Adjust an order's paid total

Retired Boards Appdev Graphql Basics And Troubleshooting

Topic summary

Main issue: When a return is requested, an app (using Shopify REST API) creates a new order and needs to mirror any discounts from the original order so store totals aren’t inflated.

Constraints:

  • The new order must have a custom name to link it to the original. Draft orders are unsuitable because they don’t allow setting a custom order name.
  • Attempted via GraphQL API: discounts can only be applied when adding new items during order creation. This would require replacing items, which isn’t acceptable.

Key question:

  • Is there a way to apply a negative adjustment—such as an additional fee or other negative value—to reduce the paid total on the newly created order without using draft orders or modifying line items?

Status:

  • No solution presented yet. The post is seeking an approach within Shopify APIs to adjust the paid total post-creation while preserving a custom order name and existing items.
Summarized with AI on February 18. AI used: gpt-5.
1

Hey Community! I need some help.

I am working with an app that uses Shopify’s REST API. The app creates a new order once a return has been requested. If there is any discount in the original order, I need to reflect it on the new order to avoid inflation on the store’s totals.

The new order needs a custom name to relate it to the old order, so I can’t add a discount with a draft order since it does not allow to set a custom name for it. I tried using the GraphQL API to add the discount, but it is only possible when I create new items on an order and that will only work for me if I could replace the old items, which is not an option.

Is there any way to add an additional fee or any other negative value in order to adjust a paid total of my new order?