How to Set Up Automatic Shopify Reports to Maximize Efficiency
Setting up automatic Shopify reports streamlines your store’s data tracking by delivering inventory insights directly to your inbox without manual effort. Learn how to set up and optimize these reports for smarter business decisions.
Published July 16, 2025
If you run a Shopify store, staying on top of your data is essential for making informed decisions. But manually pulling reports can take up time you’d rather spend on other parts of your business. That’s why learning how to set up automatic Shopify reports is so valuable.
In addition to showing you how to set this up, you can also use additional tools like Bestsellers reSort to highlight your top-performing products and improve your store’s insights. In this blog, we’ll explore the risks of relying only on automation, when manual reviews matter, and how to keep your reports accurate and actionable.
» Take your customer experience to the next level by showing customers your best-selling products first
What Is a Shopify Automated Report?
Shopify automated reports are reports that are generated and delivered on a recurring schedule without the need for manual exporting or logging into the dashboard.
These reports allow store owners to track sales, inventory, and customer data automatically. With the right plan, you can receive key insights daily, weekly, or monthly in your inbox.
The Benefits of Shopify Automated Reports
- Save time: No more daily log-ins and manual exports. Automated reports deliver the data you need straight to your inbox, freeing up time for strategy and decision-making.
- Make faster business decisions: With timely reports showing sales trends, low stock alerts, or shifting customer behavior, you can act quickly—restock products, pause ad spend, or promote a trending item.
- Reduce human error: Manual data collection can lead to mistakes. Shopify automated reports ensure accuracy and consistency across your business reporting.
- Keep everyone informed: You can schedule reports to go directly to business partners, marketers, or suppliers, this ensures everyone has access to the same, up-to-date data.
- Improve store performance over time: Regular, reliable insights help you stay agile and identify what’s working. Whether it’s spotting your bestsellers or tracking repeat customers, automated reports support long-term growth.
Bestsellers reSort
Use the Bestsellers reSort app to automatically show your top-performing products to improve customer experience.
» Check out our tips for managing your bestsellers on Shopify more effectively
3 Types of Shopify Reports and How They Support Your Business
1. Sales Reports
Sales reports give a full breakdown of your store’s performance. They show details such as total sales, payments, tips, gift card usage, gross profit, and the source of each sale—whether it's from social media platforms, email campaigns, or direct traffic.
This helps you understand which marketing channels are converting, where your profit is coming from, and which products or regions are generating the most revenue.
» Learn more: How to increase online sales in your Shopify store
2. Inventory Reports
Inventory reports provide visibility into your stock levels—what’s available, what’s selling fast, and what’s sitting unsold. These reports help you avoid two common issues: overselling out-of-stock items and getting stuck with dead inventory.
With clear inventory data, you can plan restocks more accurately, avoid late deliveries, and manage cash flow better by not tying up money in slow-moving products. This is especially useful for physical product businesses that rely on smooth fulfillment.
» Need to update your inventory fast? Learn how to bulk edit your Shopify inventory in just seconds and stay ahead
3. Customer Reports
Customer reports offer insights into your buyers—who they are, how often they shop, how much they spend, and their purchasing behavior over time. These reports help you segment your audience, identify your most loyal customers, and create tailored marketing strategies such as loyalty rewards, VIP campaigns, or personalized product recommendations.
They also help you spot trends in repeat purchasing or drop-offs, so you can take action to build stronger customer relationships.
» Ready to enhance your marketing strategies? Explore these marketing incentives to engage your audience
Which Shopify Reports Can Be Automated?
The ability to automate reports in Shopify depends on your subscription level:
- Advanced and Plus plans: These plans allow full access to Shopify's automated reports, including custom reports for sales, inventory, and customer metrics. You can schedule these to be emailed automatically—daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Basic and standard plans: While you still get access to important standard reports (like sales summaries or basic inventory data), these plans do not support automation. You’ll need to manually log in and export the data whenever needed.
» Here's everything you need to know about inventory management solutions
How to Set Up Shopify Automatic Reports: A Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Check Your Shopify Plan
Go to Settings > Plan in your Shopify admin to check your subscription level. Automated reporting is only available natively on Advanced and Plus plans.
Best practice: If you’re not eligible, assess whether upgrading would save enough time or streamline operations. If not, try a third-party app to automate reports instead.
Step 2: Choose the Right Report to Automate
Go to Analytics > Reports. Browse through available reports and choose one that aligns with your current goal, such as tracking sales, monitoring stock, or evaluating customer trends.
Best practice: Focus on reports that directly support decision-making. If a report won’t be used regularly or acted on, don’t automate it.
