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Home » Blog » Platform Tutorials » Shopify Flow Tutorial: A 101 Guide With Screenshots [+10 Examples]

Shopify Flow Tutorial: A 101 Guide With Screenshots [+10 Examples]

by Mia Nguyen
Feb, 2025
in Platform Tutorials

Previously, Shopify Flow, the automation tool developed by Shopify, was only available for Shopify Plus users. However, at the moment, the Shopify Flow app is accessible for Shopify users of all plans (excluding Shopify Starter).

If you want a Shopify automation tool to handle your tedious, repetitive, day-to-day operation tasks, Shopify Flow might be the solution you’ve been searching for.

To help you understand Shopify Flow better and whether it suits you or not, in this Shopify Flow review, we’ll cover all you need to know about Shopify’s automation tool:

  • How does Shopify Flow work?
  • How to automate your store with Shopify Flow?
  • 3 highlight features of Shopify Flow
  • 10 common Shopify Flow examples
  • Top 3 Shopify Flow alternatives

Let’s dive in!

💡 This blog is recently updated.
We’ve recently revised and updated this blog content to include the latest features and improvements in Shopify Flow.

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How Does Shopify Flow Work? 

Shopify Flow is a free eCommerce automation app developed by Shopify. With an intuitive dashboard and drag-and-drop flow builder, the app helps you build tailored automation workflows for your Shopify store.

shopify flow homepage
Shopify Flow is a free automation tool built by Shopify

Previously, Shopify Flow was available only to Shopify Plus merchants. However, as of writing this article, Shopify has made this automation app accessible to merchants of all plans.

The concept of Shopify Flow is just as simple as that of most eCommerce automation tools—for a flow to work, it needs three pillars: trigger, condition, and action

Shopify Flow’s Components

Definition

Example

Trigger

A trigger is an event that initiates a workflow. This can be any activity in your Shopify store or third-party app

Your customer places an order

Condition

A condition is a rule that determines whether the action is executed or not

Whether the order your customer just placed is over $100

Action

An action is what action you want to take when the condition is satisfied

Send the customer above a gift card for buying over $100


Shopify Flow Tutorial: How To Automate A Shopify Store 

Now that you have a general understanding of Shopify Flow app, here comes the million-dollar question: “How to set up a workflow using Shopify Flow?”

Like many other automation solutions, Shopify Flow lets you build a workflow manually or using pre-built templates.

Method #1: Create workflows with templates

If you have a flow you want to develop, don’t rush to build it from scratch yet. This is because Shopify Flow has many pre-built templates that automate common tasks such as inventory management, customer segmentation, etc.

After finding the template you want to use, here’s how to create and tailor the workflow to your demand:

1. In your Shopify admin, navigate to Apps > Flow.

2. Select Create workflow.

3. Choose Browse templates and pick a template.

shopify flow templates
Shopify Flow gives you tons of ready-made workflows in different categories

4. Don’t worry; you can adjust the flow’s settings after installing it. 

5. Select Install.

6. Make any necessary edits to the template (***)

7. You can choose to change the template’s name if you want to

8. Enable the workflow by selecting Turn on workflow.

9. To activate the workflow, click Turn on.

activate shopify flow workflow
Click Turn on workflow to activate it

(***) Before activating your workflow, make sure to edit and enter your desired values. For example:

  • If a workflow adds tags to customers or orders, ensure the tags are actually the ones you want to use.
  • If a workflow sends messages, update the recipient information, such as the email address.
  • If a workflow uses an app you don't want to install, you can make up for it with a similar action, like replacing a What’s App message with an email.

Method #2: Create workflows in Shopify Flow manually

If Shopify Flow doesn’t provide the template you are looking for, you can build your own custom workflow from scratch. In this Shopify Flow tutorial, we will create a flow to update customers' refund dates in their profiles. 

Here’s how it works:

1. In your Shopify admin, navigate to Apps > Flow.

2. Select Create workflow.

3. Choose Select a trigger, then pick the trigger that initiates the workflow.

shopify flow trigger
Select a Shopify Flow’s trigger

4. Select Then > Condition, then choose the condition that needs to be satisfied before any actions can be executed.

set shopify flow condition
Choose a condition to validate the triggered event

5. Choose Then > Action to decide the action to be taken if the condition is true.

shopify flow tutorial action settings
Create action for your Shopify Flow’s workflow

6.Optionally, click Otherwise to add another step if the condition you set is false. You can include additional conditions or actions.

