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B2B automation using Shopify Flow

Automate your B2B workflows using Onboard B2B and Shopify Flow

Kyle Weiskopf avatar
Written by Kyle Weiskopf
Updated over a week ago

Shopify Flow app

Shopify Flow is a 1st-party app developed by Shopify that is free to use, giving merchants the ability to automate all sorts of processes within Shopify. Newer Shopify stores may already have the Flow app installed by default, while older stores may need to install it manually from the app store.

New to Flow? If you're unfamiliar with Shopify Flow and would like to learn more, we suggest reading the manual in Shopify's Help Center: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/shopify-flow

Company application metaobjects

Unless an application is auto-approved via a form rule, all of the data collected from Onboard's company application form is saved directly into Shopify as a metaobject. Every application that is submitted is recorded as a separate metaobject entry, with each entry referencing the customer who submitted the application form. Most of the fields within the metaobject are used to store the unique field values customers provide, while other fields are used to store attributes about the application, such as the application status (pending, approved, etc.) and a timestamp of submission.

Onboard B2B triggers and actions

The Onboard app has it's own set of Flow triggers and actions that allow you to create custom automations based on application events or to interact with applications.

Triggers

Each trigger returns data for the customer to which the application belongs, as well as the metaobject ID and metaobject handle of the application itself.

  • Application received

    • Trigger a workflow when a new company application is created

  • Application rejected

    • Trigger a workflow when a company application is rejected, and a revision has been requested

  • Application revised

    • Trigger a workflow when a new company application is created

  • Application approved

    • Trigger a workflow when a company application is approved

  • Application declined

    • Trigger a workflow when a company application is rejected and closed without a request for revision

Actions

  • Create company application

    • Creates a pending company application in the Onboard app and the corresponding application metaobject entry in Shopify.

    • This action requires a customer reference from the workflow trigger or previous action, as well as a variable for company name. There are additional optional company fields which can be set on the application.

  • Approve company application

    • Approves a pending application in the Onboard app and creates a company in Shopify.

    • This action requires the application metaobject ID which can be returned from one of the Onboard app's triggers or the Create company application action. Additionally, you can choose which approval preset is used, which allows applying certain attributes to the created company.

Standard metaobject support in Flow

Shopify Flow supports using metaobjects in triggers and actions, meaning you can create custom workflows to automate all sorts of business processes that relate to your B2B applications.

Example use cases

  • Use the Shopify trigger for 'Metaobject entry created' to trigger workflows whenever a customer submits a company application, including actions like sending an internal email notification or adding a tag to a customer.

    • Use condition blocks to check fields in the metaobject to add conditional logic.

      • Example: Send separate internal email notifications and assign different customer tags based on the value of a custom field on the application form.

    • Use variables within an action to include specific values from the company application.

      • Example: Include the company's name and physical address on internal email notifications.

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