Connecting to Shopify

ProductManager connects to your Shopify store using the Admin API with client credentials. This guide walks you through the setup process.

Prerequisites

Before connecting, you'll need:

  1. A Shopify store (any plan)
  2. Owner or staff account with "Apps" permission
  3. Access to create a custom app

Step 1: Create a Custom App in Shopify

  1. Log in to your Shopify admin
  2. Go to Settings (bottom-left corner)
  3. Click Apps and sales channels
  4. Click Develop apps (top-right)
  5. Click Create an app
  6. Enter an app name (e.g., "ProductManager")
  7. Click Create app

Step 2: Configure API Scopes

  1. In your new app, click Configure Admin API scopes

  2. Enable these scopes:

    Required scopes:

    • read_products - View products
    • write_products - Create and edit products
    • read_inventory - View inventory
    • write_inventory - Update inventory
    • read_locations - View locations

    Optional scopes (for full functionality):

    • read_orders - For sales reports
    • read_customers - For customer data
    • read_content - For metafields

  3. Click Save

Step 3: Install the App

  1. Click Install app (top-right)
  2. Review the permissions
  3. Click Install

Step 4: Get Your Credentials

  1. In the app settings, click API credentials
  2. Copy the API key (this is your Client ID)
  3. Under "Admin API access token", click Reveal token once
  4. Copy the Admin API access token (this is your Client Secret)

Important: The access token is only shown once. Store it securely. If you lose it, you'll need to create a new app.

Step 5: Connect in ProductManager

  1. Launch ProductManager

  2. Click Add Store (or File > Add Store)

  3. Enter your information:

    Field Value
    Store Name Your .myshopify.com subdomain (e.g., my-store)
    Client ID The API key from Step 4
    Client Secret The access token from Step 4

  4. Click Test Connection to verify

  5. Click Connect

Connection Dialog

Connection Status

After connecting, you'll see:

  • Store name in the title bar
  • Store selector dropdown (if multiple stores)
  • Product count in the status bar

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

"Invalid credentials"

  • Double-check the Client ID and Secret
  • Ensure the app is installed (not just created)
  • Verify the store name is correct (without .myshopify.com)

"Access denied"

  • Check that all required API scopes are enabled
  • The app may need to be reinstalled after changing scopes

"Store not found"

  • Verify the store name spelling
  • Ensure the store is active (not frozen or closed)

"Rate limited"

  • Wait a few minutes and try again
  • This usually indicates too many recent API requests

Multiple Stores

ProductManager supports connecting to multiple Shopify stores:

  1. Go to File > Add Store or click the store dropdown
  2. Add each store's credentials
  3. Switch between stores using the dropdown in the toolbar
  4. Each store's data is cached separately

Security Notes

  • Credentials are encrypted using Windows DPAPI
  • Tokens are stored locally, never transmitted except to Shopify
  • For shared computers, consider using separate Windows accounts

Next Steps

Once connected:

See Also