Shopify Draft Orders 2026: Setup, Edit & Convert Guide

A Shopify draft order is an order proposal that a merchant can prepare in Admin with products, custom pricing, and discounts, then send to a customer to pay. It is useful for phone orders, wholesale pricing, and other assisted sales. Shopify also lets B2B buyers submit an order for merchant review as a draft when that company location is configured to do so.

Key features: Editable line items, custom prices, discounts, invoice checkout links, and optional inventory reservation.

Table of Contents#

1. What is a Draft Order in Shopify?
2. When to Use Draft Orders
3. How to Create a Draft Order
4. Draft Orders vs Regular Orders
5. Where to Find Draft Orders in Shopify
6. How to Edit Draft Orders
7. Converting Draft Orders to Orders
8. Common Draft Order Use Cases
9. Draft Order Limitations
10. FAQ

What is a Draft Order in Shopify?#

A draft order is an unpaid order that you create manually in your Shopify admin. Think of it as a “shopping cart” you build for a customer on the backend, which they can then pay for later.

Key Characteristics:#

• Prepared by merchants or apps; eligible B2B buyers can submit checkout as a draft for review
• Not paid until converted to a regular order
• Fully editable (add items, change prices, apply discounts)
• Can be sent to customers via email with a payment link
• Do not reserve inventory by default; you can reserve tracked inventory on a draft order when needed

Simple Example:#

Imagine a customer calls you asking for a custom order with 3 specific items plus a discount. Instead of having them add items to their cart online, you:

1. Create a draft order with those 3 items
2. Apply the discount you promised
3. Send them an invoice/payment link
4. They pay → Draft order becomes a regular order

Draft order features to know#

Shopify’s current draft-order tools include:

• Price locking: Lock product prices so they don’t change even if catalog prices fluctuate
• Product bundles: You can add supported product bundles to a draft order; check the bundle’s configuration before sending the invoice
• Checkout customizations: App extensions and customizations now apply to draft orders
• B2B vaulted-card payment: Eligible B2B draft orders can be paid manually with a vaulted card from the payment section
• Auto-deletion: Draft orders created on or after April 1, 2025 are automatically deleted after 1 year of inactivity

When to Use Draft Orders#

Draft orders are perfect for these scenarios:

1. Phone Orders#

Scenario: Customer calls to place an order

Solution: Create draft order while on the phone, send payment link

Benefits:#

• No need for customer to navigate your website
• You control the order details
• Faster checkout for customer

2. Custom Pricing#

Scenario: Wholesale customer gets 20% off

Solution: Create draft order with custom pricing

Example:#

• Regular price: $100
• Wholesale price: $80
• Create draft order → Edit price to $80 → Send invoice

3. Manual Discounts#

Scenario: Customer has a unique discount code issue

Solution: Create draft order with manual discount applied

Why use draft orders:#

• Apply discounts that don’t exist in your system
• Combine multiple discounts
• Override discount code limitations

4. Abandoned Cart Recovery#

Scenario: Customer abandoned cart, you want to help them complete purchase

Solution: Create draft order from abandoned cart

Process:#

1. Review the abandoned checkout’s customer and requested products.
2. If an appropriate recovery action isn’t available, prepare a new draft manually with those details.
3. Send the draft’s invoice checkout link and explain any revised pricing.
4. Confirm payment and conversion to an order before fulfillment.

5. In-Person Sales#

Scenario: Pop-up shop or trade show sales

Solution: Create draft orders on the spot

Benefits:#

• Customer doesn’t need to be on your website
• Collect payment later if needed
• Track all sales in Shopify

6. Custom Bundles#

Scenario: Customer wants items not available as a bundle

Solution: Create draft order with custom bundle pricing

Example:#

• Item A: $50
• Item B: $60
• Item C: $40
• Bundle deal: $120 (instead of $150)
• Create draft order → Edit total to $120

7. Order Editing#

Scenario: Customer wants to add items to existing order

Solution: If the original order can’t be edited, create a separate draft for the added items and invoice that purchase.

Note: A supplementary draft does not modify or merge into the original order. Use the existing order’s editor when eligible, or an app for enabled customer changes. See our Shopify Order Management 2026: The Plus Operator Playbook and Edit Shopify Orders After Checkout: 4 Ways That Work (2026).

