How it works

Follow these 6 simple steps to start automatically sending digital download links after purchase

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Order Created

This trigger captures new orders the instant they're placed, enabling immediate digital product delivery that meets customer expectations for instant access to purchased downloads.
When an order is created in Shopify, this trigger activates the workflow and captures the complete order including {{shopify.id}}, {{shopify.email}}, {{shopify.name}}, {{shopify.customer.first_name}}, and the {{shopify.line_items[]}} array which contains all products with their fulfillment services. The workflow runs for every new order placed in your store.
Time to complete: Auto-configured (0 minutes)

Loop

Processes each product in the order individually, enabling selective handling that only sends download emails for digital products while leaving physical items for normal fulfillment processing.
This loop step iterates through each item in the {{shopify.line_items[]}} array. For every line item, the loop executes the subsequent fulfillment service check and email steps using {{loop.id}}, {{loop.fulfillment_service}}, and other line item properties. This granular approach allows orders with both digital and physical products to be handled differently based on fulfillment service.
Time to complete: Auto-configured (0 minutes)

Filter (Digital Download Check)

Acts as the decision gate that identifies digital download products by their fulfillment service, ensuring only true digital products receive instant email delivery rather than physical products that need shipping.
This filter checks if {{loop.fulfillment_service}} equals "digital-download". If true (the product is configured as a digital download), the workflow proceeds to fulfill the item and send the download email. If false (it's a physical product or uses a different fulfillment service), the workflow skips that line item and moves to the next one in the loop. Critical setup requirement: You must configure each digital download product in Shopify to use "digital-download" as its fulfillment service. To set this, edit the product in Shopify admin, scroll to Shipping, uncheck "This is a physical product," and set Fulfillment service to "Manual" with "digital-download" as the identifier.
Time to complete: 5 minutes

Create Order Fulfillment

Marks the digital line item as fulfilled in Shopify, updating the order status without sending Shopify's standard fulfillment notification since the custom download email provides better instructions.
This step creates a fulfillment for the digital download line item using {{shopify.id}} as the order ID and {{loop.id}} as the line item ID. The notify_customer parameter is set to "false" to suppress Shopify's default fulfillment email, since the workflow sends a custom email in the next step with download link instructions. The fulfillment is created for only the specific digital line item, so mixed orders with physical products will be partially fulfilled.
Time to complete: Auto-configured (0 minutes)

Retrieve Shop

Fetches your store name to personalize the download email, making the communication feel authentic and branded rather than generic or automated.
This step retrieves your Shopify store information, specifically {{shopify_2.name}}, which contains your store's name as configured in Shopify settings. This store name is used in the email signature to personalize the download message and maintain consistent brand messaging.
Time to complete: Auto-configured (0 minutes)
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Send Email

Delivers the download link and access instructions directly to the customer's email, providing immediate access to their purchased digital product with clear, branded communication.
This step sends an email to {{shopify.email}} with a customizable subject and message. The default message includes a personalized greeting using {{shopify.customer.first_name}}, references the order number {{shopify.name}}, states the download is ready, and signs off with {{shopify_2.name}} (your store name). Critical customization required: You must edit this email template to include your actual download link. The default template says "Your order is ready for download at this link:" but doesn't include the actual URL—you need to insert your download link location, whether that's a specific URL, a link to a customer portal, or dynamic links based on the product.
Time to complete: 5 minutes

Make it your own

Customize this workflow even further:

Generate unique download links per order
Add a step before the email that creates unique, expiring download URLs using a service like AWS S3 signed URLs or your file hosting platform's API, then include that unique URL in the email for better security.
Include product-specific instructions
Modify the email to check {{loop.title}} or {{loop.sku}} and include different download instructions, license keys, or access information for different digital products in your catalog.
Add download tracking
Include tracking pixels or UTM parameters in download links to monitor click rates and download completion, helping identify customers who may need assistance accessing their purchases.
Send multiple download emails for bundled products
If orders contain multiple digital products, modify the email step to list all download links in one consolidated email rather than sending separate emails for each digital item.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up products as digital downloads in Shopify?
Edit each digital product in Shopify admin, scroll to the Shipping section, uncheck "This is a physical product," and set the fulfillment service. You'll need to manually enter "digital-download" as the fulfillment service identifier to match what the workflow filter checks for.
Can I send different download links for different products?
Yes, modify the email step to use conditional logic that checks {{loop.sku}} or {{loop.title}} and includes different download URLs based on which product was purchased. This allows each digital product to have its own unique download location.
What happens if an order contains both digital and physical products?
The workflow will fulfill only the digital download items and send the download email for those. Physical products remain unfulfilled and require normal fulfillment processing. The order will show as "partially fulfilled" until the physical items are shipped.
What is a template?
Templates are pre-made workflows by our team of experts. Instead of building a workflow from scratch, these have all the steps needed to complete the task.
Can I personalize a template?
Yes! Every step can be customized to meet your exact requirements. Additionally, you can even add more steps and make it more sophisticated.
Are templates free?
Yes! Our entire library containing hundreds of templates are free to use and customize to your exact needs.

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