Shopify Custom Reports: A Practical Guide to Better Reporting

Which products are selling the fastest but running low on stock? How much tax did your store collect last month? Why doesn't the amount deposited into your bank account match your Shopify sales?

Your Shopify store has the data to help answer these questions. The challenge is getting the right information into one useful report.

That's what Shopify custom reports are designed for.

Shopify provides built-in analytics, customizable reports, and Sidekick, its AI assistant. Merchants can use these tools to explore sales, orders, customers, inventory, and other aspects of their business.

But some reporting requirements go further. You may need specific Shopify fields, sales and inventory information in one report, calculations tailored to your business, or a detailed monthly export for your accountant.

This guide covers how Shopify custom reports work, how to create them using Shopify's native tools, and how Data Export can help you build more specialized reports without repeatedly working through spreadsheets.

What Are Shopify Custom Reports?

Shopify custom reports are reports created or modified to display specific store data, metrics, dimensions, filters, and date ranges based on a merchant's reporting needs.

Unlike standard reports, which come with predefined layouts, custom reports let you decide which information is relevant.

For example, a merchant might want to know:

• Which products generated the highest net sales last month?

• How much inventory is available for their best-selling SKUs?

• Which customers have placed more than three orders?

• How much tax was collected in each state or country?

• Which orders were refunded during a particular period?

• What sales and payment details does their accountant need?

Each question requires a different combination of information. A custom report gives that information a structure, so you can review it without searching through unrelated data.

What Reporting Options Does Shopify Provide?

Before using a third-party reporting app, it's worth exploring Shopify's own tools.

Shopify Analytics provides built-in reports, custom data explorations, the ShopifyQL query editor, and AI-assisted reporting through Sidekick. These features can handle many everyday reporting needs.

1. Use Shopify's built-in reports

Shopify includes predefined reports for common business activities.

Depending on the available reporting data, merchants can analyze sales, orders, customers, inventory, marketing performance, finances, and more.

For example, you can review sales over time, compare product performance, or examine customer purchasing behavior.

You can also customize many existing reports by changing the date range, modifying columns, applying filters, or adjusting how the data is displayed. If the default layout doesn't match your needs, you can save the modified report as a custom report.

This is usually the simplest starting point.

2. Create a new custom report in Shopify Analytics

Shopify allows merchants on all subscription plans to create custom data explorations.

To create one:

1. Open your Shopify Admin.

2. Navigate to Analytics > Reports.

3. Select New exploration.

4. Choose the metrics and dimensions you want to analyze.

5. Apply the relevant filters and date range.

6. Select a visualization if required.

7. Save the report.

You can also build reports through ShopifyQL, Shopify's query language for commerce analytics.

For example, you might create a report showing net sales grouped by product type over the previous 90 days. Shopify lets you save the configuration and return to the report when you need updated information.

See the official Shopify guide to creating custom reports.

3. Use Shopify Sidekick to generate reports with AI

Shopify also offers Sidekick, an AI assistant that helps merchants work with their store.

Sidekick can create or modify Shopify reports using natural-language requests.

Instead of building a ShopifyQL query manually, you can enter a prompt such as:

“Show my top 20 products by net sales over the last 30 days.”

Sidekick can generate the corresponding ShopifyQL query. You can then refine it by asking follow-up questions, changing filters, or requesting different metrics.

For example:

“Only include products from the clothing category.”

Or:

“Compare those sales with the previous 30 days.”

Sidekick can be useful when you want to build reports without learning ShopifyQL.

However, the report must still use compatible metrics and dimensions available through Shopify Analytics. Highly specific requirements may take several refinements, and some combinations of data may require a different reporting approach.

Shopify's native reporting tools are a good starting point. For many merchants, they may be sufficient.

When Do You Need More Flexible Shopify Custom Reports?

The need for advanced reporting often starts with a simple request.

A store owner wants sales and available stock together. A bookkeeper needs a particular column layout. An operations manager wants a report that updates automatically every morning.

The data might already exist in Shopify, but preparing it in the required format can take additional work.

Here are three common examples.

When you need sales and inventory in one report

Suppose you manage an online clothing store.

You want to know which products are selling quickly and whether you have enough inventory to meet demand.

Your ideal report contains:

• Product name

• SKU

• Units sold in the last 30 days

• Net sales during that period

• Current inventory available

Shopify has sales and inventory reporting capabilities.

