Using Shopify Flow for Automation: Streamline Your Store With Smart Workflows

Introduction

Running an eCommerce store involves dozens of repetitive tasks—managing inventory, tracking orders, tagging customers, sending emails, and more. These tasks, while essential, can drain your time and distract you from growth-focused activities. That’s where Shopify Flow comes in.

Shopify Flow is a powerful automation tool designed for Shopify Plus merchants. It allows you to automate repetitive workflows without writing code, helping you operate more efficiently and respond to events in real time. In this guide, we’ll show you how to use Shopify Flow for automation, with practical examples and expert tips to help you save time and scale smarter.

What Is Shopify Flow?

Shopify Flow is a visual automation builder that lets you create custom workflows using a simple trigger-condition-action format. It’s available to Shopify Plus stores and integrates with many third-party apps and internal tools.

Key features:

• Drag-and-drop workflow builder
• Prebuilt templates for common use cases
• Native integrations with apps like Klaviyo, Gorgias, LoyaltyLion, and more
• Event-driven automation (e.g., when an order is placed or inventory hits zero)

Tip: You don’t need coding skills to use Flow—just a clear understanding of your store’s operations.

Benefits of Shopify Flow Automation

• Time savings: Eliminate repetitive manual tasks
• Operational accuracy: Reduce human error in tagging, notifications, and workflows
• Real-time responses: Automatically react to events (like high-risk orders or new VIP customers)
• Scalability: Build workflows that grow with your business
• Customisation: Tailor workflows to your specific store logic

Key Concepts: How Shopify Flow Works

1. Triggers

These are the events that start a workflow (e.g., order created, customer tagged, product out of stock).

2. Conditions

Rules that determine whether the workflow should continue (e.g., if total order value is over $300).

3. Actions

What happens when the conditions are met (e.g., send email, add a tag, notify staff).

Structure:
Trigger → Condition(s) → Action(s)

Practical Examples of Shopify Flow Automation

1. Tag High-Value Customers Automatically

Trigger: Order created
Condition: Order total > $500
Action: Add customer tag “VIP”

This workflow allows you to segment your customer base for targeted campaigns.

2. Flag and Hold High-Risk Orders

Trigger: Order created
Condition: Order risk level = high
Action: Add order tag “High Risk” and notify customer service

Helps your team manually review flagged orders before fulfillment, reducing chargeback risks.

3. Restock Notification for Sold-Out Items

Trigger: Inventory quantity changes
Condition: Inventory level = 0
Action: Send internal notification or Slack message to restock team

Improves inventory visibility and restocking efficiency.

4. Loyalty Tier Management

Trigger: Customer placed an order
Condition: Lifetime spend > $1000
Action: Tag customer as “Gold Member” and trigger Klaviyo email sequence

Automate loyalty recognition and rewards without needing external tools.

5. Automate Post-Purchase Survey Emails

Trigger: Order fulfilled
Condition: Product tag contains “custom”
Action: Send survey invitation via email app (e.g., Omnisend)

Gather targeted feedback based on product type or order conditions.

How to Set Up a Shopify Flow Workflow

Step-by-Step:

1. Go to your Shopify Admin > Apps > Shopify Flow
2. Click “Create Workflow”
3. Choose a trigger from the available events
4. Add one or more conditions to refine the trigger
5. Select the appropriate action(s)
6. Test your workflow before activating
7. Name your workflow and click Turn On

Tip: Use prebuilt templates to get started faster and customise them as needed.

Best Practices for Shopify Flow

• Start small: Automate one process at a time and scale from there
• Document your workflows: Keep a log of what each automation does
• Test thoroughly: Run test scenarios to ensure actions behave as expected
• Review regularly: Audit workflows every quarter to update conditions, triggers, or integrations
• Use consistent naming conventions: Especially when applying tags or notifications

Shopify Flow Integrations

Shopify Flow integrates with a variety of popular apps, expanding your automation capabilities:

• Klaviyo: Trigger email flows based on tags or purchases
• Gorgias: Automatically create support tickets for flagged orders
• LoyaltyLion: Update loyalty tiers or points balances
• Zendesk: Open tickets when specific customer tags are applied
• Slack / Email: Notify internal teams about key events

These integrations allow seamless coordination between sales, marketing, and customer service.

When to Use Shopify Flow (and When Not To)

Ideal for:

• Repetitive internal tasks
• Customer segmentation
• Inventory monitoring
• Loyalty and tagging systems
• Order filtering and flagging

Not ideal for:

• Complex logic with external APIs (use Shopify Functions or custom apps instead)
• Stores not on Shopify Plus (Flow is only available to Plus merchants)

Conclusion

Shopify Flow gives merchants the power to automate routine tasks, increase operational efficiency, and enhance customer experiences—all without writing a single line of code. From managing high-risk orders to rewarding VIPs, it allows store owners to stay agile and focused on growth.

If you’re on Shopify Plus and not using Flow, you’re leaving time—and profit—on the table. Explore its potential and start building smarter, scalable systems today.