Shopify & DecoNetwork Integration Part 3: Establishing Connection in DN

This guide (Part 3 in the series) walks DecoNetwork operators through connecting a Shopify store to a DecoNetwork (DN) affiliate store. Once connected, orders placed in Shopify can flow into DN for production and fulfillment—minimizing manual data entry, syncing key details like shipping method and design placement, and enabling streamlined, scalable operations. Use this article to set the connection, define your workflow, and ensure reliable data mapping between systems.

After connection, you'll need to configure product mappings. For instructions on this process, refer to the article "Shopify & DecoNetwork Integration Part 4: DN Product Mapping Guide".

Step 1: Open your DN store

1. Log into your DecoNetwork website.
2. Go to Admin → Websites.

   

3. Click on the Manage for the target affiliate store.

   

Step 2: Open Fulfill Shopify Orders

1. In the store admin menu, select Fulfill Shopify Orders.
   

   The Shopify Settings page opens.

   

   

   Open the Fulfill Shopify Orders area to configure the connection.

   Click the image to enlarge.

Step 3: Enter Shopify Shop Name & Admin API Access Token

1. Find the Shopify Name part of your Shopify store domain. It is the part that appears before ".myshopify.com" in the settings section of your Shopify admin (in the top left corner, above the menu). Enter the shop name into the Shop Name field.
2. Retrieve the Admin API access token from the app page of the custom third-party order fulfillment app installed in Shopify. Copy and paste this token into the Admin API Access Token field.

Step 4: Configure Workflow settings

1. Determine how orders will be processed and submitted through DN:
   • Using 'Starter' or 'Basic' plan: You must tick this option if your Shopify store is on the Starter or Basic plan. On these plans, Shopify restricts third-party fulfillment apps from directly accessing customer details. With this option enabled:
     • Order statuses will be set to "Requires Customer Details" requiring you to manually enter the missing customer details. This ensures that your orders are processed correctly and that the necessary information is available for fulfillment.
     • Once details are supplied, the order status changes to “Ready to Submit”.
     • At this stage, you must manually submit the order to Business Hub for fulfillment.
   • Automatically submit new orders that are ready: Tick this option to have new orders automatically submitted to Business Hub for fulfillment as soon as they meet all requirements. If unticked, each order must be manually submitted.
   • Submit orders as a quote requiring approval: Tick this option if you prefer to have orders submitted to Business Hub as quotes instead of production orders. This allows you to review and approve each order before it enters production.

Step 5: Configure Product Fields (Color/Size)

1. If you use non-standard field names in Shopify, specify them here to map correctly to DN (leave blank to use defaults color and size).

Step 6: Map Shipping Methods

The shipping method settings allow you to map shipping methods between your Shopify and DecoNetwork stores, ensuring that the correct shipping method is applied to Shopify orders entering your DecoNetwork store.

1. Click "add" to create a mapping row for each Shopify shipping method you offer.
   
2. Enter the exact Shopify shipping method name.
3. Select the matching DN shipping method from your Fulfillment Center.
   

4. Click Save & Continue to save the shipping method configuration.

5. (Optional) Tick the Locked checkbox if you want Shopify orders to be restricted to the mapped shipping method; unlocked shipping method mappings can be modified in the order.

   

   Map Shopify method names to DN shipping methods; lock mappings when finalized.

   Unmapped methods: If an incoming Shopify order uses an unmapped method, you’ll need to assign one manually. Unmapped orders may default to the last used shipping method—always review before submitting to production.

Step 7: Configure Design Matching (Metafields)

1. If your Shopify store has defined file metafields to store designs, select them here.

   Metafields let DN auto-match the correct design to the correct side (front/back) for mapped products—reducing manual placement.

   The Front and Back Design fields will only appear here if metafields have been defined in the connected Shopify store.

   

   Select your front/back design metafields if available in the connected Shopify store.

   

2. If the fields aren’t visible, confirm the Shopify operator has created the metafields per the Setting Up Product Meta File Information guide.

Step 8: Set Design Options (Default Process & Placement)

1. Specify the default decoration process and the placement of incoming designs:
   • Default Decoration Process: select the default decoration process from the dropdown list. This determines the default decoration process used by DN to apply designs to products.
   • Design Placement: Choose the default design placement from the Default Alignment dropdown list:
     • Top Left
     • Top Center
     • Top Right
     • Middle Left
     • Center
     • Middle Right
     • Bottom Left
     • Bottom Center
     • Bottom Right

Step 9: Save

1. Click Save to store your connection and mapping settings.

Step 10: Next steps

1. Download products from Shopify into DN.
2. Complete product and design mapping (see Part 4 in this series).

Best-Practice Tips

• Use a test order first: Validate shipping mappings, design placements, and workflow settings with a draft or low-risk order.
• Match names exactly: Shopify shipping method names must match your mappings 1:1 (including case and punctuation).
• Lock when stable: Lock shipping mappings to avoid accidental edits during busy periods.
• Rotate tokens: Treat Admin API tokens as secrets and rotate on a cadence (e.g., quarterly).
• Document field names: If you customize color/size field names, standardize and document them for your team.

Troubleshooting

• Shop Name rejected: Use only the subdomain portion (before .myshopify.com).
• Invalid token: Regenerate the Admin API access token in the Shopify app and re-paste into DN.
• Missing customer details (Starter/Basic): Enter details manually; once complete, the order moves to Ready to Submit.
• Unmapped shipping method: Add a mapping (Step 6) or assign a DN shipping method manually before production.
• Design metafields not appearing: Ensure metafields exist in Shopify and reconnect or refresh (Step 7).

FAQs

• Can I connect more than one Shopify store? Yes, repeat the connection process per affiliate store.
• Do I have to auto-submit orders? No. You can keep manual submission or use quotes for approval.
• What if I rename a Shopify shipping method? Update the mapping in DN immediately to prevent mismatches.
• Is the Admin API token the same as my login? No. It’s a separate token issued by your Shopify app—keep it secret.

Additional Resources

• Part 1: Shopify Setup Guide
• Part 2: Enabling Integration in DN
• Part 3: Establishing Connection in DN (this article)
• Part 4: DN Product Mapping Guide
• Setting Up Product Meta File Information (Shopify metafields)