How to Create a Draft Order (Step-by-Step)#

Follow these steps to create a Shopify draft order:

Step 1: Navigate to Draft Orders#

1. Log into Shopify admin
2. Click Orders in left sidebar
3. Open Orders → Drafts and click Create order

Alternative route: Some Shopify admin versions have Draft orders as a separate menu item under Orders

Step 2: Click “Create Order”#

1. Click the “Create order” button (top right)
2. Draft order creation page opens

Step 3: Add Customer#

1. In Customer section, click “Find or create customer”
2. Search by name or email
3. Select existing customer OR
4. Click “Create new customer” and enter details

💡 Tip: You can create draft orders without a customer (for walk-in sales), but having a customer makes tracking easier.

Step 4: Add Products#

1. In Products section, click “Browse”
2. Search for products or browse categories
3. Click products to add them
4. Adjust quantities if needed

To add custom items:#

1. Click “Add custom item”
2. Enter item name and price
3. Add to order

Step 5: Apply Discounts (Optional)#

1. In Payment section, click “Add discount”

2. Choose discount type:

   • Percentage (e.g., 20% off)
   • Fixed amount (e.g., $10 off)

3. Review eligible existing codes or automatic discounts if needed; shipping discount codes aren’t supported on drafts.

4. Enter the custom discount value or select the eligible promotion.

5. Add the reason or note for your records.

Step 6: Adjust Taxes and Shipping#

Taxes:#

• Auto-calculated based on customer address
• Can override by unchecking “Charge taxes”

Shipping:#

1. Enter shipping address (if different from billing)
2. Select shipping method
3. Shopify calculates shipping cost
4. Can add custom shipping cost

Step 7: Add Tags and Notes (Optional)#

Tags: Add tags for organization

• Examples: “phone-order”, “wholesale”, “custom-pricing”
• Note: Draft orders have a limit of 250 tags

Notes: Add internal notes

• Won’t be visible to customer
• Useful for tracking special instructions

Step 8: Lock prices#

Price locking: If you want to guarantee prices won’t change even if your catalog prices update:

1. Toggle “Lock prices” option when creating the draft
2. Prices remain fixed regardless of catalog changes
3. Useful for quotes that need to stay valid for weeks/months

Step 9: Save Draft Order#

1. Click “Save” (top right)
2. Draft order is created but not yet sent to customer

Step 10: Send Invoice to Customer#

After saving, you have options:

Option A: Email Invoice#

1. Click “Send invoice”
2. Customize email message
3. Click “Review invoice” → “Send invoice”
4. Customer receives email with payment link

Option B: Share Payment Link#

1. Click “Share link”
2. Copy the payment link
3. Share via text, chat, or other channel

Option C: Accept Payment in Person#

1. Click “Collect payment”
2. Select payment method
3. Process payment on the spot
4. Draft order converts to regular order

Draft Orders vs Regular Orders#

Key Difference: Flexibility#

Draft orders can be adjusted before they become orders. Placed orders have a separate editing workflow in Shopify Admin, with eligibility and feature limits.

Where Are Draft Orders in Shopify?#

Desktop Admin:#

Method 1:#

1. Click Orders (left sidebar)
2. Click Drafts tab (top of page)

Method 2:#

1. Some Shopify versions have Draft orders as separate menu item under Orders

Mobile Admin (Shopify App):#

1. Open Shopify app
2. Tap Orders (bottom navigation)
3. Tap Drafts filter (top)

Finding Specific Draft Orders:#

Search by:#

• Customer name
• Order number
• Email address
• Tags

Filter by:#

• Date created
• Status (Open, Invoice sent, Completed)
• Tags to search

How to Edit Draft Orders#

One of the best features of draft orders: they’re fully editable until paid.

What You Can Edit:#

• ✔️ Products: Add, remove, or change quantities
• ✔️ Prices: Adjust item prices or total
• ✔️ Discounts: Add, remove, or modify discounts
• ✔️ Shipping: Change address or shipping method
• ✔️ Taxes: Override tax calculations
• ✔️ Customer: Change or add customer information
• ✔️ Custom items: Add one-off items not in your catalog
• ✔️ Price lock: Toggle price locking on/off

How to Edit:#

1. Go to Orders → Drafts
2. Click on the draft order
3. Click “Edit” or click directly on sections to modify
4. Make your changes
5. Click “Save”

💡 Pro Tip: If the customer already received the invoice, send them an updated invoice after editing.

Converting Draft Orders to Orders#

Draft orders become regular orders when payment is received.

