# Set up Shopify with Starshipit WMS
URL: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000000018-set-up-shopify-with-starshipit-wms
Canonical: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000000018-set-up-shopify-with-starshipit-wms
Markdown: https://support.starshipit.com/articles/14700000000018-set-up-shopify-with-starshipit-wms.md
Updated: 2026-11-01

> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://support.starshipit.com/llms.txt).

> Import Shopify products into Starshipit WMS and keep inventory aligned with per-store writeback, location buckets and manual syncs.

Connect Shopify through Starshipit, import Shopify products into Starshipit WMS, and choose how WMS writes inventory back to each Shopify store and location.

## Before you begin

You need:

* A Shopify store connected to the current Starshipit account, its parent account or an eligible child account.
* Permission to manage products and commerce settings in WMS.
* Unique, non-empty SKUs on the Shopify variants you want to manage.
* A Shopify location for each store that will receive WMS inventory updates.

If Shopify is not connected yet, [connect Shopify to Starshipit](/articles/90200000000202-connect-shopify-to-starshipit) first.

:::important
Decide whether WMS or another system owns Shopify inventory before enabling writeback. WMS can overwrite the available quantity at the selected Shopify location.
:::

## Import products from Shopify

Importing from Shopify creates the product links WMS needs for inventory writeback.

1. Go to **Products** in WMS.
2. Open the actions menu and select **Sync from Shopify**.
3. Select the Shopify store when more than one store is available.
4. Choose the product fields to import.
5. Optionally enter SKU filters or limit the import to active or published Shopify products.
6. Select **Import now**.
7. Review the result, then open a product and confirm its Shopify source and SKU.

Products are matched by SKU. Review duplicate or missing SKUs before relying on the imported catalogue.

If the same SKU is sold in more than one Shopify store, import it from each store. WMS keeps one product record and adds a separate Shopify link for each store. Configure the writeback location and inventory settings for every linked store that WMS should update.

### Choose whether to import product tags

Select **Product Tags** in the import fields if Shopify should own your WMS product tags. This option is off by default. When selected, Shopify tags replace the WMS tags, including clearing WMS tags when the Shopify product has none. Leave it unselected to preserve your WMS tags.

Choose this field separately under **Import now** and **Daily schedule**. Daily field selections save automatically for the selected store; wait for **Saved**.

### Import Shopify bundle configurations

Turn on **Import Shopify bundles** when you want WMS to import native Shopify bundle components and configure the matching WMS products as exploding bundles.

The import must process the complete Shopify catalogue so WMS can import every bundle and component before applying the configuration. Leave the page number empty when this option is on. Review any skipped bundles or warnings after the import completes.

### Schedule a daily product import

1. Go to **System > Settings > Connections & Integrations > Product Sync**.
2. Find **Shopify Product Sync** and select **Configure** for the intended store.
3. Open **Daily schedule** and turn on **Run a daily import for this store**.
4. Choose **Fields for daily sync** and the product-name option for that store.
5. Optionally turn on **Only import modified products**.
6. Review the active-product, published-product and **Import Shopify bundles** options. These apply to all stores in the daily schedule.
7. Wait for **Saved**, then reopen the store's configuration to confirm the schedule and options.

With **Only import modified products** on, the first run imports a full baseline. Later runs use Shopify's product-updated timestamp to import changes since the last successful daily run. Run a full import when reconciling the catalogue; changes that do not update that timestamp may not be included. Leave the option off to keep full daily imports.

Manual import options are separate from the daily schedule. If **Not saved** appears, keep the dialog open, correct the reported problem and select **Retry**.

## Configure Shopify inventory writeback

1. Go to **System > Settings > Connections & Integrations > Inventory Writeback**.
2. Find **Shopify Inventory Sync**.
3. Select the **Writeback Location** for each source store.
4. Turn on **Auto Writeback** for the stores WMS should update.
5. Optionally turn on **Location buckets** or **Exploding bundles** for a store.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Writeback Location** | Chooses the Shopify location that receives inventory updates for products from that source store. |
| **Auto Writeback** | Queues a Shopify inventory update after supported WMS stock movements. |
| **Location buckets** | Maps WMS quarantine and quality control stock to Shopify quality control inventory, damaged returns to damaged inventory, and transfers between those location groups to matching Shopify buckets. |
| **Exploding bundles** | Sets a linked bundle parent's Shopify availability from sellable component stock after pending and released order demand. |

**Location buckets** requires **Auto Writeback**. **Exploding bundles** works independently and can remain on while normal automatic writeback is off.

