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Product Maestro - Merchant Guide

Welcome to Product Maestro, your all-in-one Shopify app for scheduling and automating product and collection management. This guide will help you get the most out of the app's powerful features.

Table of Contents​

  1. Getting Started
  2. Product Scheduling
  3. Collection Automation
  4. Advanced Product Selection
  5. Product Filters
  6. Bulk Operations with CSV
  7. Insights and Analytics
  8. Timeline and Activity
  9. Subscription Plans
  10. Tips and Best Practices

Getting Started​

What is Product Maestro?​

Product Maestro is a powerful Shopify app that helps you:

  • Schedule product publishes and updates to go live at specific times
  • Automate collection management for better organization
  • Apply advanced filters to select products based on rules
  • Bulk import schedules using CSV files
  • Track performance with insights and analytics
  • Maintain a complete activity log of all scheduled actions

Installation​

  1. Install Product Maestro from the Shopify App Store
  2. Grant the necessary permissions when prompted
  3. Start creating your first schedule!

Product Scheduling​

What Can You Schedule?​

Product Maestro allows you to schedule a wide variety of product actions:

  • Publish/Unpublish Products - Make products available or unavailable at specific times
  • Price Changes - Update prices automatically
  • Inventory Updates - Modify inventory levels
  • Tag Management - Add or remove product tags
  • Collection Management - Add products to or remove them from collections
  • SEO Updates - Update meta titles and descriptions
  • Product Status - Change from draft to active or archive products
  • And much more!

How to Create a Product Schedule​

  1. Navigate to Schedules

    • From your Shopify admin, open Product Maestro
    • Click "Create Schedule" button

  2. Choose Your Products

    • Manual Selection: Browse and select specific products
    • Collection-Based: Select all products from a collection
    • Advanced Filters: Use rule-based selection (see Advanced Product Selection)

  3. Set Up Your Action

    • Choose what you want to do (publish, update price, etc.)
    • Configure the action parameters
    • Set the date and time for the action to occur

  4. Schedule Settings

    • One-Time: Action runs once at the scheduled time
    • Recurring: Action repeats daily, weekly, or monthly
    • Set the number of occurrences for recurring schedules

  5. Review and Save

    • Give your schedule a descriptive title
    • Add optional notes in the description field
    • Click "Save" to activate your schedule

Managing Your Schedules​

View All Schedules​

Your dashboard displays all active schedules with:

  • Schedule status (Scheduled, In Progress, Completed)
  • Product count
  • Next scheduled date and time
  • Quick action buttons

Filter Schedules by Type​

Use the tabs to filter schedules:

  • Products - Product-based schedules
  • Collections - Collection-based schedules
  • Variants - Variant-specific schedules
  • Archived - Completed or archived schedules

Edit a Schedule​

  1. Click on a schedule from your dashboard
  2. Make your desired changes
  3. Click "Save" to update

Note: You can only edit schedules with "SCHEDULED" status. Schedules that are in progress or completed cannot be modified.

Duplicate a Schedule​

  1. Find the schedule you want to duplicate
  2. Click the "Duplicate" button
  3. Choose between:
    • Duplicate: Create an exact copy
    • Reverse: Create a schedule that reverses the action (e.g., if the original publishes, the reverse will unpublish)
  4. Set new dates for the duplicated schedule
  5. Click "Confirm"

Delete a Schedule​

  1. Click the delete icon (🗑️) on a schedule
  2. Confirm the deletion in the modal
  3. The schedule and all its actions will be permanently removed

Collection Automation​

What is Collection Automation?​

Collection automation allows you to schedule updates to your collections, such as:

  • Changing collection sort order
  • Updating collection descriptions
  • Managing collection publication status
  • And more!

