product supports sleeping — beds, sofa beds, daybeds, pull-out mattresses

Dining

Product is used for eating — dining tables, dining chairs, buffets, bar stools at kitchen islands

Workspace

Product supports work or study — desks, office chairs, monitor stands, cable management

Lighting

Product provides light — floor lamps, pendant lights, table lamps, wall sconces, candles

Decoration

Product's primary purpose is aesthetic — vases, sculptures, framed prints, ornaments

Organisation

Product structures and sorts items beyond simple storage — drawer dividers, cable organizers, pegboards

Multi-functional

Product explicitly designed for multiple primary uses — flag when the multi-functionality is a key selling point

Space-saving

Product is designed to minimise footprint — folding, nesting, wall-mounted, or collapsible

Convertible

Product transforms between modes — sofa bed, extendable table, adjustable height desk

Room dividing

Product separates or defines spaces — screens, open shelving units, curtain room dividers

BEST PRACTICES

Assign function based on what the product is designed to do, not every possible thing a creative customer might use it for
'Decoration' is a valid primary function — do not omit it for genuinely decorative products by assuming they must also 'do' something
Use 'Convertible' in addition to both primary functions: a sofa bed should have both 'Seating' and 'Sleeping' and 'Convertible'
Use 'Space-saving' as a secondary function tag, not a replacement for the primary functional category
Review function assignments when a product's positioning changes — a desk repositioned for children becomes a Workspace for a different audience

COMMON MISTAKES

Assigning 'Storage' to every product that has any storage element — a sofa with one hidden compartment is not primarily a storage product
Confusing function with category: 'Bookshelf' is a product category; 'Storage' and 'Organisation' and 'Decoration' are functions
Omitting 'Decoration' because it feels less commercially significant — decorative products drive significant home & living revenue
Not using 'Convertible' for sofa beds, extendable tables, and similar — this is a high-intent search term
Marking a product 'Multi-functional' without also listing its individual functions — the multi-functional tag should supplement, not replace

IN CONTEXT

Storage Sofa Bed — Grey Velvet

Room

Living room, Bedroom

Style

Contemporary, Modern

Material

Velvet upholstery (polyester), Engineered wood frame

Function

Seating, Sleeping, Storage, Convertible, Multi-functional

Assembly required

Partial assembly (legs only)

DEVELOPER IMPLEMENTATION

Liquid note: Shopify >> List — use .value for the array. Function tags are ideal for 'Shop by need' navigation — link each to a use-case collection.

Liquid — Storefront Rendering

{% comment %}

Function — Shopify >> Single-line text (List)

Namespace: accentuate | Key: function

Use for 'Shop by need' navigation and related product logic

{% endcomment %}

{% assign functions = product.metafields.accentuate.function.value %}

{% if functions != blank %}

{% for func in functions %}

{% endfor %}

</div>

{% endif %}

Pro tip: Build 'Shop by Function' navigation using function metafield values as collection conditions. A 'Space-Saving Solutions' collection filtered by function = 'Space-saving' populates automatically and is highly relevant to urban apartment shoppers — a growing and underserved customer segment.