When Shopify is connected with Fostr, your store data becomes an active part of day‑to‑day operations. The integration brings in sales activity, product details, and order records, keeping them available for analysis and decision support inside the platform. This section outlines the types of commerce data ingested, how often information is refreshed, and the way Fostr incorporates Shopify insights into Actions, Records, and operational workflows.

Sync Timing and Update Behavior

Fostr keeps your Shopify connection aligned with the latest store activity through a mix of timed refreshes and workflow‑driven lookups. Routine syncs capture ongoing sales and product updates, while certain actions in Fostr can request a fresh pull when context is needed immediately.

Core behaviors include:

• Scheduled refresh cycles that update order statuses, product catalog details, and basic revenue metrics
• Adjustable cadence at the workspace level so high‑volume merchants can tighten sync windows and lower‑volume shops can conserve requests
• Polling forms the backbone of updates, with workflow‑triggered checks adding near real‑time access on demand
• Automated credential checking ensures tokens remain valid; if they expire or are revoked, administrators are alerted with resolution instructions

Note: Because this integration is built around polling rather than live webhooks, the design aims to balance freshness of data with efficient consumption of Shopify’s API capacity.

Data Scope and Ingestion Rules

The Shopify connector focuses on information that supports operations rather than ingesting every object available.

Orders form the backbone of the sync. Each pull includes identifiers, statuses, associated customers, and line items, along with timestamps that record when a transaction was opened or updated. Fulfillment state and shop metadata are also included so teams can view the progress of an order from entry through delivery.

Product information can also be brought into Fostr if enabled. That data may include variants, SKUs, pricing, and inventory counts. Refunds and returns can be added when required for financial or customer support workflows.

More sensitive payment details and customer personal identifiers are excluded by default to maintain security. Archived or canceled orders are not included unless a customer explicitly wants them attached to reporting or operational history. During the setup phase, teams may request a controlled backfill so that a slice of historical data enters the system alongside the live sync.

Key examples of data handling include:

• Always syncs core order data (IDs, status, line items, timestamps)
• Optionally ingests product catalog elements such as variants, SKUs, and inventory levels
• Refund and return activity available if desired for finance and support use cases
• Sensitive payment and PII fields excluded for security
• Archive and cancellation data ignored by default unless requested

Data Handling and Security

Shopify remains the ultimate record keeper. Fostr provides a structured view that makes this data usable inside workflows while maintaining security and respecting permissions.