Personalization by Option Type

Personalization by Option Type

Overview

Different option types appear as different kinds of personalization layers. This reference explains what each option type can do in personalization, and any special configuration steps needed.

Text Inputs (Text box, Text area)

What it does: The customer's text input appears as text on the product image.

Layer kind: Text

Configuration:

  • Default text — What shows in the preview if the customer hasn't entered text yet
  • Placeholder text — Hint text in the input field on the storefront
  • Position and size — Where the text appears on the image
  • Rotation — Optional; angle of the text
  • Arc curvature — Optional; curves the text along an arc (e.g., for circular designs)
  • Linked options — Link to Font picker (font family), Color picker/Swatch (text color), and Number/Slider (text size)

Customer controls available: Change position, Rotate

The text size can be controlled either manually by you (set in the layer settings) or linked to a Number/Slider option so customers can change it.

Example: A mug engraving layer where customers type their name. Link it to a Font picker so they choose the font, a Color picker so they choose the text color, and a Number input so they set the size.

Number Input, Slider

What it does: These don't directly create a visual layer themselves, but they are commonly linked to text layers to control the text size.

In personalization: You typically use a Number or Slider option to drive the font size of a text layer.

Configuration:

  • Link it to a text layer's Font size setting
  • Set a reasonable min/max/default in the Number/Slider option itself

On the storefront, when customers change the number or slider, the text in the personalization preview resizes in real time.

Example: A "Text size" slider (0–72) linked to an engraving text layer. As the customer moves the slider, the text on the mug preview gets larger or smaller.

What it does: Each choice in the option can trigger a different image or change to appear on the layer.

Layer kind: Image or Background swap

Image behavior:

  • Single image — All choice values use the same image from the option's definition
  • Per-value image — You can assign a different image for each choice value, specific to this personalization layer (different from the option's swatch image if one exists)

Configuration:

  • Choose Single image if you want all values to show the same overlay image
  • Choose Per-value image if you want each choice to have its own unique overlay (e.g., "Small" mug shows a small logo, "Large" mug shows a larger logo)
  • Set position, size, rotation, and customer controls
  • If using Per-value image, upload an image for each choice

Image shape — Optional: Circle, Oval, or Custom mask

Customer controls available: Change position, Change size, Rotate

Example: A "Mug color" dropdown (Red, Blue, Green). For each color, assign a matching overlay image that shows what the mug looks like in that color.

Checkbox group

What it does: Multiple selections appear as multiple overlays on the image.

Layer kind: Image

Multi-select mode: Choose either Slots (filled in order, 1–50) or Per value (each checkbox value gets a fixed spot)

Configuration:

  • Set slot count or per-value positions
  • Position each slot/value on the image
  • Set customer controls per slot/value
  • Choose Single image (all checkboxes show the same image) or Per-value image (each checkbox has its own image)

Customer controls available (per slot/value): Change position, Change size, Rotate

Example: A "Toppings" checkbox group where customers select up to 4 toppings for a pizza. Use Slots mode with 4 slots. As customers check boxes, toppings appear in slots 1–4 in order. They can drag each topping to rearrange.

Color swatch, Image swatch

What it does: The selected color or image appears as an overlay.

Layer kind: Image

Image behavior:

  • Single image — Uses the color or image defined in the swatch itself
  • Per-value image — Uses a different image for each swatch value (independent from the swatch image)

Multi-select support (for multi-select swatches): Choose Slots or Per value mode

Configuration:

  • If single-select, position the image and set customer controls
  • If multi-select, position each slot or per-value instance
  • Color swatch automatically uses the selected color if it's an Image behavior layer; if you want to use an image instead, upload one per value
  • Image swatch uses the uploaded swatch images unless you upload different per-value images for the personalization layer

Image shape — Optional: Circle, Oval, or Custom mask (useful for applying shapes to color swatches)

Customer controls available (per swatch value): Change position, Change size, Rotate

Example: A "Logo color" color swatch where customers pick the color. The logo overlay changes to that color. Or, a "Design pattern" image swatch where each pattern is a different overlay image.

File upload

What it does: Uploaded image files appear as overlays.

Layer kind: Image

Multi-select support: Always multi-select (customers upload 1+ files)

Multi-select mode: Choose Slots (each file fills the next slot in order) or Per value (not applicable for file uploads; file contents are the values)

Configuration:

  • Set slot count (e.g., 4 slots for up to 4 uploaded images)
  • Position each slot on the image
  • Set customer controls per slot
  • Choose Image shape (Square, Circle, Oval, or Custom mask)

Customer controls available (per file slot): Change position, Change size, Rotate

Drag-to-reorder: On the storefront, customers can drag files between slots to reorder them.

Example: A "Photo collage" file upload where customers upload up to 4 photos. Slots are arranged in a 2×2 grid. Each photo can be moved and resized within its slot. Customers can drag photos between slots to reorder them.

Font picker

What it does: A Font picker option can be linked to text layers to control the font family.

In personalization: You link it to a text layer's Font family setting.

Configuration:

  • Create a Font picker option in your calculator
  • On a text layer, select this Font picker under Link font family
  • The text in the preview uses the selected font

On the storefront, when the customer picks a font, the text in the personalization preview changes to that font in real time.

Example: An "Engraving font" Font picker with options like "Arial", "Georgia", "Script". Link it to an engraving text layer. Customers can pick any font and see the text update.

Color picker

What it does: A Color picker option can be linked to text layers to control the text color.

In personalization: You link it to a text layer's Font color setting.

Configuration:

  • Create a Color picker option in your calculator
  • On a text layer, select this Color picker under Link font color
  • The text color updates when the customer picks a color

Alternative: Link a Color swatch instead (customers choose from predefined colors instead of a custom color picker).

Example: A "Text color" Color picker linked to an engraving text layer. Customers can pick any color and see the text turn that color in real time.

Dimensions

What it does: A Dimensions option doesn't create a visual layer directly, but the dimensions themselves can influence sizing or positioning through formulas or manual adjustment.

In personalization: Typically used to calculate or display the product's final dimensions based on customer selections, not as a personalization overlay itself.

Not Supported

Product List — Not supported for personalization. If your option is a Product List, it cannot be used in a personalization layer.

Combining Multiple Options in One Layer

While each layer is tied to one option, you can create multiple layers pointing to different options. For example:

  • Layer 1: Color swatch (background color)
  • Layer 2: Text box (engraving text)
  • Layer 3: File upload (customer photo)
  • Layer 4: Font picker (font family) — linked to Layer 2

All four layers stack on top of the base image, letting the customer customize the product in multiple ways.

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