As soon as you create a Shopify store, you become the primary user or coordinator of activities on the account. Therefore, it’s crucial to use AI tools to be productive when handling specific tasks. This is especially important for creating and optimizing content for your Shopify platform.
Have you ever considered automating task execution in your Shopify store to improve operational workflow? This productivity option is entirely possible with the Shopify Flow automation tool. The idea is to genuinely assist you with tasks within your Shopify store.
Today, you can customize events like canceling orders with known or incorrect emails, or suspending orders with specific values. These are tasks that can be difficult to manage on a Shopify store. These are just some of the wonders you can achieve with the Shopify Flow automation tool.
But what exactly should you understand about Shopify Flow, and how can you use it in your Shopify store to be productive? These are questions that this guide will answer concisely and comprehensively. Let’s dive in!
Shopify Flow: definition
Shopify Flow is an application exclusive to Shopify and entirely free for any user of this e-commerce platform. It is a task automation tool that allows you to create custom workflows without requiring coding skills.
This tool is highly recommended, especially during busy order periods. The goal is to respond to your customers in a timely manner to gain their trust. Therefore, Shopify’s workflow can be configured to help you receive or find a summary or overview of unprocessed orders with at least two delays.
The most interesting part is when a client makes multiple orders on the same day, and requests that all orders be combined. It can be frustrating for a customer to be charged twice for shipping when all orders are still within your store. At this point, you can rely on Shopify Flow to handle the situation.
By using Shopify Flow, it becomes easy to automate tasks, preventing the execution of multiple orders from your customers. The application ensures that orders placed within 24 hours by the same customer are shipped at the same time.
This dropshipping tool addresses all your needs for improving customer satisfaction and adjusting orders to save on shipping costs for your customers. This is what the Shopify Flow application truly offers for Shopify store owners.
Who can use the Shopify Flow application?
First and foremost, Shopify Flow is available to users of Shopify’s Basic, Advanced, and Plus plans. Previously, only Shopify Plus plan users had access to Shopify Flow. However, today, it is a tool accessible to everyone, with most features found at the Shopify Plus plan level.
It should be noted that there are specific features for each plan:
- Only Shopify Advanced and Plus plan users are eligible to use the specific task “Send an HTTP request “.
- Merchants with the Shopify Plus plan exclusively have the ability to use tasks created by custom Shopify partner applications.
- The restrictions or usage limits of Shopify Flow vary according to the plan and the API limits defined for each plan.
Regardless of your plan, you have access to Shopify Flow’s features to boost the performance of your dropshipping store.
How does the Shopify Flow application work?
The functionality of Shopify’s tool is based on a very simple principle. It is essential to recognize that the application operates on a foundation of three components. To better understand them, let’s continue reading:
- Trigger
The trigger in this application activates task automation as soon as a particular event occurs. This is when your activity or workflow starts with the Shopify Flow tool.
- Condition
The condition here is equivalent to the rules that must be followed for the workflow to progress normally. All of this should begin right after the trigger. It operates like filters to direct specific situations to a productive action.
At this point, you can decide on the execution condition of orders or customer actions. A simple example is setting a condition to verify the accuracy of each order before shipping.
- Action
Actions on all customer orders become effective once the trigger process and condition are properly respected. They determine the outcome of the workflow after delivering orders to different customers.
If a package does not meet the condition, the action triggers a “to be reviewed” mark on the order. The same applies to large and unusual orders. The action requires a review to verify the accuracy of the items in the package.
To take advantage of this Shopify Flow feature, simply configure the automation tool’s workflow. This way, you can receive a message or email notification for orders that exceed the usual or predefined quantity of items.
Essential information before using Shopify Flow
Before using the Shopify Flow automation tool, it’s crucial to understand some of its hidden features.
- Custom workflow based on status: Shopify Flow uses conditional logic. When an order meets the conditions, a corresponding action is triggered, followed by a notification, and then the order is processed.
- Mastering logic and GraphQL: With Shopify Flow, you don’t need coding knowledge to create workflows. A basic understanding of logical flows, GraphQL, and data fields is sufficient to simplify the task execution process for your orders.
- Instant activation: At this stage, the workflows execute tasks or orders as soon as they are triggered.
- No retroactive function: Shopify Flow workflows do not have a retroactive function. However, it’s important to note that the action is not automatic for orders that are already in progress. You can manually trigger the workflows, paying close attention to any notes.
- Managing orders and drafts differently: Drafts and orders are processed differently with workflows. Here, triggers or actions are specifically configured for orders and drafts so that one does not affect the other.
- Limitations related to tags: Tags are involved if a customer’s order or product contains more than 250 tags at once. In such circumstances, these workflows may not function due to these tags.
How to use the Shopify Flow application
Now that you know a lot about the Shopify Flow automation tool, it’s essential to learn how to use the app to provide quality services to your customers. The first step is to install the application:
Installing Shopify Flow
The first thing to do is to log in to the Shopify admin interface. Using the left-hand menu, click on “Apps“, then search for the “Flow” app.