Creating a Collection Automation​

  1. From the Main Dashboard

    • Click "Create Schedule" while on the Collection Scheduler tab
    • Or navigate directly to "Automations"

  2. Select Collections

    • Browse and select the collections you want to automate
    • You can select multiple collections for bulk automation

  3. Configure Automation Steps

    • Choose the action type (e.g., "Update Collection Sort")
    • Set parameters (e.g., sort by "Best Selling", "Manual", etc.)
    • Schedule when the action should occur

  4. Add Multiple Steps

    • Click "Add Modification" to add more steps
    • Each step can have its own schedule
    • Steps execute in order

  5. Preview Changes

    • The right panel shows a preview of your selected collections
    • See how your automation will affect each collection

  6. Save Your Automation

    • Give it a descriptive title
    • Click "Save" to activate

Advanced Product Selection​

Why Use Advanced Selection?​

Instead of manually selecting individual products, you can create rule-based filters that automatically select products matching specific criteria. This is perfect for:

  • Large catalogs with hundreds or thousands of products
  • Dynamic selections that include new products automatically
  • Complex criteria that would be tedious to select manually

Available Filter Rules​

Product Information​

  • Product Title: Search by title (contains, starts with, etc.)
  • Product Type: Filter by product type
  • Vendor: Filter by vendor name
  • Tags: Filter by product tags
  • Status: Active, draft, or archived products

Dates​

  • Created Date: Products created before/after/on a specific date
  • Updated Date: Products last updated before/after/on a specific date

Pricing and Inventory​

  • Price Range: Products within a specific price range
  • Inventory Quantity: Products with inventory greater than, less than, or equal to a specific amount

Sales Data​

  • Collection: Products in or not in specific collections

How to Use Advanced Selection​

  1. When creating or editing a schedule, select "Advanced" as the selection type

  2. Click "Add Rule" to create filter conditions

  3. Choose your filter criteria:

    • Select the field (e.g., "Product Type")
    • Choose an operator (e.g., "equals")
    • Enter your value (e.g., "Clothing")

  4. Add multiple rules and choose how they combine:

    • AND: Products must match ALL rules
    • OR: Products must match AT LEAST ONE rule

  5. Click "Preview Matching Products" to see which products match your rules

  6. Save your schedule once you're satisfied with the selection

Example Use Cases​

Example 1: Seasonal Products

Product Type equals "Summer" AND Status is "Active"

Selects all active summer products.

Example 2: Low Stock Items

Inventory Quantity less than 10 AND Status is "Active"

Selects all active products with low stock.

Example 3: New Arrivals

Created Date is after 2024-01-01 AND Product Type equals "Clothing"

Selects all clothing products added after January 1, 2024.

For a standalone guide with more details, see the Advanced Product Selection Guide.

Product Filters​

What are Product Filters?​

Product filters allow you to add an extra layer of filtering on top of your product selection. This helps you refine exactly which products will be affected by your scheduled actions.

Note: Product filters work differently from Advanced Selection. Advanced Selection chooses which products are included in the schedule, while Product Filters determine which of those selected products will actually be affected when the action runs.

Available Filter Types​

1. Products Sold in Last X Days​

Filter products based on when they were last sold:

  • Within the last X days: Products sold recently
  • More than X days ago: Products not sold recently

Example: Schedule a price reduction for products not sold in the last 90 days.

2. Price Range​

Filter products where at least one variant has a price within a specific range:

  • Set minimum price
  • Set maximum price

Example: Apply a discount only to products priced between $20 and $50.

3. Inventory Level​

Filter products by their current inventory quantity:

  • Greater than (>)
  • Less than (<)
  • Greater than or equal (≥)
  • Less than or equal (≤)
  • Equals (=)

Example: Unpublish products with inventory equal to 0.

4. Orders Count​

Filter products by their total number of orders:

  • Greater than (>)
  • Less than (<)
  • Greater than or equal (≥)
  • Less than or equal (≤)
  • Equals (=)

Example: Feature products with more than 100 orders.

