Case study · Workflow automation
I built connected order workflows for an ecommerce business using Shopify, Trello, Zapier and Outlook. The system supports order tracking, stage-based customer communication and production follow-up, with checks that flag incomplete or unresolved records.
Project
Client order operations
My role
Workflow planning, automation implementation, testing, troubleshooting and process documentation
Tools
Shopify, Trello, Zapier, Outlook and an order register
The starting point
The order journey involved several separate tasks: checking order details, keeping the production board current, sending customer updates and tracking the next follow-up. Those handoffs needed a consistent process so the team could see what had happened and what still needed attention.
The goal was to connect those steps while keeping necessary readiness checks and human review.
The work
01
Connected qualifying Shopify orders with the Trello tracking workflow and approved confirmation emails. Added qualification logic so the workflow could distinguish the relevant orders from products outside its scope.
02
Built workflows around defined Trello stages and production milestones. Connected the required order information with approved Outlook emails and recorded completed actions in the order register and Trello.
03
Configured update workflows for the production journey, including later-stage and delayed-order follow-up. The workflow uses recorded dates and email status to support the next scheduled action.
04
Added eligibility and email-status checks, including checks for required production information. These help avoid sending an update before the order is ready or repeating an already recorded action.
05
Built an alert workflow that waits, checks the current order and email status again, and flags eligible unresolved orders in Trello. This makes an incomplete communication step visible for review.
06
Tested the relationship between the email, order register, Trello comments, labels, card movement and due dates. Fixed issues in custom-field handling and email extraction, and refined production readiness logic when missing date information blocked an order.
Comparison
| Area | Before | After implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Order handoffs | Separate steps to coordinate across tools | Connected workflows for qualifying orders |
| Customer updates | Updates needed preparation and tracking | Approved messages connected to defined milestones and checks |
| Email history | Status needed checking across records | Sent status recorded in the order register and workflow comments |
| Production follow-up | Next actions needed coordination | Date-based scheduling and update workflows |
| Exceptions | Incomplete steps needed investigation | Checks and alerts identify records needing review |
| Team process | Repeated steps needed explanation | Documented stages, responsibilities and review points |
Outcome
The client has live order and production-update automations supporting a more structured customer communication process. Order stages, email records and follow-up actions are connected, while incomplete information can be flagged for review.
The value is a clearer operating process: the team can see the order’s stage, what communication has been recorded and which exceptions need attention.
Takeaway
Reliable automation includes the cases where a step cannot proceed. I built and refined the checks, tracking and review paths around the main workflow, alongside the integrations themselves.
Tell me about your tools, your order stages and where updates get missed.