The sm_channel field groups orders for reporting based on:
Sales channel — Online DTC, Amazon, Retail, TikTok ShopIntegration path — direct integration (Amazon) vs flowing through Shopify (Amazon via Shopify)Acquisition source — Partners / Affiliates (e.g., GRIN)Special order types — Exchanges, Draft Orders, Excluded
This is one of the most important dimensions for segmenting your business performance.
Standard Channel Values Channel Description Online DTCDirect-to-consumer orders from your online store AmazonOrders from Amazon Seller Central (direct integration) Amazon via ShopifyAmazon orders flowing through Shopify TikTok ShopOrders from TikTok Shop (direct integration) TikTok Shop via ShopifyTikTok Shop orders flowing through Shopify RetailPoint-of-sale and physical retail orders WholesaleB2B and bulk orders Partners / AffiliatesGRIN and affiliate platform orders MiraklMarketplace orders via Mirakl ExchangedExchange and replacement orders Draft OrdersManually created draft orders ExcludedOrders tagged with sm-exclude-order
Channel Determination Hierarchy SourceMedium evaluates each order through this priority sequence:
Priority 1: Exclusion Tag Orders with the sm-exclude-order tag are always assigned to the Excluded channel, regardless of any other signals.
-- This tag takes absolute precedence WHERE order_tags CONTAINS 'sm-exclude-order' → 'Excluded'
Excluded orders won’t appear in Executive Summary metrics or LTV calculations. Use this tag for test orders, internal orders, or any orders that shouldn’t count in analytics.
Priority 2: Source System Override Orders from direct platform integrations (not flowing through Shopify) are assigned based on their source:
Source System Assigned Channel tiktok_shopTikTok Shop amazonAmazon
Priority 3: Shopify Marketplace Detection For Shopify orders, marketplace signals derived from the order source trigger specific channel mappings:
Condition Assigned Channel Order source contains amazon Amazon via Shopify Sales channel is TikTok Shop TikTok Shop via Shopify
Priority 4: Config Sheet Rules Your custom channel mapping rules are evaluated next. These rules can match on:
Attribute Description Example sourceUTM source utm_source=influencermediumUTM medium utm_medium=affiliatesource_mediumCombined source/medium facebook / cpccampaignUTM campaign utm_campaign=wholesale_q1discount_codesApplied discount codes WHOLESALE50order_tagsShopify order tags wholesale, b2bskusProduct SKUs in the order BULK-*shopify_sales_channelShopify app/source Shop App
Create Custom Channel Mappings Step-by-step guide to setting up your own channel mapping rules
Priority 5: Default Logic If no config sheet rules match, these defaults apply based on order attributes:
Condition Assigned Channel GRIN app orders Partners / Affiliates Tags contain wholesale, faire, wholesaler Wholesale Tags contain exchange, returnly_exchange, ex-### Exchanged POS or Leap app orders Retail Draft order source Draft Orders Tags contain mirakl Mirakl Everything else Online DTC
Sub-Channel (sm_sub_channel) The sm_sub_channel field provides additional granularity within a channel. The value is determined by:
For Amazon orders : Derived from fulfillment channel:
Fulfilled by Amazon — FBA ordersFulfilled by Merchant — Merchant-fulfilled orders
For all other orders : Uses your config sheet sub_channel if set, otherwise falls back to the channel name, or Unknown as a last resort
Sub-channels are most commonly used to segment Online DTC orders by marketing source (e.g., separating influencer orders from general paid social).
Debugging Channel Assignment Each order includes a channel_map_debug field that shows:
Input values - The UTMs, tags, and other attributes evaluatedMatched rule - Which config sheet rule (if any) was appliedOutput - The resulting channel, sub_channel, and vendor
This is useful for troubleshooting why an order was assigned to a particular channel.
Best Practices For orders that don’t have reliable UTM data (wholesale, B2B, exchanges), use Shopify order tags and set up config sheet rules to match them.
Set Up Shopify Flow Automation Automate consistent tagging with Shopify Flow:
IF order.customer.tags CONTAINS "wholesale" OR order.discount_code CONTAINS "WHOLESALE-" THEN add_tag "wholesale"
Review Channel Distribution Regularly Check the Orders Deep Dive module to ensure orders are being assigned to the expected channels. If you see unexpected Online DTC orders, they may need config sheet rules.