How to Use Product Filters​

  1. Enable the Filter

    • When creating or editing a schedule, find the "Product Filter" section
    • Check the box to "Enable product filter"

  2. Add Filter Conditions

    • Click "Add Condition"
    • Select a filter type from the dropdown
    • Configure the condition parameters

  3. Combine Multiple Conditions

    • Add multiple conditions for more precise filtering
    • Choose how to combine them:
      • AND: Products must match ALL conditions
      • OR: Products must match AT LEAST ONE condition

  4. Review the Description

    • Each condition shows a human-readable description below it
    • This helps you confirm the filter is set up correctly

  5. Save Your Schedule

    • The filter will be applied when the action runs

Example Use Cases​

Example 1: Clearance Sale

Inventory Level ≤ 5 AND Products not sold in last 60 days

Perfect for clearing out slow-moving, low-stock items.

Example 2: Best Sellers

Orders Count ≥ 50 AND Price Range $25-$100

Identify and feature mid-priced best sellers.

Example 3: Discontinued Items

Inventory Level = 0 OR Orders Count = 0

Find products that are out of stock or have never been ordered.

Bulk Operations with CSV​

Why Use CSV Import?​

CSV import is perfect for:

  • Creating multiple schedules at once
  • Importing schedule data from spreadsheets
  • Migrating schedules from other systems
  • Working offline and uploading later

CSV Format Requirements​

Your CSV file must include the following columns:

  • title: Schedule name
  • description: Optional schedule description
  • selectionType: How products are selected (e.g., "MANUAL", "COLLECTION", "ADVANCED")
  • selectionIds: Product or collection IDs (JSON format)
  • actionType: What action to perform (e.g., "PUBLISH", "UNPUBLISH")
  • scheduledAt: When the action should occur (ISO date format)
  • parameters: Action-specific parameters (JSON format)

How to Import CSV​

  1. Prepare Your CSV File

    • Use a spreadsheet program like Excel or Google Sheets
    • Ensure all required columns are present
    • Save as CSV format

  2. Navigate to CSV Import

    • Open Product Maestro
    • Click on "CSV" or "Bulk Import" from the navigation

  3. Upload Your File

    • Click "Upload CSV" or drag and drop your file
    • The app will validate your file

  4. Review and Confirm

    • Check the preview of schedules to be created
    • Fix any validation errors if they appear
    • Click "Import" to create all schedules

  5. Monitor Progress

    • The import process will show progress
    • You'll receive a confirmation once complete

Tips for CSV Import​

  • Test with a small file first: Import 1-2 schedules to verify the format
  • Use valid JSON: For selectionIds and parameters fields
  • Check date formats: Use ISO 8601 format (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ss)
  • Validate IDs: Ensure product and collection IDs are correct

Insights and Analytics​

What Insights Can You See?​

The Insights page provides valuable data about your scheduled actions:

  • Total schedules created
  • Active vs. completed schedules
  • Most used action types
  • Success rate of scheduled actions
  • Products affected by schedules
  • Time-based trends

How to Use Insights​

  1. Navigate to Insights

    • Open Product Maestro
    • Click "Insights" from the navigation menu

  2. View Dashboard Metrics

    • See key performance indicators at a glance
    • Review charts and graphs for trends

  3. Filter by Date Range

    • Select a date range to analyze specific periods
    • Compare performance across different time frames

  4. Export Data

    • Download reports for external analysis
    • Share insights with your team

Making Data-Driven Decisions​

Use insights to:

  • Identify popular products: See which products are scheduled most often
  • Optimize timing: Find the best times to publish products
  • Track automation success: Monitor if scheduled actions are executing correctly
  • Plan inventory: Use sales data to inform stock decisions

Timeline and Activity​

Activity Log​

The Activity Log shows a complete history of all scheduled actions:

  • When actions were executed
  • What changes were made
  • Success or failure status
  • Detailed error messages (if applicable)

How to Access the Timeline​

  1. Navigate to Timeline

    • Open Product Maestro
    • Click "Timeline" from the navigation menu

  2. View Activity

    • See all scheduled actions in chronological order
    • Filter by date, status, or action type

  3. Review Details

    • Click on an activity to see full details
    • Check what products were affected
    • View execution logs and any errors

Why the Timeline is Important​

  • Troubleshooting: Quickly identify and fix issues
  • Audit trail: Keep records of all changes
  • Verification: Confirm scheduled actions executed correctly
  • Compliance: Maintain logs for business requirements

