Log in
Start free trial

Collaborator accounts

Collaborators are Shopify Partners who you've allowed to access your store or organization. Collaborators are similar to staff members, but they offer additional benefits. For example, Shopify Partners have access to training courses, Shopify's product roadmap, and other resources to help you run your business. Collaborators can log in to your store from their Partner Dashboard or from the Shopify mobile app. Collaborator access to your store can be managed and removed from your Shopify admin. Collaborators don't count towards your store's staff limit.

Only eligible users can access and manage collaborator accounts.

Learn more about creating roles and staff permissions.

On this page

Considerations for collaborator accounts

Review the following considerations for adding collaborator accounts to your store or organization.

Collaborators accounts for stores and organizations

  • You can create user roles for collaborators with the permissions that they require. For example, if a collaborator requires access to your shipping profiles, then you need to create a role with the View products and Manage settings permissions. Collaborators can request and be given all available permissions in your store. Carefully consider which permissions a collaborator needs to complete their tasks. Learn more about store permissions for user roles.
  • You must provide the collaborator with a request code. The collaborator must enter this code when they submit a collaborator request. Only the Partners who you share the code with can request access to your store.
  • Collaborators don't have access to Shopify POS. You need to create a staff account for collaborators to log in to POS.
  • You can't transfer store or organization ownership to a collaborator.
  • On the Users index page of your Shopify admin, filter by User type > Collaborators filter to display all the collaborator accounts on your store or organization.

Collaborators accounts for organizations

  • Organization owners as well as users with the Organization administrator user role can edit and accept the auto-generated collaborator user role, or assign existing user roles to a collaborator.
  • Store owners and users with the Store user administrator user role can only assign existing roles to a collaborator, but not edit or accept the auto-generated user role.
  • You can't assign all roles to collaborators. Roles for collaborator accounts have the following restrictions:
    • You can't assign organization roles to collaborators.
    • You can't assign the Store user administrator role to collaborators. Learn more about role categories for organizations.
  • If your organization is on the Shopify Plus plan, then you can't assign collaborators to user groups.
  • Collaborator accounts are created per store based on the store access requests from the collaborators. The same collaborator can request access to multiple stores in your organization from their Partner dashboard.
    • If you approve collaborator requests for multiple stores in your organization, then you will have multiple collaborator accounts with the same name in your user index.
    • You can't grant collaborators access to multiple stores.
    • You can bulk assign the same user role to all of the collaborator user accounts in your organization.

Collaborator accounts for single stores

  • Only users with the following user roles can view collaborator access requests or grant collaborator access to a single store:
    • Store owner
    • Administrator user role
  • You can't assign the Administrator user role to collaborators. Learn more about system user roles for stores.

Manage collaborator requests

After a Shopify Partner submits a request to access your store, you receive an email about the request and a notification on your Shopify Home. You can manage collaborator requests in the Users section of your Shopify admin by filtering users with the Requests status.

Each collaborator request has an auto-generated user role based on the permissions requested by the collaborator. By default, the auto-generated role uses a <Collaborator name>x<Store name> naming convention. You can rename this role.

You can accept or reject the request.

Accept a collaborator request

To accept a collaborator request, the collaborator must have an assigned user role. Before you accept the request, you can review and edit permissions for the auto-generated user role, or assign one or more existing user roles, and then remove the auto-generated role.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users.

  2. On the Users index page, click the Requests status to filter open collaborator requests.

  3. Click the collaborator request that you want to manage.

  4. In the Roles section, manage the user roles for the collaborator:

  • Review the auto-generated user role. You can edit any permissions that you want to adjust, and change the name of the user role.
  • Assign one or more existing user roles to the collaborator.
  • Create a new user role and assign it to the collaborator.
  1. Click Accept request.

Reject a collaborator request

If you reject a collaborator request, then the auto-generated user role for the collaborator is also removed.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users.

  2. On the Users index page, click the Requests status to filter open collaborator requests.

  3. Click the collaborator request that you want to manage.

  4. Click Reject request.

Collaborator access code

You can assign a collaborator code in the Security section of your Users page in your Shopify admin.

After the Partner, freelancer, or agency submits their collaborator request, you can accept or reject the request in the Collaborators section of your Shopify admin, where you can also find a list of your accepted collaborators.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users.

  2. Click Security.

  3. Click the 4-digit code to copy it to your clipboard.

  4. Provide the 4-digit code to your collaborator.

Change collaborator access code

You can change your collaborator request code at any time by generating a new code. After you generate a new collaborator request code, any old codes no longer work.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users.

  2. Click Security.

  3. In the Collaborators section, click Generate new code.

Remove a collaborator account

You can permanently remove a collaborator account from your store. You can't undo this action.

If you want to give a collaborator access again, then the collaborator needs to resend their collaborator request.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users.

  2. Click the collaborator's name.

  3. Click Remove collaborator account.

  4. Enter your password, and then click Remove.

The collaborator account is removed permanently from your store, and is no longer available from your Shopify admin. The collaborator's name and actions are still listed in any relevant timelines, such as the store activity log and order timeline.

Legacy collaborator management

If your store or organization hasn't been migrated to the role-based access control, then you can manage collaborators from the Collaborators section of the Users and permissions > Security page in your Shopify admin.

Only people with a collaborator request code can send a collaborator request is selected by default. It's recommended that you require a collaborator request code to more effectively control the requests that you receive.

If you don't want to require collaborators to provide a code to request access to your store, then select Anyone can send a collaborator request.

Steps:

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Users and permissions.
  2. Click Security.
  3. In the Collaborators section, click Generate new code.
  4. Optional: Click the 4-digit code to copy it to your clipboard.
  5. Provide the 4-digit code to your collaborator.

Collaborator FAQs

What permissions should I give the freelancer or agency?

Give only the permissions that you feel comfortable giving. If a freelancer or agency asks for certain permissions, then there might be a good reason. If you aren't sure, then ask the freelancer or agency why they need the permissions.

Can I control a collaborator's access to specific apps and channels?

Yes. When you approve access, you can assign permissions for specific apps and channels to give a collaborator access to only certain apps and channels.

Can a freelancer use a collaborator account to log in to the Shopify app?

Yes. However, collaborators must log in to your store at least one time through the Stores page in their Partner Dashboard before they can log in using the Shopify app.

I accidentally rejected a request from a freelancer or agency, how can I get it back?

Ask the freelancer or agency to contact Partner Support. Partner Support will adjust the Partner's account so the Partner can send you another request.

What should I do when I'm finished working with a collaborator?

If you no longer need help from the collaborator, then remove their account. Otherwise, if a collaborator user hasn't logged into your store within 90 days, then their access will automatically expire. You can also generate a new access code, so that anyone with an outdated access code can no longer access your store.

How do I report an issue with a freelancer or agency?

First, make sure that the problem isn't because of a communication issue or mismatched expectations. Shopify isn't directly responsible for issues with freelancers or agencies. However, if you believe that a Shopify Partner isn't following the Partner Program Agreement, then fill out the Report a Partner violation form.

I got an email from a freelancer or agency that I don’t know or don’t want to work with, what should I do?

Review the request and confirm that you don’t want to work with them. If you aren't expecting a request, or if you don't recognize the sender, then you shouldn't accept their request.

Can’t find the answers you’re looking for? We’re here to help.