Switch from another app to Filemonk
Moving from another digital delivery app is mostly the normal setup, plus one decision the normal setup doesn't have: what happens to orders the old app already delivered. Get that decision right and the switch is invisible to your customers.
Before you begin
- Keep the old app installed until your test order passes. Uninstalling early can break download links customers are still using.
- Have your files to hand. Filemonk cannot pull files out of another app, so you upload them again.
- Decide up front whether past customers should be able to download from Filemonk, or whether Filemonk only handles orders from today onwards. The rest of this guide follows from that.
Set it up
1. Rebuild your catalogue in Filemonk
- Upload your files to the Content library. See Upload files.
- Link them to your Shopify products. See Create a digital product.
If you sell many products, do this in bulk from a CSV rather than one at a time. See Bulk add digital products and files.
2. Decide what happens to past orders
| Choice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Filemonk handles new orders only | Set a cutoff so older orders are skipped. See Ignore orders before a date or order number. |
| Past customers should download from Filemonk too | Import those orders. See Process orders placed before you installed Filemonk. |
Both live under Settings, on the Orders tab.
3. Import quietly, if you are importing
When you import past orders, Filemonk asks whether to email those customers. Tick Suppress emails to customers for imported orders unless you actually want everyone who ever bought from you to receive a fresh download email. Leaving it unticked emails the lot.
4. Test before you switch over
Place a test order and follow it all the way to the downloaded file. See Create a test order.
5. Remove the old app
Once your test passes, uninstall the old app. If it added a download button or block to your theme, remove that too, so customers don't see two.
Check your setup
Confirm all three before calling it done:
- A test order delivers the right file.
- Your product list in Filemonk matches what you actually sell, with no products left unlinked.
- If you imported past orders, spot-check a few under Orders and confirm they carry the right files.
Troubleshooting
Customers got an unexpected download email during the move
An import ran without emails suppressed. Emails already sent can't be recalled. Tell affected customers the links are valid, and tick the suppress option on any further import.
Old download links stopped working
Those links belonged to the old app and stop working when it goes. Customers need a Filemonk link instead, which means their order must exist in Filemonk. Import the order, then send them the email.
Imported orders show no files
Import matches orders to products that exist in Filemonk. If an order's product had no files linked at import time, there is nothing to attach. Link the files, then re-sync the order. See Troubleshoot a single order.
Customers see two download buttons at checkout
The old app's theme block is still in place. Remove it in your Shopify theme editor.
Some old orders came through when I wanted them skipped
The cutoff was set after those orders were already processed. A cutoff only prevents future processing, it does not undo what happened. Disable access on the individual orders. See Disable access to downloads for any order.
FAQ
Can Filemonk import my files from the other app?
No. Files are uploaded fresh. Only order history can be brought across, by matching Shopify orders to your Filemonk products.
Will my customers notice the switch?
New customers won't. Past customers will, if their old links stop working and they come back for another download. Importing their orders and sending fresh links avoids that.
Should I run both apps at once for a while?
Briefly, yes, while you test. Keep the old app's emails and buttons switched off during the overlap so customers don't get two of everything.
How far back should I import?
As far back as customers realistically re-download. For most stores a year is plenty. Every imported order counts towards your plan's order usage, so importing years of history has a cost.
What about licence keys from my old app?
Upload them to Filemonk as a CSV and assign them to the right products. Keys already issued to customers stay valid, since they are just values you gave out. See Add licence keys.
Related guides
- Get started with Filemonk, the core setup this builds on.
- Import orders, to bring order history across.
- Ignore orders before a date or order number, to draw a line under the old app.
- Bulk add digital products and files, for large catalogues.
