Adding tags to orders automatically

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A Shopify store owner needs to automatically tag orders when their shipping partner adds a specific note indicating a return. The shipping partner manually adds notes like “This shipment has been returned” to orders in the Shopify panel, and the goal is to automatically apply an “RTO” (Return to Origin) tag when such notes appear.

Suggested Solutions:

  • Use Shopify Flow (native automation tool)
  • Install third-party apps:
    • SC Order Tags & Flows
    • TagRobot
    • Order Automator

Recommended Workflow (using Order Automator):

  1. Create a rule: “If order notes contains ‘This shipment has been Returned’”
  2. Set action: Add “RTO” tag (optional: send staff notification email)
  3. Configure trigger: Activate when order is updated

The app offers customization if standard options don’t fit the specific workflow. The discussion remains open with no confirmation of which solution was implemented.

Summarized with AI on October 30. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi There,

In our shopify panel in the orders section our shipping partner adds notes for the orders that are getting returned (as shown in the below screenshot)

biocule_1-1743425921729.png
biocule_1-1743425921729.png831×589 24.4 KB

Now we want to add tags automatically to the orders where such note (as mentioned in the screenshot above) is added by the shipping partner

It would be like checking the order if there is a note - “This shipment has been returned” on the order then add a RTO tag automatically to the same order.

Can someone please suggest on how can this be done?

Thanks

1 Like
2

@biocule

You can use Shopify Flow or third party apps like SC Order Tags & Flows or TagRobot.

3

Here’s how people do this with use Order Automator:

  1. Create a rule to identify the data in the order, in your example it would be: If order notes contains “This shipment has been Returned”

  2. Create an action for that rule, in your case add a tag called RTO (you can optionally have it send an email to staff)

  3. Set the action on that rule to trigger when the order is updated

The app is also customizable, so if the exact options don’t suit your workflow just reach out to get it customized.

4

You can get part of the way there with Shopify Flow, but one limitation to be aware of is that Flow doesn’t reliably trigger when order notes are added or changed after the order is created.

For cases like returns / RTO status that are added later by a shipping partner, merchants usually need something that:

  • Re-checks orders when they change

  • Applies tags when a condition becomes true (e.g. a return note appears)

  • Removes or updates tags if the status changes again

One way this is handled is with a rule-based tagging app that continuously evaluates orders rather than relying on a single “order created” trigger.

For example, AutoTag Pro lets you define rules that watch for order attributes or text changes and keep tags in sync automatically, which works better for return flows that happen after fulfilment.

That avoids having to manually re-tag orders or rebuild flows each time the process changes.

5

Hi @biocule

No need for manually handling each order on Shopify in your fulfillment center. Thanks to Shopify Flow, if you’re on Shopify Plus (or an app with a similar function, such as Shopify Flow alternatives within the Shopify App Store), you can automate address verification among many other tasks. Create a trigger on order update, add a condition to check if the order note contains “This shipment has been returned," and add an RTO tag.

If you’re not on Plus, a simple solution is to use apps like Mechanic or Shop Workflow Automations to “watch” order notes and add tags when they match conditions. This keeps everything hands-free, and it prevents manual revisions.

6

Hi @biocule
You can try this code by following these steps:

  1. Open Shopify Flow Go to Shopify Admin → Apps and sales channels → Find/Install Shopify Flow → Click Open.

  2. Create a New Workflow Click Create workflow → Select Custom workflow → Name it (e.g., “Auto-Tag RTO Orders”).

  3. Set the Trigger Add the “Order updated” trigger from the left sidebar (triggers when order notes are modified).

  4. Add Note-Checking Condition Click the + below the trigger → Select Condition → Configure as follows:

  • Left value: Order → Notes
  • Operator: Contains
  • Right value: This shipment has been returned (Optional: Enable case insensitivity to match notes with different capitalization)

  1. Add Tagging Action Click the + below the condition → Select Action → Choose Add tags to order → Enter tag: RTO → Keep Append tags enabled (to avoid overwriting existing tags).

  2. (Optional) Prevent Duplicate Tags Add an extra condition between the note check and tagging action:

  • Left value: Order → Tags
  • Operator: Does not contain
  • Right value: RTO
  1. Activate the Workflow Toggle the Enable workflow switch → Click Save.