Reviewing TaroStack for the Shopify App Store
A development store, about 30 minutes and eleven tests, each with the result it should show.
What you need
- A Shopify development store. A demo-data store works well, because its products and locations give the import something to bring in.
- About 30 minutes for all eleven tests. Tests 1 to 8 cover the Shopify integration and take about 15 minutes.
TaroStack needs no separate account and no password, so there are no review credentials. Shopify signs you in when you open the app. A 14-day trial starts at install, and a development store is never charged. If you use your own store, test with sample products so your real products stay out of the tests.
How the two systems work together
TaroStack holds the stock count and updates Shopify's count to match. Shopify orders come into TaroStack, and you can fulfill an order in either system.
- Shopify order
- TaroStack sales order
- Shipped in either system
- Stock and fulfillment agree
The Shopify integration
These tests show TaroStack working with Shopify. Run these first if your time is short.
| Test | Do this | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Import | Install TaroStack on the store. See Installing TaroStack. | A first screen shows while TaroStack imports locations, products and stock, which takes about a minute. Then Home opens. |
| 2. Matches | Open Settings › Integrations, then open the store. See Matching. | Each location is a site, and each variant with a SKU is an item. A variant with no SKU is listed under No SKU in Shopify. Pressing Match makes that variant an item. |
| 3. Stock to Shopify | In Stock, choose an item that came with a SKU. Press Adjust stock and remove one unit. See Stock sync. | Shopify's count goes down by one within a minute. |
| 4. Fulfilled in Shopify | Place an order for one unit and fulfill the order in Shopify. See Fulfilling in Shopify. | Sales shows the order as Shipped, and Stock shows one unit less at that location. |
| 5. Shipped in TaroStack | Place another order. In Sales, open the order and press Ship. See Fulfilling in TaroStack. | Shopify marks the order Fulfilled within a minute. |
| 6. Backorder | Set the product to continue selling when out of stock, then order more than you have. Ship what you have, add stock for the rest, and ship again. See Backorders. | Sales says Short. Shopify shows Partially fulfilled, then Fulfilled. |
| 7. Return | On a fulfilled order, choose Return in Shopify. Process the return and refund it with Restock ticked. See Returns and refunds. | In TaroStack, Stock shows the unit back, and Sales tags the order Refunded. |
| 8. Differences | Change a count in Shopify, then press Check now on the store's page. See Stock differences. | TaroStack lists both counts. Keep TaroStack's count updates Shopify. Leave as is changes nothing. |
TaroStack beyond the store
These tests show what TaroStack does for the merchant beyond the integration. Test 9 also changes Shopify's count, because a finished batch adds stock.
| Test | Do this | Expected result |
|---|---|---|
| 9. A batch | Turn on lots for an item, write a recipe for the item, and make a batch. See Running a batch. | The ingredient's count goes down, the item's count goes up, and Lots shows the new lot. Shopify's count changes to match. |
| 10. TaroCore | Add a supplier and a reorder point, then ask TaroCore "what's low". See Purchasing with TaroCore. | TaroCore lists the item from the store's own records. Check the draft and Make the draft create a draft purchase order. |
| 11. Billing | Open Settings › Billing. See Plans and billing. | The page shows the plan, billed through Shopify. Changing the plan opens Shopify's approval page. |
A new store has no suppliers or reorder points, so test 10 finds nothing until you add them. That result is correct.
Settings to look at
The rules for going below zero, expiry and approvals are on Settings › Inventory & purchasing. See Stock and purchasing rules. The store's own settings are on Settings › Integrations, under the store's name.
Where to go next
You don't need the other tutorials to complete the review. They explain the rest of TaroStack for a merchant, and you can follow any of them on the same store. If a test doesn't show the listed result, read Troubleshooting a review.