7. Click New Workflow, then enter a name for your workflow.

8. Click Turn on workflow.

9. To activate your workflow, click Turn on.


Top Key Features Of Shopify Flow

From our experience, Shopify Flow’s functionalities can be easily grouped into three groups:

#1. Automating tasks and workflows

With Shopify Flow, you no longer have to spend hours after hours on repetitive, boring tasks. For instance, Shopify Flow can automatically tag high-value orders for special handling instead of having to do it manually on your own.

#2. Customizing workflows

With Shopify Flow, you have the freedom to customize your workflows using all your Shopify data and events, whether you’re using a template or creating a custom workflow. 

This means you can tailor the automation to fit your specific needs, such as setting up unique discount codes for loyal customers or automating the process of updating inventory levels when products are restocked.

#3. Integrations and data management

Another feature we particularly like about Shopify Flow is that the app supports integration with top-tier Shopify apps that offer different features. For example, you can use Rise.ai to automatically issue and email a gift card to a customer after their third order.


10 Popular Shopify Flow Examples

Building a custom workflow is great, but it can be time-consuming and requires a clear understanding of your needs. What about those amazing flows you haven't discovered yet? 

Here are ten popular Shopify Flow examples you might want to ‘borrow' for your store:

#1. Automate your inventory management

If you have a complicated product catalog with 1,000 SKUs of all colors, shapes, and sizes, manually managing your inventory will eat up your limited time budget.

With this workflow template, you can automatically monitor the inventory levels of any product variation. When these levels drop to a point considered low in stock, Flow will initiate the reordering process.

shopify flow Inventory management flow
Shopify Flow how to set up automatic email to manage your inventory

Your team will be promptly notified automatically, and Flow will dispatch a reorder email to your supplier. Additionally, Flow will apply a tag to highlight low stock in your store, creating a sense of urgency for customers. You will also receive a notification through Slack.

#2. Segment your customers based on their lifetime spends

Through this Flow, you can segment your most valued customers to approach them in a more personalized way. For instance, by grouping your customers into different tiers based on their lifetime spending, you can send personalized messages and encourage them to make purchases, such as exclusive VIP discounts for those in the Gold Tier.

shopify flow templates
Shopify customer segmentation template workflow

#3. Cancel orders from potential frauds

Discounts draw not only shoppers but also fraudsters and malicious bots to flash sale events. And being prepared for such malicious actors provides an added layer of security during peak sales periods, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, when you may be too occupied to identify them yourself.

Setting up this Flow is exceedingly straightforward—all that's required are the email or IP addresses of recognized resellers. If an identified problematic shopper places an order, Flow automatically cancels any orders made using an email address previously associated with fraudulent activity.

shopify flow template
Cancel and tag orders from known bad email address template

#4. Automate your product review collecting

According to invesp, customers will likely spend 31% more on a store with “excellent” reviews. Thus, it's crucial to have an effective review system in place.

With Shopify Flow, you can fully automate your review program and ensure that you never miss the opportunity to address a negative review.

When a new product review is written, Flow will assess the star rating and take appropriate actions. For instance, you will record five-star reviews in a spreadsheet and share them with the sales and marketing teams so they are aware of the positive feedback from customers.

On the other hand, you will promptly record any one- or two-star reviews in a spreadsheet and create a support ticket for the customer service team to contact the reviewer and understand any issues with the product or their shopping experience.

shopify flow product review flow
Product review collecting automation workflow template

In all cases, the reviewer will receive loyalty points as a token of appreciation for taking the time to leave a review. This Flow integrates with the following apps and tools:

  • Yotpo Product Reviews
  • Google Sheets for Shopify Flow
  • Yotpo: Loyalty & Rewards
  • Slack
  • Gorgias

#5. Automate your loyalty campaigns

Did you know that the cost of retaining a customer is 6 to 7 times cheaper than acquiring a new one? This means if you want to grow steady sales, running a proper loyalty campaign should be at the top of your to-do list.