Subscription Plans​

Product Maestro offers two subscription tiers to fit your needs:

Basic Plan​

Perfect for small to medium stores:

  • Up to 12 active schedules
  • All core scheduling features
  • Manual and collection-based selection
  • CSV import
  • Email support

Plus Plan​

For power users and growing businesses:

  • Unlimited schedules
  • All Basic Plan features
  • Advanced product selection with rule-based filters
  • Product filters for refined targeting
  • Collection automation
  • Priority support
  • Advanced insights and analytics

Managing Your Subscription​

  1. View Current Plan

    • Your plan is displayed at the top of the dashboard

  2. Upgrade Your Plan

    • Click "Manage Billing" from the dashboard
    • Select your desired plan
    • Confirm the upgrade

  3. Cancel or Downgrade

    • Navigate to your Shopify admin
    • Go to Apps > Product Maestro
    • Manage your subscription settings

Tips and Best Practices​

Scheduling Best Practices​

  1. Test First: Create a small test schedule before mass scheduling
  2. Use Descriptive Titles: Make it easy to identify schedules later
  3. Set Reminders: Schedule actions during business hours so you can monitor them
  4. Review Regularly: Check your schedules weekly to ensure they're still needed
  5. Archive Completed Schedules: Keep your dashboard organized

Optimization Tips​

  1. Use Advanced Selection: Save time with rule-based filters for large catalogs
  2. Leverage Product Filters: Ensure only relevant products are affected
  3. Schedule During Off-Peak Hours: Avoid scheduling during high-traffic times
  4. Batch Similar Actions: Group related schedules for easier management
  5. Monitor the Timeline: Regularly check that actions are executing correctly

Common Use Cases​

1. Flash Sales​

  • Schedule products to publish at sale start time
  • Use Product Filters to target specific price ranges
  • Schedule reverse action to end the sale

2. Seasonal Inventory​

  • Publish seasonal products before the season starts
  • Unpublish out-of-season products
  • Use date-based filters to automate yearly

3. New Product Launches​

  • Schedule new products to publish at launch time
  • Add to featured collection automatically
  • Update marketing tags on schedule

4. Inventory Management​

  • Auto-unpublish products when inventory hits zero
  • Re-publish when restocked
  • Alert for low-stock items

5. Price Optimization​

  • Schedule price changes for A/B testing
  • Implement dynamic pricing strategies
  • Automate discount schedules

Troubleshooting​

Schedule Not Executing​

Check these items:

  • Is the scheduled time in the future?
  • Is your schedule status "SCHEDULED"?
  • Do you have an active subscription?
  • Are the products still in your store?

Solution: Review the Timeline for error messages and contact support if needed.

Products Not Showing in Selection​

Possible causes:

  • Products may not match your filter criteria
  • Products might be in a different collection
  • Advanced filter rules might be too restrictive

Solution: Use the "Preview" feature to test your selection before scheduling.

CSV Import Failing​

Common issues:

  • Invalid JSON format in selectionIds or parameters
  • Incorrect date format
  • Missing required columns
  • Invalid product/collection IDs

Solution: Validate your CSV format and ensure all data is correct.

Getting Help​

Support Resources​

  • Help Documentation: Available within the app
  • Email Support: Contact our support team
  • Feature Requests: Submit ideas for new features
  • Community Forum: Connect with other merchants

Contact Information​

For support inquiries:

  1. Open Product Maestro
  2. Click on your profile or settings
  3. Select "Contact Support"
  4. Describe your issue in detail

Response Times:

  • Basic Plan: Within 48 hours
  • Plus Plan: Priority support within 24 hours

Conclusion​

Product Maestro is designed to save you time and automate your Shopify store management. By scheduling product and collection updates, you can:

  • Focus on growing your business instead of manual updates
  • Ensure products go live at the perfect time
  • Maintain consistent inventory management
  • Implement sophisticated marketing strategies
  • Make data-driven decisions with insights

We're constantly improving Product Maestro based on merchant feedback. If you have suggestions or need assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.

Happy Scheduling! 🚀