However, certain metrics and dimensions cannot be used together in the same native data exploration. Depending on the requested fields, you may need to export separate reports and combine the information.

Doing this occasionally isn't a major problem. Doing it every morning or every week can become repetitive.

When your accountant needs detailed reporting

An accountant may ask for more than a sales summary.

They could need order details, taxes, discounts, refunds, payment methods, and payout information to investigate differences during reconciliation.

Preparing the report involves selecting the appropriate fields and understanding how dates and transactions relate to one another.

For example, a sale might occur in one month, while the corresponding refund happens in another.

Simply combining gross sales and refunds without considering their dates can produce misleading results. A custom report lets the business prepare the relevant information in an agreed format.

When you keep rebuilding the same report

Imagine exporting a sales report every Monday, removing unnecessary columns, applying filters, and sharing it with your bookkeeper.

If the report structure stays the same, rebuilding it every week doesn't add value. A reusable report with automated delivery is more practical.

This is one of the reasons merchants use dedicated Shopify reporting apps.

How Data Export Helps You Create Custom Shopify Reports

Data Export is a Shopify reporting app designed to make store data easier to access, customize, and share.

Launched in 2016, Data Export has helped more than 50,000 merchants and has been used to create over 200,000 custom reports.

Instead of repeatedly creating spreadsheets, merchants can build a report around their specific requirements, save it, and generate updated results whenever needed.

They can also use AI assistance, explore insights from reporting data, or get help from a live reporting specialist.

Start with a ready-made report

You don't need to create every report from scratch.

Data Export provides 100+ prebuilt report templates covering common Shopify reporting needs, including:

• Sales and orders

• Products and variants

• Inventory

• Refunds and returns

• Taxes

• Shopify payouts

• Customers

• Shipping and fulfillment

For example, if you need a sales-by-product report, you can select a relevant template and generate it.

If you also need product SKUs, vendor information, or additional metrics, you can edit the report by adding or removing columns.

You can change the filters, adjust the date range, and save the customized version. The next time you need the report, the structure is already available.

Build a custom report from scratch

What if none of the existing reports match your requirement?

Data Export includes a custom report builder that lets you select fields from the Shopify store data available to the app.

You can choose the columns you need, apply conditions, organize the data, and save the report.

For example, a personalized gift store might want an order report containing:

• Order number

• Customer name

• Product and variant

• Custom engraving message

• Order date

• Fulfillment status

The engraving message may be stored as a Shopify line item property rather than a standard reporting column.

Data Export supports custom reporting fields such as metafields, line item properties, note attributes, and other available Shopify API data.

It also supports calculated columns and formulas. This means merchants can create reports for their specific business processes, including calculations that aren't already presented in a standard Shopify report.

Example: Build a Shopify Sales and Inventory Report in One View

Let's return to the clothing store example.

The merchant wants to identify products that may need replenishment.

A useful report could look like this:

This report provides information that would otherwise need to be reviewed across different reporting areas.

The Classic Cotton Tee sold 145 units during the previous 30 days, but only 12 units are currently available. The Linen Shirt shows a similar pattern.

Meanwhile, the Relaxed Fit Jeans have relatively lower sales and more inventory available. The merchant can use this report to decide which products require closer attention before placing a purchase order.

The report should clearly distinguish the previous 30 days of sales from today's inventory snapshot. Historical sales and current stock represent different time periods.

With Data Export, merchants can create tailored reports that bring relevant sales and inventory information together.

Once the report is saved, it can be generated again with updated information.

The goal is to make a recurring inventory decision easier, not to repeatedly merge spreadsheets.

Create Reports With AI Insights and Live Human Support

Reporting requirements aren't always easy to explain in terms of fields, filters, and calculations.

Sometimes a merchant knows the question but doesn't know how to build the report.

Data Export offers AI assistance and AI-powered insights to help merchants explore their reporting data.

For example, a merchant reviewing product sales may want to understand which products deserve attention or investigate changes within a selected period.

AI insights can help make the results easier to interpret and guide further analysis.

But AI isn't the only option.

What if you need someone to build the report for you?

Suppose your accountant sends you this request:

“I need all refunds issued last month, along with the original order date, refund date, amount refunded, and associated tax information.”

You might understand the request without knowing which fields to select or how to structure the report.

Data Export provides live human assistance for custom report creation.

You can describe the report you need, and a reporting specialist can help build or modify it.