With this workflow, you can quickly run effective loyalty programs by segmenting your customers based on their lifetime spending. The flow will also help you notify your customer support team when a customer reaches a certain spend threshold so you can add loyalty points to their profiles.

shopify flow example
Track and reward your customers with loyalty points

#6. Gain valuable information about your returns

Though they are unwanted, refunds are something inevitable to any eCommerce brand. But with a well-built workflow, you can gain information as to why customers decide to return, and even win that customer back.

With this workflow template, you can tag shoppers who have refunded over a certain threshold (e.g. $200). Then, you can create a support ticket for your team to follow up with that shopper to figure out what bad experience they went through and how you can improve that.

This Shopify flow template requires the Gorgias Shopify app to tag customers and create support tickets after a refund.

shopify flow refund workflow
Shopify Flow theme for refunds

#7. Run pre-order purchase campaigns

If you want to build excitement around your upcoming products, we highly advise you to run pre-order campaigns and incentivize your customers to shop when your products are finally released.

Luckily, Shopify Flow has a flow template for just that. When you enable this workflow, any product you tag as ‘pre-order’ is auto-tracked in a spreadsheet. Plus, all the pre-order information of your shoppers will be sent to the Klaviyo app so you can send them email offers when the item is on air.

shopify flow preorder workflow
Pre-order workflow template

#8. Email customers discount on their birthday

If you want to make your customers feel special on their birthday, consider setting up an email discount campaign with Shopify Flow. This workflow lets you automatically send a discount email to customers on their special day.

The process starts by checking if today is the customer's birthday using Loyalty, Rewards, and Referrals by LoyaltyLion. Then, it verifies if the customer has accepted marketing emails. If the condition is met, it triggers an event in Klaviyo: Email Marketing & SMS by Klaviyo to send the discount email.

 shopify flow examples
Email customers discount on their birthday

#9. Notify customers when their wishlist items are on sale

If you enable wishlist features on your eCommerce website, a workflow you shouldn't miss out on is notifying customers when their wishlist items go on sale. This approach keeps your customers engaged and encourages them to make a purchase when the price drops.

When an item on a customer's wishlist goes on sale, the workflow automatically notifies the customer through the Emarsys Marketing Platform. The process starts with the Growave: Loyalty & Wishlist app, which identifies wishlist items on sale. Then, Emarsys Marketing Platform sends the notification to the customer, ensuring they are aware of the price drop.

shopify flow example
Set up a Shopify Flow to notify your customers when a wishlist item is on sale

#10. Send win-back email sequence to “at risk” customers

Retaining customers is essential for the sustained growth of any eCommerce business. And for that, ‘Send win-back email sequence to “at risk” customers’ is another Shopify Flow example we’d love to introduce you.

The process starts when a customer moves into the “At Risk” segment in the Loyalty, Rewards, and Referrals app by LoyaltyLion. The workflow then adds loyalty points to the customer's account as an incentive. Following this, it triggers an event to track this update and initiates an email sequence via Klaviyo: Email Marketing & SMS, encouraging the customer to return and make a purchase.

shopify flow example
Send win-back email sequence to your at-risk shoppers with Shopify Flow

Check out more articles about Shopify benefits: 

  • How to Succeed as a Shopify Partner and Grow Your Business
  • An In-Depth Look at Shopify Payments: Pros and Cons
  • Boost Efficiency with Shopify Flow: A Must-Have Tool
  • Shopify Gift Cards: A Simple Way to Increase Customer Loyalty


Top 3 Shopify Flow Alternatives

Like we said, Shopify Flow is a perfect automation tool for small Shopify stores with not many existing apps yet. Otherwise, you’ll see the app can be relatively limited in what it can do.

Hence, in case you want to look at other Shopify automation apps, here are 3 top Shopify Flow alternatives that are worth trying.

1. Mesa

Best for: Users needing robust, no-code solutions for integrating and automating complex workflows across multiple Shopify apps.

With Mesa, you don't need to be a coding expert; it's as simple as pointing and clicking to set up automation. You can kickstart your automation journey with their ready-made templates, which cover various tasks like auto-tagging orders, automating fulfillment, managing SMS/email communication, and even handling fraud detection.

How Mesa stacks up against Shopify Flow:

Pros : 

  • Extensive range of ready-made templates for various tasks
  • Integrates with 100+ apps for multi-app workflows

Cons

  • More expensive
  • Advanced customizations may require support

2. Mechanic

Best for: Users looking for extensive automation options with the ability to customize workflows and develop unique solutions.

