Edit the order and shipping confirmation emails in Shopify
Two emails do most of the talking after a sale: the order confirmation, sent when the order is placed, and the shipping confirmation, sent when it ships. This tutorial edits both templates so each one links the customer to their order status page, using one example order worth $126.13.
Written · Shopify admin, desktop steps · 6 minutes read
The worked example
| Templates edited | Order confirmation, Shipping confirmation |
| Example order subtotal | $101.00 |
| Shipping | $12.00 |
| Tax at 13% | $13.13 |
| Example order total | $126.13 |
| Order status link | {{ order_status_url }} |
Download the record: order-email-example.csv (72 bytes).
An order example for the two templates. The subtotal is 2 tees at $28.00 plus 1 hoodie at $45.00, and the total is $126.13.
1Open Notifications
From your Shopify admin, go to Settings then Notifications. The Email templates section lists the templates, including Order confirmation, Shipping confirmation and Shipping update.
2Check whether the template is customized
Click the Order confirmation email template. If you have customized an email template, there is a Revert to default button at the bottom of the template page. Repeat these steps for the Shipping confirmation and Shipping update templates.
3Edit the Order confirmation template
Click the template to open it in the online editor. Change the greeting and the wording to fit your brand, and leave the Liquid variables that print the order number, the line items and the totals in place, so the email still shows the right order.
4Add the order status link
If you use Shopify default templates, your email templates automatically include a link to your customer order status page. If you customized the template, add the link yourself: find the shipping status block and replace it with the line Track the status of your order: {{ order_status_url }}.
5Edit the Shipping confirmation template
Open the Shipping confirmation template and make the same change. Add tracking numbers to your orders, and the order status link is emailed to your customer automatically when you update orders with tracking numbers.
6Test with a test order
After setting up your order status emails, test your checkout experience by placing a test order. Use your own email when checking out, then fulfil the order and add a tracking number to it, and check both emails when they arrive.
The arithmetic
| Line | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Trail Crew Tees at $28.00, 1 Summit Hoodie at $45.00 | $101.00 | $101.00 |
| Shipping | $12.00 | $113.00 |
| Tax at 13% | $13.13 | $126.13 |
| Total | $126.13 | $126.13 |
The subtotal is 2 times $28.00 plus $45.00, which is $101.00. Tax is 13% of $101.00, which is $13.13, and the total is $101.00 plus $12.00 plus $13.13, which is $126.13.
Held at the counter
Revert to default erases all customizations. Clicking Revert to default puts the template back to the Shopify default and wipes every other change you made to it. Copy your wording out first if you want to keep any of it.
A customized template does not get the order status link automatically. Shopify can only add the link to the default templates. When you customize the Order confirmation, Shipping confirmation or Shipping update template, you must add the order status link yourself.
Copy the order status code exactly. The only requirement is to copy and paste the {{ order_status_url }} code exactly as it appears. A typo in the code means the link prints as plain text instead of a link.
Sources
- Setting up order status updates — Shopify's help pages: the three email templates, the Revert to default check, the order status link code, and the test order steps.