Workflow by DN Operator: Managing Orders Submitted for Fulfillment from Shopify

This guide shows DecoNetwork (DN) operators how to manage Shopify orders once they arrive in DN, from reviewing imports and resolving unmapped items, to updating statuses and pushing jobs into production. It’s designed for day-to-day operations in Business Hub and focuses on the practical decisions that keep orders moving.

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why this matters
• Step 1: Receive & review Shopify orders
• Step 2: Resolve unmapped products & designs
• Step 3: Manage order statuses (automatic vs manual)
• Step 4: Push orders into production
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional resources

Prerequisites

• Shopify store connected via Website Admin → Fulfill Shopify Orders.
• Production Manager or Production Team Member access to view and process orders.
• Relevant Shipping Methods created in DN.
• Mapped or mappable Products and Designs for what you sell in Shopify.

Why this matters

• Fewer delays: Quick resolution of unmapped items prevents bottlenecks.
• Production-ready orders: Clear status handling ensures only paid, shippable jobs hit the floor.
• Consistency: A repeatable workflow reduces errors across teams and shifts.

Step 1: Receive & review Shopify orders

When a fulfillment request is submitted from Shopify, the order is imported into your DN store. Start each session by reviewing new imports to make sure they’re production-ready.

1. Select FulFill Shopify Orders from the Store menu.
2. Click on the Orders tab.
3. For every order:

   1. Verify a Shipping Method has been assigned or matches what the customer chose in Shopify.

      This ensures that the logistics for delivering the product are in place and that the order can be fulfilled according to the specified delivery options.

   2. Confirm Payment has been received. If needed, process per your policy.

      Without confirmed payment, the order should not proceed to production. Check payment status and any related transactions to confirm that funds have been received. (Refer to the article, Processing Payment for Shopify Orders for instructions on how to process payments).

   3. Check Product and Design mappings are correct for each line item.

      Confirm that all products and designs associated with the order are accurately mapped in the DN system. This means ensuring that the items ordered match those listed in the DN catalog and that any custom designs or specifications are correctly linked to the appropriate products. This step is crucial for avoiding errors in the fulfillment process and ensuring that the final products meet the customer's expectations.

Step 2: Resolve unmapped products & designs

If a Shopify item or its artwork doesn’t map to DN, the order will be flagged. Unmapped products occur when an item ordered in Shopify does not have a corresponding product in the DN system. This can happen due to discrepancies in product SKUs, variations, or newly added items that haven't been mapped yet. Resolve these quickly to avoid delays.

1. In the Orders tab, identify lines flagged as Requires Mapping.

2. Click the order number to map the product to the correct DN catalog item (match SKU/options).

   This requires searching the DN catalog for the appropriate product and updating the mapping to ensure future orders for this product are correctly recognized.

3. If decorated, map the Design so the correct artwork is used in production.

   Successful mappings will be saved so future orders for the same item or design will resolve automatically.

   If the unmapped product cannot be resolved immediately, it may be necessary to let the customer or the production team know to clarify the product details or offer alternatives.

For detailed instructions on mapping unmapped products, refer to the article "Mapping Products and Designs for Shopify Orders".

Step 3: Manage order statuses (automatic vs manual)

Status behavior depends on your connection settings (Website Admin → Fulfill Shopify Orders):

• Automatic workflow: Automatically submit new orders that are ready is enabled.
• Manual workflow: Automatic submission is disabled, or Using ‘Starter’ or ‘Basic’ plan is enabled.

See the article "Configuring Automatic or Manual Order Workflow for Shopify Orders in DN" for information on configuring the workflow settings.

Automatic workflow statuses

If the option, "Automatically submit new orders that are ready" is selected in the connection settings, an automatic workflow is applied. This means that as soon as an order is correctly mapped and verified, it is automatically pushed to the production queue Business Hub.

The key statuses in the automatic workflow include:

• Requires Shipping Method: When fulfilling orders through DN from a Shopify store, it is crucial to select the correct shipping method to match the one chosen by the customer at the Shopify checkout.

  For instructions on assigning a shipping method, refer to the article "Assigning a Shipping Method for Shopify Orders".

• Awaiting Payment: The "Awaiting Payment" status indicates that the order is pending payment before it can proceed to production. This status ensures that production does not begin until the payment has been received and confirmed, preventing any potential issues with unpaid orders.

  For instructions on processing payments, refer to the article "Processing Payment for Shopify Orders".

Manual workflow statuses

If the "Automatically submit new orders that are ready" option is disabled, or the “Using ‘Starter’ or ‘Basic’ plan” option is enabled in the connection settings, a manual workflow applies.

The key statuses in the manual workflow include:

• Requires Customer Details: When the “Using ‘Starter’ or ‘Basic’ plan” checkbox is ticked, new Shopify orders will begin with this status. The DN operator must enter the missing customer details before the order can proceed. Once details are added, the order moves to the “Ready to Submit” status.
• Ready To Submit: This status indicates that the order has met all the necessary criteria for production, but is waiting for DN operator approval. At this stage, the operator must manually submit the order into production.

Step 4: Push orders into production

Once mapping, shipping, and payment are verified, move the order into production. Depending on the workflow option selected in the connection settings, orders will be handled differently:

• Automatic Production Push: When the automatic workflow is enabled, any order that meets the production criteria is automatically pushed into the production queue. No manual action is required, which streamlines the process and minimizes operator involvement.
• Manual Submission: When the manual workflow is configured (i.e. the "Automatically submit new orders that are ready" workflow option is disabled or the "Using 'Starter' or 'Basic' plan" setting is on), orders will stop at the "Ready to Submit" status. In this case, the DN operator must review these orders and manually push them for production. This step allows for additional oversight and ensures that any last-minute adjustments can be made before the order is finalized for production.

Best-practice tips

• Align Shopify shipping options with DN shipping methods to avoid mismatches.
• Use consistent SKUs/variants between Shopify and DN to minimize unmapped items.
• Audit “Awaiting Payment” daily so only paid orders reach the floor.
• Standardize naming for mapped designs to prevent artwork confusion.

Troubleshooting

• Order stuck at Requires Customer Details: You’re likely on Shopify Starter/Basic. Enter the missing info, then proceed.
• Shipping mismatch: Create/align a DN shipping method that mirrors what’s offered at Shopify checkout.
• Unmapped line won’t resolve: Confirm the DN product exists with matching options; map design separately if decorated.

FAQs

• Can I force manual review even with automatic submission on?
  Yes—disable Automatically submit new orders that are ready to pause at Ready to Submit.
• Why do some orders import without customer details?
  Shopify plan limitations (Starter/Basic) restrict third-party access; DN requires you to enter details before submission.

Additional resources

• Workflow by DN Operator: Managing Orders Submitted for Fulfillment from Shopify
• Configuring Automatic or Manual Order Workflow for Shopify Orders in DN
• Assigning a Shipping Method for Shopify Orders
• Processing Payment for Shopify Orders
• Fulfill Shopify Orders: Overview