How to automate order processing with Shopify Flow
Quick Answer: Shopify Flow automates order processing using triggers (order created, payment received, fulfillment completed), conditions (order value, customer tags, product type), and actions (tag order, send notification, hide product). Available on Shopify plan ($79/month) and above.
How to Automate Order Processing with Shopify Flow
Shopify Flow is a visual automation builder for Shopify merchants. As of April 2026, it is available on Shopify ($79/month), Advanced ($299/month), and Shopify Plus ($2,300/month) plans. Flow automates order processing, inventory management, customer tagging, and fraud review.
Step 1: Access Shopify Flow
In Shopify Admin, go to Apps > Shopify Flow. Click "Create workflow" to start from scratch or browse templates for common automation patterns.
Step 2: Order Processing Triggers
- Order created: When a new order is placed
- Order paid: When payment is confirmed
- Order fulfilled: When the order is shipped
- Order cancelled: When an order is cancelled or refunded
- Order risk analyzed: After Shopify's fraud detection runs
Step 3: Add Conditions
Conditions filter which orders the automation applies to:
- Order total greater than / less than a threshold
- Customer has/does not have a specific tag
- Product type or collection matches a value
- Shipping country or region
- Payment method
Step 4: Define Actions
- Add order tag: Tag for internal tracking (e.g., "high-value," "review-needed")
- Add customer tag: Segment customers for marketing
- Send internal notification: Email or Slack alerts to the team
- Hide/publish product: Auto-hide out-of-stock items
- Create draft order: Generate follow-up or subscription orders
Practical Example: Fraud and VIP Routing
Workflow 1: High-Risk Order Review
- Trigger: Order risk analyzed
- Condition: Risk level is "High"
- Actions: Tag order "fraud-review," send Slack notification to #orders, add internal note "Manual review required before fulfillment"
Workflow 2: VIP Customer Handling
- Trigger: Order created
- Condition: Customer total spent > $1,000
- Actions: Tag customer "VIP," tag order "priority-fulfillment," send email to fulfillment team "Priority order — ship within 24 hours"
Workflow 3: Inventory Alert
- Trigger: Order created
- Condition: Product inventory quantity < 10
- Actions: Send email to purchasing team with product name and current stock level, tag product "low-stock"
Extending with Third-Party Apps
Shopify Flow integrates with third-party apps installed from the Shopify App Store:
- Klaviyo: Trigger email flows based on Flow conditions
- Gorgias: Auto-create support tickets for specific order issues
- ShipStation: Route orders to different fulfillment providers
- Loyalty programs: Award points based on order value or product type
Limits
Shopify Flow processes workflows within seconds of the trigger event. There are no published execution limits as of April 2026, but workflows that run on every order in high-volume stores should be kept efficient to avoid processing delays.
Related Questions
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Shopify Flow
Native ecommerce workflow automation tool built into Shopify for automating order management, inventory, customer tagging, and fraud prevention.
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Marketing AutomationZapier
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