Mechanic boasts an impressive library of over 330 pre-made automation. Whether you're looking to scale your operations or require custom functionalities, Mechanic has you covered. You can select from their extensive collection of pre-built automation or leverage Mechanic as a development platform to create tailor-made solutions for your Shopify store.

How Mechanic stacks up against Shopify Flow:

Pros:

  • Extensive library of over 350 pre-made automations
  • Allows for deep customization and development of custom workflows
  • Integrates seamlessly with various APIs and webhooks

Cons : 

  • Can be complex for users with simpler needs.
  • Higher cost for higher Shopify plans

3. Arigato

Best for: Users who need versatile automation with powerful scheduling capabilities and extensive app integrations.

If you’ve been searching for an ideal Shopify flow alternative, Arigato can be your answer. Whether it's meta field tagging, on-demand workflows, or harnessing APIs, Arigato has up to 100+ pre-built workflows that enable you to put your day-to-day tasks on autopilot with ease.

How Arigato stacks up against Shopify Flow:

Pros: 

  • Free workflow setup by their CS team
  • Over 100 pre-built workflows.
  • Advanced scheduling capabilities.

Cons: 

  • Same with Mechanic: higher cost for higher Shopify plans (but can be negotiable for Plus users)
  • Might require coding occasionally

Shopify Flow Review: FAQs

A flow in Shopify is an automated workflow that helps you manage repetitive tasks and streamline business processes without manual intervention.

Access Shopify Flow by navigating to your Shopify admin, then go to Apps > Flow.

To run a Shopify Flow, simply click Run Flow automation. Afterward, pick the workflow you want to run and choose Run workflow.

  • You can set up a workflow in Shopify by:
  • Going to Apps > Flow in your Shopify admin.
  • Clicking Create workflow.
  • Selecting triggers, conditions, and actions to define your workflow.
  • Saving and activating your workflow.

Final Thoughts On Our Shopify Flow Review

With its affordability and fantastic ease of use, Shopify Flow is the perfect automation app for Shopify stores that have just started with the automation game. However, if you are a medium to large-sized eCommerce business, Flow might fall short of what the app is capable of.

And we hope that after reading our honest Shopify Flow review, you can better understand the tool’s features, pros & cons, and most importantly, whether it suits you or not.

Don’t forget to dive into LitExtension’s blog and join our active Facebook Community if you want to learn and befriend over 15,000 eCommerce entrepreneurs like you.

You may aslo like: 

  • Shopify Image Size: Tips for Perfecting Your Store's Visuals
  • Top Tips for Effective Shopify Inventory Management
  • A Beginner’s Guide to Using Shopify Metafields
  • Everything You Need to Know About Shopify One Page Checkout
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Mia Nguyen

Mia Nguyen

Mia is a dedicated Wix enthusiast who stays updated with the latest trends to empower online businesses with state-of-the-art strategies.

Free Migration Resources
Table of Contents
  1. How Does Shopify Flow Work? 
  2. Shopify Flow Tutorial: How To Automate A Shopify Store 
    1. Method #1: Create workflows with templates
    2. Method #2: Create workflows in Shopify Flow manually
  3. Top Key Features Of Shopify Flow
    1. #1. Automating tasks and workflows
    2. #2. Customizing workflows
    3. #3. Integrations and data management
  4. 10 Popular Shopify Flow Examples
    1. #1. Automate your inventory management
    2. #2. Segment your customers based on their lifetime spends
    3. #3. Cancel orders from potential frauds
    4. #4. Automate your product review collecting
    5. #5. Automate your loyalty campaigns
    6. #6. Gain valuable information about your returns
    7. #7. Run pre-order purchase campaigns
    8. #8. Email customers discount on their birthday
    9. #9. Notify customers when their wishlist items are on sale
    10. #10. Send win-back email sequence to “at risk” customers
  5. Top 3 Shopify Flow Alternatives
  6. Shopify Flow Review: FAQs
  7. Final Thoughts On Our Shopify Flow Review

Popular eCommerce Migration

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Best Ecommerce Platforms

  1. Shopify Review
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  4. BigCommerce Review
  5. Best Ecommerce Platforms

 

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