This is especially useful for complex calculations, custom fields, accounting reports, and other requirements that are difficult to configure independently.

Merchants have three practical ways to work with their reports:

• Customize a template: Start with an existing report and edit it.

• Build your own: Use the report builder, calculations, and AI assistance.

• Get expert help: Explain your requirements to a live human reporting specialist.

You can choose whichever approach works best for the task.

Generate Reports Quickly and Reuse Them

A good report shouldn't take significant effort every time you need updated numbers.

Data Export is designed to generate reports quickly after the relevant Shopify store data has been synchronized.

Initial synchronization time can vary based on data volume, but saved reports can be reused without rebuilding their layouts.

For example, if you regularly review sales by product, you can save your preferred columns, filters, and calculations.

When you need updated data, generate the report again.

This is useful for recurring activities such as daily sales monitoring, inventory reviews, fulfillment tracking, and monthly accounting.

The bigger benefit comes from having a reliable report structure that you can reuse.

Share Shopify Custom Reports With Your Bookkeeper or Accountant

For many merchants, Shopify reporting is a collaborative task.

The store owner manages the business, while a bookkeeper or accountant handles detailed financial reviews. Both may work with the same Shopify data but need different reports.

Example: Monthly Shopify payout reconciliation

Consider a Shopify merchant whose accountant needs to compare store transactions with payment payouts.

The accountant may request information such as:

Having these records organized makes it easier to investigate differences.

For example, a Shopify Payments payout may include several orders, refunds, fees, and adjustments. Orders processed through other payment providers may follow different payout schedules.

A custom report provides the relevant data for review, although the accountant must still verify the accounting treatment and reconcile the underlying transactions.

Schedule reports instead of sending them manually

Data Export also lets merchants automate recurring report delivery.

Reports can be scheduled at supported frequencies, including daily, weekly, and monthly intervals.

They can be delivered through destinations such as email, Google Sheets, Google Drive, FTP, or SFTP.

For example, you can configure a monthly financial report to be emailed directly to your accountant.

Instead of asking the merchant to download another spreadsheet, the accountant receives the updated report using a consistent format.

If reporting requirements change, the report can be edited. This makes collaboration easier and reduces repetitive administrative work.

Shopify Analytics vs. Data Export: Which Is Right for You?

Shopify and Data Export both support custom reporting.

The difference is in the range of reporting workflows available.

When Shopify Analytics is sufficient

Shopify's built-in reports are a good option when you need standard sales, customer, product, or inventory information.

You can also create custom explorations when the relevant metrics and dimensions are supported.

Sidekick makes the process easier by helping generate and refine report queries.

When Data Export is useful

Data Export becomes especially helpful when you need detailed Shopify API fields, custom formulas, a combined report with information from different operational areas, or a specific layout for your accountant.

It is also useful when you want someone to help create the report or need it delivered automatically on a recurring schedule.

You don't necessarily have to choose one or the other. Many reporting workflows can begin with Shopify Analytics, while Data Export can handle more specialized requirements.

What Do Merchants Say About Data Export?

Data Export has a 5.0-star rating from more than 2,000 Shopify App Store reviews.

Merchants frequently highlight the flexibility of its reports and the responsiveness of its support team.

A review from KNK Creations, published on September 7, 2026, described how a reporting task that previously required around 20 minutes of modifying Shopify exports could be completed in approximately one or two minutes using Data Export.

The merchant also highlighted the report suggestions and assistance provided by the support team.

This example reflects a common reason merchants adopt custom reporting tools: saving time on recurring tasks while still getting the detailed information their business requires.

You can explore more experiences in the Data Export Shopify App Store reviews.

Turn Shopify Data Into Reports You Can Actually Use

Shopify provides a useful starting point for understanding your store's performance. Its built-in reports, custom data explorations, and Sidekick can answer many everyday business questions.

But every business has its own reporting requirements.

Your inventory manager might need sales and stock information together. Your accountant may need a particular financial report every month. Your operations team may need detailed order and fulfillment information each morning.

The most useful report is the one built around the question you're trying to answer.

With Data Export, you can start with a ready-made template, build your own custom report, use AI assistance, or get help from a live reporting specialist.

Once the report is ready, you can save, regenerate, and schedule it for the people who need it.

Spend less time preparing reports and more time using the information they contain.

Explore Data Export on the Shopify App Store and create your next custom Shopify report.