Method 1: Customer Pays via Link#

1. Customer clicks payment link in email
2. Enters payment information
3. Completes payment
4. Draft order automatically converts to regular order

Status progression: Draft → Invoice sent → Paid → Order created

Method 2: Collect Payment in Person#

1. Open draft order in admin

2. Click “Collect payment”

3. Select payment method:

   • Cash
   • Credit card (requires card reader)
   • Other

4. Click “Mark as paid”

5. Draft order converts to order immediately

Method 3: Mark as Paid (Manual)#

Use this when: Customer paid outside Shopify (bank transfer, check, etc.)

1. Open draft order
2. Click “Mark as paid”
3. Select payment method
4. Add note about payment details
5. Click “Mark as paid”

⚠️ Warning: This doesn’t actually charge the customer. Only use when you’ve already received payment externally.

Method 4: Charge a Vaulted Card on a B2B Draft Order#

For an eligible B2B draft order with a vaulted card, open Orders → Drafts, select the draft, then use Collect payment in the payment section. Select the saved card and click Charge. Review the current Shopify guidance and order terms before processing the payment.

Common Draft Order Use Cases#

Use Case 1: Wholesale Orders#

Problem: Wholesale customers need special pricing

Solution: Create draft orders with wholesale prices

Process:#

1. Receive wholesale order via email/phone
2. Create draft order in Shopify
3. Apply wholesale discount (20-50% off)
4. Send invoice
5. Customer pays net-30 or net-60 terms

Use Case 2: Trade Show Sales#

Problem: Selling at events without reliable internet

Solution: Create draft orders offline, send invoices later

Process:#

1. Take orders at booth (write down or use form)
2. Create draft orders in Shopify when back online
3. Send payment links to customers
4. Ship once paid

Use Case 3: Social Media Sales#

Problem: Customer DMs you wanting to buy

Solution: Create draft order, send payment link via DM

Process:#

1. Customer messages: “I want product X and Y”
2. You create draft order
3. Copy payment link
4. Send link via Instagram/Facebook DM
5. Customer pays, you ship

Use Case 4: Subscription Box Variations#

Problem: Customer wants custom subscription box contents

Solution: Create draft order with their custom selection

Process:#

1. Customer emails custom preferences
2. You create draft order with those specific items
3. Apply subscription discount
4. Set up recurring draft orders (manually or with app)
5. Send monthly invoices

Use Case 5: Emergency Order Changes#

Problem: Customer just ordered but needs to add items

Solution: Create draft order for additional items

Process:#

1. Customer contacts you: “I need to add 2 more items”
2. You create draft order with those 2 items
3. Invoice the additional purchase as a separate order.
4. Coordinate a combined parcel only if the warehouse can consolidate the shipments; keep both order records accurate.

If the customer needs money returned instead of adding items, see Shopify Partial Refund in 5 Steps (2026 Guide) for the refund workflow.

Alternative: Use an order editing app for self-service changes.

Draft Order Limitations#

1. Discount Rules Have Limits#

You can add an existing eligible code, apply eligible automatic discounts, or set custom order and line-item discounts. Up to five codes can be applied. Shipping and Buy X get Y codes are not supported.

2. Draft Order Inactivity#

Drafts created on or after April 1, 2025 are deleted after one year of inactivity; editing a draft resets the timer. Shopify’s current Help Center does not specify a universal 30-day checkout-link expiry.

3. No Abandoned Cart Recovery#

Limitation: If customer doesn’t pay draft order, it just sits there

Workaround: Follow up manually or use draft order reminder apps

4. Limited Automation#

Limitation: Must create manually for each order

Workaround: Use Shopify Flow or third-party apps for automation

5. Gift Cards at Checkout#

Customers complete an invoice link through Shopify checkout. Gift-card availability follows the store’s checkout and gift-card rules; a gift card is not a manual discount on the draft.

6. Inventory Reservation Is Optional#

Inventory is not reserved by default, but you can reserve tracked items on a draft order and set when the reservation expires.

7. Auto-Deletion After 1 Year for Drafts Created on or After April 1, 2025#

Limitation: Draft orders created on or after April 1, 2025 are deleted after one year of inactivity. Editing a draft resets its inactivity timer. Review Shopify’s current draft-order guidance for details.

