Before you begin
Flash Sales changes background processing during a high-traffic period. It does not close the editing window or stop customers from editing eligible orders.
Schedule the window using the timezone shown in your browser. Order Editing saves the schedule in UTC.
You can schedule a window for up to 2 days. Background processing is paused only for the first 3 hours of each window.
Schedule a flash sale window
In the Shopify admin, go to Apps > Order Editing.
Select App Settings from the main navigation.
Select Global settings.
Open Flash Sales.
In the scheduling section, choose a Start date.
Choose a Start time.
Choose a Duration.
Review the browser timezone shown on the page.
Select Schedule.
The scheduled window must end in the future. If the selected period is already covered by another window, Order Editing prevents the duplicate. Overlapping windows are combined into one continuous period of up to 2 days.
Choose a duration
Duration option | Best used for |
|---|---|
5 minutes | A short launch or test |
15 minutes | A brief promotion |
30 minutes | The default flash sale period |
1 hour | A planned high-traffic window |
2 hours | A longer campaign launch |
3 hours | The longest window that pauses background processing for its whole length |
6 hours | An extended launch, such as a product drop that runs into the evening |
1 day | A one-day sale |
2 days | A two-day event, such as a weekend sale |
To change a scheduled period, remove it and create a new one with the corrected start time or duration.
What changes during the window
For the whole window, Order Editing keeps order status pages light. Editing options load when a customer opens an editing module, instead of on every page view.
For the first 3 hours of the window, Order Editing also pauses live analytics and other background processing, such as payment capture after an order's editing window closes, and post-purchase gift offers. That work resumes after 3 hours, or when the window ends if it is shorter. Each window you schedule starts its own 3-hour pause, so back-to-back windows pause background processing again.
Customers can still edit orders when those orders meet your normal editing rules and remain inside their editing window. Flash Sales does not lock editing, shorten the editing deadline, or replace your order editing rules.
On the thank-you page, Order Editing can replace the usual editing-option list with a simpler banner and Edit your order button for the whole window. The button takes the customer to the order status page, where the normal eligibility rules still apply. This keeps the thank-you experience light during a traffic spike without removing access to editing.
Customize the thank-you banner
Use the banner settings on Flash Sales to control the message customers see during an active window.
Setting | What it controls | Default |
|---|---|---|
Banner heading | The main flash sale message | Made a mistake? |
Banner message | Supporting text below the heading | A message explaining that the order can still be edited |
Button label | The action that opens the order status page | Edit your order |
Use Translate when you need localized banner copy for your published storefront languages.
Monitor active and scheduled windows
The page labels each window as Active or Scheduled. It also records whether the window was created by a staff member or automatically by the app.
Order Editing can create a temporary app-owned window when it detects rate limiting. App-owned windows last up to 3 hours. Do not remove an active app-owned window unless you have confirmed the traffic event has ended and your store no longer needs the protection.
The recent history shows the latest flash sale changes, including whether processing was enabled, disabled, or updated, the affected time range, total duration, and actor.
Verify it's working
Create a short future window on a test store.
Confirm it appears as Scheduled.
When the start time arrives, refresh the page and confirm the status changes to Active.
Confirm the active flash sale banner states that live analytics are paused.
Open Shopify's checkout editor and preview the Thank You Page used by the store.
Confirm the simplified thank-you message appears when the relevant extension is installed.
Preview the Order Status Page in the editor, then open an existing eligible order if you also need to confirm that a real order remains editable.
After the window ends, refresh the editor previews and confirm normal background processing and the regular thank-you experience return.
FAQ
Does a flash sale stop customers from editing orders?
No. Eligibility still comes from the order's editing window and editing rules. Flash Sales reduces background work so customer edits receive priority.
Why can I not add the window?
The period may end in the past, duplicate an existing window, or be fully covered by another scheduled period. An overlapping window also cannot extend a sale past 2 days from its start.
Why did the analytics banner disappear while my sale is still active?
In a window longer than 3 hours, live analytics and background processing resume after the first 3 hours. The window stays Active, and order status and thank-you pages stay light until it ends.
Why did Order Editing create a window automatically?
The app can create a temporary window after detecting rate limiting. The entry is marked as app-owned so you can distinguish it from a staff schedule.
Are analytics lost during the window?
The page describes live analytics as paused while customer edits are prioritized. Review analytics after the first 3 hours, or after the window ends if it is shorter.