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How to Automatically Convert PDF Purchase Orders In Shopify Draft Orders

Picture of Maxime Lavoie By  Maxime Lavoie  ·  1 minute read

Introduction

If you operate a wholesale, B2B, or manufacturing-focused Shopify store, you’ve probably received purchase orders by PDF or email. Manually retyping these orders into Shopify isn’t only slow — it introduces mistakes, delays fulfillment, and frustrates customers who expect rapid processing.

The good news? You can fully automate the process and turn any PDF or email into a Shopify draft order instantly.

Why Do Merchants Receive So Many PDFs?

  • B2B customers use legacy ERP systems

  • Distributors send restock lists

  • Buyers send purchase orders as attachments

  • Organizations still rely on email workflows

  • International clients send orders in mixed formats

These formats don’t plug directly into Shopify — until now.

The Problem With Manual Entry

Manual entry creates:

  • Human errors in SKU typing

  • Wrong quantities

  • Missed customer notes

  • Slow processing time

  • Staff bottlenecks as order volume grows

Every PDF takes 2–10 minutes to handle manually. Multiply that by daily volume — it becomes a real cost.

Automating the Process

Tools like LevelOps PDF-to-Order automatically extract key order fields:

  • Product names & variants

  • SKUs

  • Quantities

  • Customer identity

  • Notes or internal references

Once extracted, the system:

  1. Matches products to your Shopify catalog

  2. Creates a Shopify draft order

  3. Optionally sends a confirmation email

  4. Alerts you of errors or unmatched items

Real-World Example

A B2B merchant receiving 25 POs/day saves:

  • ~3 hours of labor per day

  • Thousands annually

  • Countless mistakes avoided

Benefits of PDF-to-Order Automation

  • Accurate SKU/variant matching

  • Faster B2B response times

  • No manual typing

  • Consistent data

  • Happier customers who don't need to adapt to your system

Conclusion

If you operate a wholesale or B2B Shopify business, PDF automation isn’t a luxury — it’s a competitive advantage. Automating this workflow frees your team to focus on higher-value work rather than repetitive order entry.