Create a digital product

A digital product in Filemonk is a Shopify product, or one of its variants, with digital content linked to it. When a customer buys it, Filemonk delivers the linked files, external links or licence keys automatically. You can turn any existing Shopify product into a digital product, or create a new listing just for your digital content.

Setup runs in four steps: Product, Variants, Content type and Files. The Setup progress bar at the top shows where you are, with a tick against each step you have finished. A Tips panel sits on the right.

Before you begin

• Turn off shipping for the product in your Shopify admin, so customers can check out without a shipping address.
• To reuse files you’ve already uploaded, add them to your Content library first. You can also upload new files during setup. See Upload files.
• Custom product needs a paid plan. Downloadable files works on every plan.

What customers will see

After buying, the customer gets an email with a download link, and the Thank You page button if you have set one up. Both lead to a download page listing the files you linked.

Set it up

1. Click Filemonk in the left menu of your Shopify admin.

2. Click Digital products in the app’s menu, then click Add product.

3. Product. Choose one option:

   

   1. Link files to an existing product (most common): search by Product title if you need to, then click the product in the list.
   2. I’m creating a product for the first time: follow the steps on screen to create the product in Shopify admin > Products and save it. Back in Filemonk, click Select product and click your new product.

4. Variants. This step only appears when the product has more than one variant. Choose one option, then click Continue:

   1. When any option is purchased: the same files go to every variant.
   2. Only when a specific option is purchased: the files go to one variant only. Click the variant in the Select variant list.

5. Content type. Choose one option, then click Continue:

   1. Downloadable files: customers download the linked files straight after purchase. Use this for PDFs, videos, audio, software and other files you sell to everyone.
   2. Custom product: you prepare content for each order. You get an order notification, upload that order’s files in the Orders tab, then email the customer. See Sell customized or personalized digital products.

6. Files. For Downloadable files, add content with any of these buttons. You can combine them on one product:

   

   1. Upload files: upload from your computer. Files are saved to your Content library and linked to this product in one go.
   2. Select from library: in the Files window, click Link to product on a file you’ve already uploaded.
   3. Add external file: in Create file from link, enter a Name and the Link, then click Create. See Add files from Google Drive or Dropbox.
   4. Add licence key: in Add licence key to product, choose Autogenerated, Specific tag or No tag, optionally enter a Licence Key Name (Optional), then click Create. See Assign licence keys to a product.

7. Click Complete setup. Filemonk shows Product setup complete! and opens the product page.

Files are saved as soon as you add them, so there’s no separate save step. For a Custom product, the Files step shows what happens after purchase and you can go straight to Complete setup. To change an earlier step before you finish, click Back, or click Change on a completed step.

To group files into folders in the Files step, tick the files, click Move N files to folder, choose a folder or type a name in Or create new folder, then click Move. See Organize files with folders.

Manage a digital product

The Digital products list shows every digital product. Its Connected variants column lists each variant with content and its file count, or Preorder or Custom product.

Click a product to open it. The Content by variant section (called Content for a single-variant product) has one card per setup, showing the variant name or All variants, the content type, any Preorder badge and unlock date, the custom message, and the linked files grouped by folder. The Quick stats panel shows how many setups and files the product has.

• To change files, click Edit files on the card.

• To link content to another variant of the same product, click Add another variant.

• For more, click the More actions (…) button on the card:

  

  1. Add custom message: shown on the download page above the file list. HTML is supported. See Add custom messages and download instructions.
  2. Set up preorder (or Edit preorder): set the date files unlock. See Sell digital products as preorders.
  3. Notify buyers: email past buyers of that variant, or of the whole product for an All variants setup, a fresh download link. See Send new download links after updating a product.
  4. Delete: unlink that variant’s content. To delete the whole product, click More on the product page, then Delete. To delete several, tick them on the Digital products page and click Delete. See Delete products or variants with linked files.

Deleting only unlinks the content. Your files stay in your Content library.

Check your setup

Place a test order for the product and follow it through to the downloaded file. Buy the exact variant you configured, since a product can have files on one variant and none on another. See Create a test order.

Troubleshooting

The product isn't in the product list

Search by Product title. If it’s still missing, click Refresh in the empty list, and check the product exists in your Shopify admin.

The variant step was skipped

This is expected when the product has only one variant. Files are delivered for that product. Add variants in Shopify first if you need different files per variant.

This variant is already configured

That variant, or All variants, already has content. Click Edit existing setup to change it, or Cancel and pick another variant.

Custom product can't be selected

Custom product needs a paid plan. Click the upgrade button next to the option. See Filemonk pricing and plans.

File size exceeds your plan limit

Your storage is full for your plan. Click Upgrade plan, delete unused files, or link large files with Add external file.

Upload failed

Usually a file type, network or server problem. Retry the upload. If it keeps failing, click Contact Support.

Complete setup is greyed out

No files are linked yet. Add at least one file in the Files step, or choose Custom product.

A card shows Deleted variant

The variant was deleted in Shopify, so customers can’t receive those files. Delete the setup and link the files to a current variant.

Customers are asked for a shipping address

Shipping is still on for the product. Turn off shipping for the product in your Shopify admin.

Customers bought but received no files

Usually the variant. Check whether the files are linked to all variants or only one, and confirm which variant the customer bought. See Troubleshoot a single order.

FAQ

Can I link the same file to more than one product?

Yes. Files live in your Content library. Use Select from library in each product to link the same file again.

Can I give different variants different files?

Yes. Choose Only when a specific option is purchased and pick a variant. When that’s done, click Add another variant on the product page to set up the next one. See Sell different files for each variant.

Can I change the files after setup?

Yes. Open the product and click Edit files on the card. Changes apply straight away, including to download links you have already sent. To tell past buyers about the update, use Notify buyers.

What happens if I delete the product in Shopify?

The setup stays in Filemonk and shows as Deleted product or Deleted variant. Customers can’t receive those files any more, including past buyers.

Does deleting a digital product delete my files?

No. Deleting only unlinks the content from the product. Your files stay in your Content library.

Can customers download files more than once?

Yes, unless you set a download limit. See Limit the number of downloads per order.

How do I set up many products at once?

Use a CSV import. See Bulk add digital products and files.

Related guides

• Upload files, the step before this one.
• Sell different files for each variant, for per-variant delivery.
• Bulk add digital products and files, for many products at once.
• Create a test order, to prove it works.