Key Takeaways
Shopify report automation delivers timely, useful data without manual exports.
Built-in scheduling tools are available for Advanced and Plus users.
Third-party apps like Report Pundit and Better Reports offer far more control.
Automate your most critical reports first — think sales, stock, returns.
Workflow tools like Zapier and Looker Studio take reporting to the next level.
Fix common automation issues by adjusting filters, formats, and sync times.
Choose tools that match your store’s size and goals — not what looks fancy.
What Is Shopify Report Automation?
Shopify report automation is the process of scheduling reports — like sales, inventory, or customer data — to be generated and sent to you automatically, without logging in manually each time.
Instead of exporting a CSV at 8:00 am every Monday while half-asleep and hunting for your revenue data, you get a clean report in your inbox, Slack, or Google Drive — already filtered, formatted, and ready to go.
This isn’t just a time-saver. It’s how real operations scale: marketing sees yesterday’s ad performance before breakfast, fulfilment knows what to restock, and finance has what they need by month-end — no nudging.
How to Automate Shopify Reports (Step-by-Step)
Automating reports on Shopify depends on what version of Shopify you’re using (Basic, Advanced, Plus) and how deep you want to go.
Step 1: Decide what reports matter
Start with what you or your team check daily, weekly, or monthly:
Sales by product or channel
Inventory levels
Abandoned checkouts
Discount performance
Refunds or returns
Step 2: Use Shopify’s built-in automation
If you’re on Shopify Advanced or Shopify Plus, you can schedule standard reports:
Go to Analytics > Reports
Open the report you want (e.g. "Sales over time")
Click ‘Schedule’
Choose frequency (daily, weekly, monthly), format (CSV or PDF), and recipient(s)
Step 3: Set up third-party apps
For more complex automations or integrations with Sheets, Slack, email, etc., apps like Report Pundit, Better Reports, or EZ Exporter give you granular control (we’ll compare these below).
Step 4: Test it, refine it, forget it
Make sure your scheduled reports are arriving in the right place and format. Then let the machine handle it.
Best Apps to Automate Shopify Reports (Top 5 Compared)
You’ll outgrow manual exports long before you outgrow Shopify. These apps give you serious reporting power — from simple email schedules to full-blown data workflows.
| App | Best For | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|
| Report Pundit | Advanced filters & custom logic | Google Sheets, pivot tables, live charts |
| Better Reports | Teams & financial reporting | Great templates, permissions, multi-store |
| EZ Exporter | Raw data exports to apps | JSON, CSV, FTP, API integrations |
| Data Export IO | Simpler exports, good support | Email scheduling, Slack, Sheets |
| Supermetrics | Marketers using Looker/Data Studio | Google Data Studio, BigQuery, FB Ads data |
💡Pro tip: If you’re using Shopify Plus and run multiple stores, Better Reports is a beast. For raw control and crazy flexibility, EZ Exporter wins.
*Better Reports
Essential Shopify Reports You Should Automate Immediately
Automate the reports that save the most time or reduce risk.
| Report | Why Automate It |
|---|---|
| Sales by product/channel | Align marketing and inventory planning |
| Inventory low stock alerts | Prevent sell-outs, automate restock triggers |
| Abandoned checkout data | Feed into recovery campaigns |
| Returns/refunds summary | Spot costly product or fulfilment issues |
| Discount code usage | Prevent promo abuse, measure effectiveness |
| Customer cohort performance | Measure LTV and repeat purchase behaviour |
Even if you don’t act on these daily, they provide a heartbeat of your store’s health.
Advanced Shopify Report Automation Workflows
Basic report scheduling is nice. But the real magic happens when you start weaving Shopify data into your broader workflow stack.
Zapier + Shopify Reports
Trigger Slack messages when a product hits low stock. Or send Google Sheets data to your accountant every Friday without a single click.
Example:
New paid order in Shopify → Zapier adds line item to Google Sheet → Email summary sent to Ops every day at 5 pm
Looker Studio Dashboards (ex Google Data Studio)
Pipe Shopify data into real-time dashboards via apps like Supermetrics. Your team can track KPIs without bugging you for weekly updates.
Example:
Daily revenue, ROAS, top products, CAC — all in one auto-updating dashboard
Perfect for C-level or investors who need a quick visual
Multi-store consolidated reporting
If you run separate Shopify stores by country or region, apps like Better Reports let you pull data from all stores into one master report.
No more logging into six dashboards just to figure out your monthly revenue.
Data layering with Airtable or BigQuery
Push Shopify exports into a structured database where you can match it with ad spend, shipping costs, or customer support tags.
Yes, it’s nerdy. But if you’re building a real retail operation, it’s invaluable.
Common Issues With Shopify Automated Reports (and How to Fix Them)
Even automation has its quirks. Here’s what to expect — and how to deal with it.
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Emails not arriving | Spam filters or wrong recipient | Whitelist sender, double-check emails |
| Missing data in reports | Filters too narrow, fields not selected | Adjust filters or columns in app settings |
| Formatting broken in exports | App export format (e.g. CSV vs XLS) | Switch format or open in Sheets/Excel |
| Wrong time zone or currency | Store settings or app defaults | Sync store locale in the app’s preferences |
| Data delays or missing orders | API rate limits or sync lag | Choose apps with live sync or buffer reports |
💡Pro tip: Set report delivery 1–2 hours after your Shopify day ends to give the system time to crunch fresh data.
How to Choose the Right Shopify Report Automation Method
Not every store needs a monster BI stack. Choose your tools based on your actual stage and needs.
| Store Type | Best Automation Approach |
|---|---|
| Starter store | Native Shopify reports (daily or weekly emails) |
| Growing brand | Report Pundit or Better Reports for flexibility |
| Multi-channel retailer | Zapier + Looker Studio + Better Reports |
| Shopify Plus enterprise | API + custom dashboards + team-level access control |
Ask yourself:
Who needs what data — and when?
Are reports for decision-making or documentation?
Do I need visuals, spreadsheets, or raw exports?
This helps you avoid shiny tool syndrome and focus on reports that drive action.
Automate Shopify Reports to Scale Smarter, Not Harder
Automating Shopify reports won’t fix a messy business — but it will shine a bright light on what’s working, what’s failing, and what’s being ignored.
You stop guessing. You see patterns. And you stop wasting time pulling reports manually, just to let them sit in your downloads folder unopened.
So don’t automate for the sake of automating. Automate to surface the right numbers at the right time — and to give your team the power to act on them.