Step 3: Filter and Customize the Report
Use the filter bar to customize the report. You can filter by:
- Date range
- Product tags
- Sales channels
- Locations
Best practice: Give the report a clear title that describes its purpose, e.g., “Top 10 products – last 7 days”. Always preview your data before scheduling to make sure the output is relevant.
» Do you have more than one Shopify store? Here's how to master multistore management
Step 4: Schedule the Report Export
Click Export, then select Schedule export (top right). Choose:
- Frequency: daily, weekly, or monthly
- File format: CSV or Excel
- Recipients: one or more email addresses
Best practice: Send reports to shared inboxes or relevant departments (e.g., marketing, inventory, finance). Double-check recipients and file formats to avoid confusion or delivery issues.
Step 5: Monitor and Adjust as Needed
After your first report is delivered, review the file for:
- Data accuracy
- Formatting
- Relevance to the original goal
Best practice: Set a recurring calendar reminder (e.g., monthly) to review your automated reports. As your business changes, update filters, frequency, or recipients to keep your reports aligned with current priorities.
» Learning how to set up automatic reports in Shopify is just the first step. Here are some other tips to improve your Shopify store
5 Best Practices for Keeping Shopify Auto Reports Relevant
Once report automation is set up, it’s easy to assume the work is done—but to keep reports useful and aligned with your store’s growth, you need to revisit them regularly. Below are five strategies to ensure your Shopify auto reports remain focused, actionable, and tailored to your changing goals.
- Review report relevance monthly: Don’t let your reports run in the background unchecked. Set a monthly review to ask: Is this report still useful? Check if the metrics still match current campaigns, inventory cycles, or revenue goals.
- Tie each report to a measurable outcome: Every report should be tied to a clearly defined KPI such as average order value (AOV), conversion rate, or customer lifetime value. This ensures the data being tracked directly informs decisions. Reports not linked to a measurable goal can create distractions rather than support performance improvement.
- Keep your recipient list up to date: Your business evolves—and so should your report recipients. Review your recipient lists regularly to make sure reports are reaching the right people.
- Use report data to drive real experiments: Automated reports aren’t just for monitoring; they should inspire change. Use the trends in your reports to run controlled tests on pricing, product placement, or campaign timing.
- Conduct quarterly reporting audits: Beyond monthly check-ins, set aside time each quarter to zoom out and evaluate your full reporting setup. This broader audit helps surface long-term shifts in your store’s priorities and ensures your reporting structure scales with your business.
» Check out these tips to ensure your ideal customer keeps coming back
Risks of Only Relying on Shopify Automated Reports
While Shopify automated reports can improve efficiency, depending on them without manual oversight can lead to critical blind spots. Below are key risks and how to address them.
| Risk | Explanation | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Outdated filters | Static filters in automated reports can become outdated when product tags or campaign names change. This can lead to incomplete or misleading data. | Review filters monthly and update them to match the current catalog and marketing setup. |
| Missing context behind data | Reports show trends but not the cause behind them, this can lead to misinterpretation. | Supplement reports with manual review. Cross-check performance data with campaign schedules or inventory changes to provide context. |
| Overlooking data quality issues | Tagging or tracking issues may skew results, and automation won’t flag them. | Perform regular spot checks on raw data. Validate product tags and tracking events to catch issues before they impact your business decisions. |
When Manual Reporting Is Better Than Automation
Automation works best for stable, recurring metrics—but in high-risk or fast-changing scenarios, manual reviews offer better control. This includes:
- New product launches
- Flash sales
- Large ad spend campaigns
» Here's how to forecast sales for a new product
Master Shopify Automatic Reports
Manual monitoring allows you to catch unexpected issues early, compare multiple data sources quickly, and adapt based on what’s actually happening. During these periods, real-time visibility matters more than scheduled convenience.
Automating your Shopify reports helps you stay informed while freeing up time, but it’s not a complete replacement for hands-on review. On top of learning how to automate, using tools like Bestsellers reSort can improve your understanding of product performance by automatically highlighting key trends.
» Ready to automate your store? Take a look at EGNITION's Bestsellers reSort app
FAQs: Shopify Automated Reports
What is an automatic report in Shopify?
An automatic report in Shopify is a report that is generated and delivered to you on a regular schedule without you having to manually create or export it each time. These reports provide updated information about your store’s sales, inventory, or customers.
What types of Shopify reports can I automate?
You can automate sales, inventory, and customer reports, but the exact options depend on your Shopify plan. Advanced and Plus plans support full automation, while Basic plans require manual report exports or third-party apps.
Can I customize which data is included in automated reports?
Yes. Before scheduling, you can filter reports by date, product tags, sales channels, and more. Customizing filters helps focus reports on the data that matters most to your store.