Next, you will be redirected to the “Flow” app in the Shopify App Store, where you can click “Install” to complete the installation and add the app to your store.
Exploring the app
After installing the Shopify Flow app, workflows are active at the top of the tool. Then, you have two main options:
- Browse templates: Shopify offers more than 150 predefined templates for various tasks.
- Create a workflow: Shopify allows you to set up your workflow from scratch.
Creating workflows
Now that everything is set up, you can use the predefined template of your choice to create a customized workflow. Before choosing a template, it’s important to browse through the different templates individually, if possible, and search for keywords in the search bar. Then, select the category such as B2B, Risk, or Customers according to your needs.
It’s time to set up a Shopify Flow workflow.
In the search bar within the Shopify Flow app, you should type “Discount“, then choose the template “Receive a notification when a specific discount code is used“.
Next, the visual workflow with the trigger, condition, and action is configured:
- Trigger: Starts when the workflow begins as soon as an order is placed.
- Condition: Checks if the discount code is applied to the order.
- Action: An email notifies that the discount code has been used.
Why use Shopify Flow connectors?
Shopify Flow connectors play an essential role in automating tasks within your online store. These connectors allow you to integrate different applications into your workflow, making it easier to manage orders, inventory, and customer data.
With these connectors, you can automatically trigger specific actions in response to certain conditions.
For example, you can automatically save data on international orders in Google Sheets by connecting Shopify and your Google Sheets account.
For instance, when a product’s stock reaches a critical level, a connector can automatically create a replenishment order with your supplier, thereby reducing the risk of stockouts.
The main advantage of Shopify Flow connectors is their ability to harmonize different operations within your business. They allow you to link applications that manage various aspects of your business, such as payment, customer management, and order fulfillment. By configuring triggers based on tags or customer behavior patterns, you can automate complex processes while minimizing human error.
Additionally, these connectors are readily available and easy to set up, providing a powerful solution for brands looking to optimize their workflow while increasing the added value of their actions.
What are the benefits of using Shopify Flow?
Shopify Flow is an essential automation tool for any e-commerce business using Shopify. This visual workflow generator allows store owners to streamline their processes by creating automated workflows that simplify repetitive tasks.
One of the major benefits of Shopify Flow lies in its ability to reduce the risk of human error by automating specific actions based on defined triggers.
For example, a store can set up a workflow to automatically notify the stock manager when the inventory level of a product falls below a certain threshold.
This ensures proactive stock management, thus avoiding stockouts and guaranteeing a high-quality customer experience.
Visual workflow generator
The visual workflow generator of Shopify Flow is a considerable asset for entrepreneurs who wish to automate tasks without needing programming skills.
Thanks to an intuitive interface, it’s possible to create workflows in just a few clicks by defining triggers, conditions, and specific actions. For instance, you can set up a flow that sends a thank-you email to each customer after their first purchase or triggers order fulfillment as soon as a payment is confirmed.
This feature significantly reduces manual work time, allowing you to focus on higher-value tasks while ensuring consistency in the execution of actions within the store.
Shopify ecosystem integrations
Shopify Flow integrates seamlessly with the Shopify app ecosystem, allowing store owners to take advantage of a multitude of tools to enhance their business. The available integrations include apps for inventory management, email marketing, and order management, among others.
For example, a store can use Shopify Flow to automatically sync customer data with a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) app or to add a customer to a specific list based on their purchase value.
This enhances the overall efficiency of the business by reducing the time spent on manual data management and ensuring a smooth and personalized customer experience.
Free access and time savings
One of the main advantages of Shopify Flow is that it is available for free to users of the higher Shopify plans, making it a cost-effective solution for automating your store’s daily tasks. By automating repetitive processes, you save valuable time that you can reinvest in growing your business, such as improving your products or expanding your market.
Moreover, the consistency ensured by Shopify Flow in task execution helps maintain a high level of customer satisfaction while minimizing the risk of costly errors.
Consistency and application integration
Shopify Flow ensures consistency in all automated actions by integrating predefined tags, templates, and triggers into its workflows. This allows store owners to automate complex processes with confidence, knowing that each action will be executed according to the specific conditions set.
The seamless integration with other Shopify apps ensures that all data and information are shared and updated in real-time, thereby reducing the risk of inconsistency or data loss.
Conclusion
Shopify Flow is a powerful automation tool designed to simplify and optimize the operations of your online store. By integrating triggers, conditions, and specific actions, Shopify Flow allows you to create customized workflows that automate repetitive and complex tasks.
For instance, you can set up a flow to automatically add a customer to a VIP list after a high-value purchase or to manage inventory in real-time by placing orders when levels are low.
This tool is particularly valuable for businesses looking to reduce the risk of errors, improve data management, and ensure consistent execution of actions within their store. By using Shopify Flow’s features, you optimize your time and maximize the added value of each action while maintaining impeccable customer service.
Thus, Shopify Flow is an essential lever for any business seeking to automate its processes while increasing its overall efficiency.