Fulfil digital products automatically

Shopify expects every order to be fulfilled, including one containing only a PDF. Filemonk can mark digital line items fulfilled as orders arrive, so your unfulfilled queue holds only things that genuinely need shipping.

Before you begin

• Automatic fulfilment is a paid feature.
• Filemonk fulfils line items that have files linked. Physical items in the same order are left alone.
• Fulfilling in Shopify can trigger Shopify’s own shipping confirmation email, depending on your notification settings.

Set it up

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

2. Click Settings in the app’s menu, then open the Email tab.

3. Scroll to Fulfillment, in the Email template card, and tick Mark all digital products in orders as “Fulfilled”.

   

Two settings appear indented underneath it, and only apply while it is ticked:

• Add download link to tracking info, which puts a link to the download page where Shopify shows tracking, so customers who look at the fulfilment in Shopify find their files there. See Add the download link to tracking info.
• Skip products with these tags, to exclude specific products from being fulfilled. See Skip fulfilment for products with certain tags.

Check your setup

Place a test order and open it in Shopify. The digital items should show as fulfilled, with the download page as the tracking link. See Create a test order.

Troubleshooting

Orders aren't being fulfilled

Check in order:

1. The setting is on, and your plan includes it.
2. Filemonk processed the order at all. See Turn on order processing.
3. The line items have files linked. Items without files are not fulfilled.
4. The product does not carry a tag you told Filemonk to skip.

Fulfillment could not be completed

Shopify refused the request, usually because the items are already fulfilled or the order is cancelled or on hold. Open the error to see Shopify’s reason.

Customers get an unexpected shipping email

That is Shopify’s shipping confirmation, sent by your Shopify notification settings rather than by Filemonk. Adjust or disable it there.

Mixed orders are only partly fulfilled

Correct behaviour. The digital items are done and the physical ones wait for you to ship them.

FAQ

Does fulfilling send the download links?

No, they are separate. Links come from the download email or the Thank you page. Unless you require fulfilment before sending, in which case fulfilling is the trigger. See Send email and show the button based on order status.

Does it work on past orders?

No, only orders processed after you turn it on. Fulfil older ones individually. See Manually mark digital orders fulfilled.

Can I exclude certain products?

Yes, by tag. See Skip fulfilment for products with certain tags.

Does it affect my Shopify reporting?

It makes it more accurate: digital orders stop sitting unfulfilled forever, so the queue reflects real work.

Related guides

• Manually mark digital orders fulfilled, for one-off orders.
• Skip fulfilment for products with certain tags, to exclude products.
• Add the download link to tracking info, the related setting.