FAQ: Shopify Draft Orders#

What are draft orders in Shopify?#

Draft orders are unpaid orders that merchants can create in Shopify admin or through the Admin API; Shopify POS Pro can also save carts as drafts. They allow you to build custom orders, apply special pricing, and send payment links to customers.

Where are draft orders in Shopify?#

Draft orders are located under Orders → Drafts in your Shopify admin. Click “Orders” in the left sidebar, then click the “Drafts” tab at the top.

Can customers create draft orders?#

Customers can’t create a manual draft order in Admin. A B2B buyer can submit an order for review as a draft if the company location is configured for that workflow. Merchants can also create a draft order for a customer.

Do draft orders reduce inventory?#

Not by default. You can reserve tracked inventory on a draft order; reserved units are committed and unavailable to other customers until the reservation expires. Without a reservation, the items remain available for purchase.

How long do draft orders last?#

Draft orders created on or after April 1, 2025 are automatically deleted after one year of inactivity; an edit resets the timer. Shopify’s current Help Center does not state a universal 30-day expiry for draft-order payment links. If a link no longer works, send a new invoice from the draft order.

Can I edit a draft order after sending it?#

Yes! Draft orders can be edited at any time before payment. After editing, send an updated invoice to the customer with the new details.

What happens when a draft order is paid?#

When a customer completes payment, the draft order becomes an order and appears in the Orders list. Review its payment and fulfillment status in Shopify Admin.

Can I import draft orders into Shopify?#

Shopify Admin lets you create draft orders one at a time, and the Admin API can create them programmatically. For a bulk migration, use an app that supports draft orders or build an Admin API import; Shopify’s Help Center does not document a native CSV importer for draft orders.

Can I automate draft orders?#

Yes, through an app or the Admin API. Shopify Flow can trigger workflows from a draft-order event and run supported follow-up actions, but it does not have a native action to create a draft order. For event-driven creation, use an app or a workflow that calls the Admin API, and verify the mutation and permissions in your implementation.

What’s the difference between a draft order and an abandoned checkout?#

A draft order is prepared by a merchant or app, or submitted for review by an eligible B2B buyer. It can be edited before conversion and sent as an invoice checkout link. An abandoned checkout is a customer-started checkout that wasn’t completed; Shopify manages it through separate recovery tools. Drafts created on or after April 1, 2025 are deleted after a year of inactivity, which is different from any checkout-recovery or payment-link behavior.

Can I create a draft order from an abandoned cart?#

Shopify’s current abandoned-checkout and draft-order workflows are separate. Use an abandoned-checkout action in your admin if it appears for the checkout; otherwise create a draft order from Orders → Drafts and add the customer and products manually. Check the current Help Center for the exact options available in your store.

Can draft orders use discount codes?#

Yes. Draft orders can use eligible existing discount codes, eligible automatic discounts, or custom discounts. Shopify limits a draft order to five discount codes, and shipping and buy-X-get-Y discounts aren’t supported. Customers can add discount codes during checkout only when that option is enabled for the draft order.

What is price locking in draft orders?#

Price locking keeps the draft order’s product prices fixed if catalog prices change. Check the order details and current Shopify instructions when creating a quote; avoid treating it as a new 2025 feature.

Final Thoughts#

Draft orders in Shopify are a powerful tool for creating custom orders, applying special pricing, and providing flexible payment options. They’re perfect for:

• Phone orders
• Wholesale customers
• Custom pricing
• In-person sales
• Order modifications

The key benefits:

1. ✔️ Fully editable until paid
2. ✔️ Custom pricing and discounts
3. ✔️ Send payment links via email
4. ✔️ Inventory can be reserved on a draft order; otherwise it is not committed until conversion
5. ✔️ Great for special orders
6. ✔️ Locked prices can preserve quoted product prices
7. ✔️ Supported product bundles can be added to draft orders

For stores handling many custom orders or order changes, consider using an order management app to streamline the process further. Apps may support specific draft-order workflows. Check each app’s documentation before assuming it creates drafts, edits placed orders, or integrates with a particular workflow.

Revize provides customer self-service for eligible post-purchase order edits before fulfillment, through an order-status-page portal or a link in the confirmation email. Product switching and add-on products require Revize Pro. Staff-side editing is in development. This is separate from Shopify’s draft-order workflow.

Last updated: October 14, 2026

Related reading: Shopify Order Editing Statistics (2026) · How to Let Customers Edit Their Own Orders on Shopify (2026)