How Shopify Store Owners Access Line Item Properties in Flow

Introduction

Shopify Flow is a powerful automation tool that allows merchants to streamline their business processes. One common question that arises when working with Flow is how to access line item properties for new orders. In this blog post, we’ll explore the possibilities and limitations of accessing line item properties in Shopify Flow, and provide some alternative solutions for merchants who need this functionality.

Understanding Line Item Properties in Shopify

What are Line Item Properties?

Line item properties are custom fields associated with individual items in an order. They allow merchants to capture additional information about products, such as personalization details, gift messages, or specific customer preferences.

Importance of Line Item Properties

These properties play a crucial role in many e-commerce scenarios, particularly for businesses that offer customized products or require additional information from customers during the checkout process.

Where to Find Line Item Properties

Typically, line item properties can be accessed through Shopify’s Liquid templating language. They are stored in the order.line_items.properties object, as documented in the Shopify Liquid reference.

Accessing Line Item Properties in Shopify Flow

Current Limitations

As of the latest update to this blog post, Shopify Flow does not provide direct access to line item properties within its native interface. This limitation has been a point of frustration for many merchants who rely on these properties for their workflow automation.

The Solution: Custom Attributes

The good news is that Shopify has introduced a way to access both order properties and line item properties in Flow. These are now referred to as “Custom Attributes” in the GraphQL API that Flow utilizes.

How to Access Custom Attributes

To access these custom attributes in Flow, you can find them at:

• Order / customAttributes for order-level properties
• Order / LineItems / customAttributes for line item properties

This update allows merchants to incorporate line item property data into their Flow workflows, opening up new possibilities for automation based on custom product information.

Alternative Solutions for Accessing Line Item Properties

While the introduction of custom attributes in Flow is a significant improvement, some merchants may still find it challenging to implement or may require additional functionality. Here are some alternative solutions:

Third-Party Apps

Several third-party apps in the Shopify App Store can help you work with line item properties:

1. Order Tagger: This app can analyze order line item properties and apply tags to orders based on specified conditions.

2. Easy Tagging: Similar to Order Tagger, this app provides functionality to tag orders based on various criteria, including line item properties.

3. Order Automator: This app offers advanced automation features that can work with line item properties.

Custom Development

For merchants with specific needs, custom development might be the best solution. This could involve creating a private app or using Shopify’s API to build a custom integration that pulls line item property data and performs the required actions.

Best Practices for Working with Line Item Properties in Flow

Understand Your Data Structure

Before attempting to access line item properties in Flow, make sure you have a clear understanding of how your data is structured. Review your theme code and any apps that might be adding custom fields to your products or checkout process.

Use Consistent Naming Conventions

When setting up custom attributes, use consistent naming conventions to make it easier to work with the data in Flow and other parts of your Shopify ecosystem.

Test Thoroughly

Always test your Flow workflows thoroughly before implementing them in your live store. Use test orders to ensure that your automations are working as expected with various combinations of line item properties.

Conclusion

While accessing line item properties in Shopify Flow has been a challenge in the past, the introduction of custom attributes has made it possible to incorporate this valuable data into automated workflows. For merchants who need more advanced functionality, third-party apps or custom development solutions can provide additional options.

As Shopify continues to evolve, we can expect further improvements in Flow’s capabilities. In the meantime, merchants can leverage the available tools and workarounds to create powerful automations that take full advantage of line item property data.

By understanding the current limitations and exploring the available solutions, Shopify merchants can optimize their workflows and provide better experiences for their customers, all while saving time and reducing manual work.