Hey @ligaya,
Hope this finds you well! You’re absolutely right that Shopify Flow doesn’t have a direct way to track the draft order creator once it’s converted to a regular order. The good news is there are several workarounds that can solve this for you!
The Best Solution: Use Metafields with Shopify Flow
Since you mentioned tags are being removed when draft orders get updated, metafields are going to be your most reliable option. Shopify Flow can update draft order metafields, and these are much more persistent than tags during the conversion process.
Here’s exactly how to set this up:
Step 1: Create a Draft Order Flow
- Trigger: “Draft order created”
- Action: “Update draft order metafield”
- Metafield details:
- Namespace:
staff_info
- Key:
creator_name
- Value: Use liquid to capture the staff member info
Step 2: Create an Order Conversion Flow
- Trigger: “Order created”
- Condition: Check if order source is “shopify_draft_order”
- Action: “Add row to Google Sheet” with:
- Order Number:
{{order.name}}
- Draft Creator: Pull from the metafield you created
- Order Converter: Staff member who processed the payment
Alternative Option: The Mechanic App
If Flow doesn’t give you the flexibility you need, there’s actually a specific Mechanic task called “Auto-tag draft orders by originating staff member” that automatically tags each draft order with the name of the store staff member who created it. This might be more reliable than Flow for this specific use case.
Why Your Current Approach Isn’t Working
The tag removal you’re experiencing happens because Shopify automatically processes and updates draft orders during conversion, which can strip custom tags. It’s not something you’re doing wrong - it’s just how the system works, unfortunately.
My Recommendation
Start with the metafield solution since it should work immediately and doesn’t require any additional apps. If you find you need more advanced tracking down the road, we can always explore custom app development or other solutions.
Let me know if you need help setting up those specific Flow steps - I’m happy to walk through the exact configuration!
Best regards,
Shubham | Untechnickle
P.S. - Once you get this set up, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. The ability to track the full order lifecycle is such a game-changer for accountability and customer service!
I think there’s some gotcha’s with what “completed” means and when the staffmember order field actually populates.