Best practices for handling edited Shopify orders

Overview

At first glance, capturing Shopify edited orders within an integration might seem straightforward. However, the reality is that the dynamic nature of order modifications combined with API limitations makes it a bit more challenging.

Currently, our integration does not support capturing edited orders, but don’t worry—we’ve got some practical workarounds to keep your data in sync and your operations running smoothly.

Use Shopify’s “Draft Order” feature for complex orders

If you anticipate changes to an order, consider starting with Shopify’s Draft Order feature. Draft orders let you adjust items, quantities, discounts, and more before the sale is finalised. Once the order is confirmed and paid, it becomes a completed order that will sync correctly with your integration.

This is a great option for businesses that deal with custom orders or frequent changes, as it helps prevent the need for post-sale edits, keeping your data clean and your workflow efficient.

Leverage split orders instead of editing

Another strategy to consider is creating split orders. If a customer wants to add items or make changes after placing an order, rather than editing the original, you can issue a new order or separate invoice for the additional items. This ensures that each transaction is properly captured and reflected in your financial data, without complicating the integration process. By keeping each order independent, you avoid the risks that come with syncing edited orders and ensure smooth reporting.

For example, if a customer makes an initial purchase and later decides to add more products, you can create a new order for the additional items. This way, each sale is fully captured, ensuring accurate sales data without the headache of managing an edited order.

Refund and create a new order

If an order absolutely needs to be adjusted after it’s been placed, consider refunding and creating a new order. This approach allows you to refund the original order (either partially or fully) and create a new order with the updated items or details. By doing so, you maintain accurate sales, payment, and inventory data across all systems, avoiding the potential pitfalls of order editing.

This method is particularly effective for users who frequently need to make changes after an order is finalised, as it ensures the order is synced correctly, without any missing information. The refund process creates a clear audit trail for accounting purposes, while the new order ensures your integration remains intact and your data up-to-date.

How edited orders affect your sync

• Syncing each order individually: If you’re syncing each Shopify order into separate invoices, edited orders won’t be included. Only orders that remain unedited will sync into your accounting software.
• Syncing orders into one daily invoice: If your integration is set to consolidate all Shopify orders into one daily invoice, edited orders will cause the sync to fail.

How we help with handling your edited orders

To help you stay on top of these edited orders, we’ve developed a workaround exclusively for Managed Reconciliation Services customers.

We generate a monthly report to capture the sales that were not integrated into your accounting software due to edits. This report allows us to track the missed sales and create an adjustment invoice. This adjustment reflects the sales data for that period, ensuring that your records remain up-to-date even when orders are edited.

While we do offer a reliable workaround to capture sales from edited orders, we highly recommend following the best practices to ensure a smoother, more efficient, and accurate data sync. By adopting these methods, you can minimise potential issues and keep your integration running seamlessly.