How to Bulk Import Draft Orders into Shopify
Shopify’s admin doesn’t include a CSV importer for draft orders, so a Shopify draft orders import needs an app or the API. Import apps such as Matrixify and EZ Importer read a spreadsheet, group rows into draft orders, link line items to your products and customers and can even send invoices or complete drafts as part of the import.
Bulk importing drafts saves hours when you take orders by phone, email or spreadsheet, create wholesale quotes or move open orders from another system. Setting up the file correctly decides whether prices, customers and discounts come through as expected.
How to Import Draft Orders Into Shopify
There are four main ways to create many draft orders at once. This comparison shows how they differ:
| Method | How it works | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matrixify | Import an Excel, CSV or Google Sheets file using the Draft Orders template, with options to send invoices or complete drafts | Large or recurring imports with invoices or completion | Paid plans for larger volumes, and column names must match the template |
| EZ Importer | Upload a CSV, map columns to draft order fields and import | Merchants who want to map their own file format | Doesn’t currently create invoices during draft order imports, and uses paid credits |
| Other CSV order importers | Apps such as Order’s Up! CSV Order Importer create orders from CSV templates, with draft or paid status | Simple, repeatable order uploads | Features and pricing vary by app |
| Shopify Admin API | A developer creates drafts with the draft order API | Automated imports from an ERP or custom system | Requires development work |
For a handful of drafts, creating them manually under Orders > Drafts > Create order may be faster. You can also duplicate an existing order or draft, which copies products, custom items, customer details, notes and tags, but not discounts or shipping rates.
When to Import Draft Orders Instead of Orders
Draft orders are orders you create on a customer’s behalf before payment is collected. Import drafts when the order still needs a step from you or the customer, such as payment, approval or editing.
- Wholesale and quotes. Prepare orders for business customers, then send invoices with checkout links or payment terms.
- Phone, email and event orders. Turn orders collected outside your store into drafts you can review before charging.
- Open orders from another system. Bring over unpaid or incomplete orders so you can finish them in Shopify.
- Recurring bulk orders. Load standing orders for regular customers and send invoices in one go.
If you’re moving completed, historical orders from another platform, import them as regular orders instead. Draft orders are meant for orders that still need action.
Prepare Your Draft Order File
Each draft order can span several rows, one for each line item, so your file needs a way to group them. Column names vary by app, but most draft order imports use this information:
| Data | What to include | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Draft identifier | A unique name or internal ID shared by all rows of one draft | Shopify generates the actual draft number, so this value only groups rows |
| Customer | Customer email, plus name and phone for new customers | Existing customers are matched by email |
| Line items | Product handle, SKU, barcode or variant ID, plus quantity | Each draft needs at least one line item |
| Custom items | Title, quantity and price for items not in your catalog | Custom items aren’t tracked in inventory |
| Addresses | Billing and shipping addresses, or use the customer’s default address | Needed for shipping rates and tax calculation |
| Shipping | One shipping line with a title and price | You can edit it in the admin after import |
| Discounts | Order-level or line item discounts | Check how your app maps each type |
| Tags and notes | Internal tags and notes for your team | Shopify limits tags to 40 characters each |
Check how line item prices work
When a line item is linked to an existing product by SKU or barcode, Shopify can use the product’s own title and price instead of the values in your file. EZ Importer notes that to use a custom price or title, you need to stop linking that line to a product.
Decide this before importing quotes or wholesale orders with special pricing. If your negotiated prices don’t appear, check whether the lines were linked to products or set up as custom items.
Send Invoices or Complete Drafts During Import
Some import apps can take the next step for you once drafts are created. In Matrixify, extra columns control what happens after import:
- Send Invoice. Set to TRUE to email an invoice with a checkout link, with optional columns for the recipient, sender, BCC, subject and message.
- Complete. Set to TRUE to turn the draft into a real order straight away.
- Complete: Payment Pending. Set to TRUE to mark the resulting order as payment pending, or leave it empty to mark it as paid.
When customers pay through the invoice’s checkout link, the draft becomes a regular order. Completed drafts move out of the main drafts list, so check the completed tab to find them.
What to Know About Shopify Draft Orders
A few draft order rules affect how imported drafts behave. Keep these in mind before and after you import:
- Order numbers are automatic. You can’t set draft or order numbers, so keep your own reference in a note or tag if you need it.
- Inventory isn’t reserved by default. Items in a draft stay available to other customers unless you reserve inventory with an expiration date.
- Old drafts are deleted. Drafts created on or after April 1, 2025 are automatically deleted after a year of inactivity, though any edit resets the timer.
- Payment terms have limits. Terms include due on receipt, due on fulfillment and net 7 to 90 days, but drafts in a local currency other than your store currency can’t be invoiced with payment terms.
- Checkout rules still apply. Validation rules can block a draft or stop customers from completing checkout unless you choose to ignore them.
Common Draft Order Import Problems
Many draft order import issues come from how rows are grouped or linked. Watch for these:
- Line items split into separate drafts. Rows for the same draft didn’t share the same identifier.
- Wrong prices. Lines linked by SKU used catalog prices instead of the custom prices in your file.
- Duplicate customers. Emails didn’t match existing customers exactly, so new profiles were created.
- Missing shipping rates or taxes. Drafts were imported without addresses.
- Unexpected emails. Invoices were sent during a test import, so test with your own email first.
- Slow imports. Stores with many existing drafts can import more slowly, so split very large files.
Conclusion
A Shopify draft orders import lets you create quotes, wholesale orders and offline orders in bulk instead of building each one by hand. Choosing the right app, grouping rows correctly and checking how prices are linked keeps your drafts accurate and ready to invoice. We hope this guide helps you set up your Shopify draft orders import with confidence.