To keep a buffer out of online availability without changing physical stock, [set product safety stock for Shopify](/articles/14700000000064-set-product-safety-stock-for-shopify). The guide covers the product's **Inventory > Safety stock** field, bulk and CSV updates, and verification after writeback.

See [Sync exploding bundle availability to Shopify](/articles/14700000000048-sync-exploding-bundle-availability-to-shopify) for the bundle calculation and verification steps.

## Understand automatic writeback

After a supported receipt, pick, shipment, manual adjustment or stocktake variance completes, WMS queues the Shopify update in the background. The warehouse transaction does not wait for Shopify and is not rolled back if Shopify rejects the update.

Only products with a Shopify inventory link and an enabled store mapping are written back. A product linked to multiple enabled Shopify stores is queued for each linked store. To pause one store without pausing the others, use **Disable writeback for this SKU** on that store's connection in the [product's Integrations tab](/articles/14700000000006-configure-wms-products-and-inventory#pause-writeback-for-one-linked-store). The Shopify checkbox under **Writeback Preferences** changes all Shopify links for that product.

For products sold before stock arrives, use [On pre-order](/articles/14700000000063-manage-pre-order-products-in-wms) to pause inventory writeback across all linked stores, including manual syncs and queued updates that have not run yet. Manage pre-order selling quantities in Shopify while the setting is on.

## Run a manual inventory sync

Use a manual sync after a stocktake, during go-live, or when you need to correct drift.

1. Go to **Inventory**.
2. Select the linked products you want to update.
3. Select **Sync to Shopify**.
4. Review the products and quantities in the confirmation window.
5. Select **Queue writeback**.
6. Go to **System > Process Logs** and confirm the queued updates completed.

The manual action normally sets **Available** at each configured Shopify target using WMS sellable stock and the order demand included by your inventory writeback timing setting. The confirmation preview can differ from total on-hand stock. Linked exploding bundles use component-derived availability when that store's bundle setting is enabled. Products without a Shopify inventory link are skipped.

If the product has **Safety stock** configured and the destination has **Location buckets** enabled, WMS limits Shopify availability using pending and released order demand and the buffer. The final available quantity can be lower than the confirmation preview. This does not reduce physical WMS stock or change picking allocations. Check the completed sync in **System > Process Logs** and the final quantity at the Shopify location.

## Verify the integration

1. Import a test product from Shopify.
2. Select its store and writeback location in **Inventory Writeback**.
3. Enable **Auto Writeback**.
4. Complete a controlled stock adjustment in WMS.
5. Confirm the quantity changed at the selected Shopify location.
6. Check **System > Process Logs** for the Shopify writeback result.

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | What to check |
| --- | --- |
| Shopify does not appear in WMS settings | Confirm Shopify is connected to the current or eligible related Starshipit account, then refresh the settings page. |
| A store has no writeback controls | Import products from that Shopify store so WMS can create source-store mappings. |
| A product is skipped | Confirm it was imported from Shopify, has a Shopify inventory link, is not marked **On pre-order** and has not had Shopify writeback disabled. |
| **Auto Writeback** is unavailable | Select an active **Writeback Location** first. |
| The wrong Shopify location changes | Check the writeback location for the product's source store, including parent or child account mappings. |
| A writeback remains missing | Check **System > Process Logs** for a missing link, removed location, rate limit or Shopify API error. |

If the problem continues, contact [Starshipit support](https://help.starshipit.com) with the WMS account, Shopify store, SKU, selected location and approximate time of the sync.

## Related articles

* [Understand WMS integrations](/articles/14700000000044-understand-wms-integrations)
* [Configure WMS products and inventory](/articles/14700000000006-starshipit-wms-products-and-inventory-configuration)
* [Maintain stock accuracy and make adjustments](/articles/14700000000020-adjust-stock-and-investigate-stock-movements)