Articles on: Synctrack - Returns & Exchanges

Using Synctrack Returns & Exchanges with Shopify Sidekick

Synctrack now integrates with Shopify Sidekick, the AI assistant built into your Shopify Admin. You can ask Sidekick natural-language questions about your returns and exchanges — "Which returns are waiting for approval?", "What were the top return reasons last month?" — and get answers pulled directly from Synctrack, without opening the app. When a request needs action, Sidekick takes you straight to it in Synctrack and can approve, reject, or resolve it for you right there. This article covers what you can ask, what Sidekick can do, and the current limitations.


What is Shopify Sidekick?


Shopify Sidekick is the AI assistant that lives inside your Shopify Admin. You can open it from any page in Admin and ask questions in plain language — about your store, your orders, and (now) your returns and exchanges in Synctrack. Sidekick reads your question, and when it's about returns or exchanges, it routes to Synctrack to fetch the answer.


Tip: You don't need to open the Synctrack app first. As long as your question mentions returns, exchanges, refunds, or the app name, Sidekick will pull the information.


Requirements


  • Synctrack Returns & Exchanges installed in your Shopify store.
  • Shopify Sidekick available in your Admin (this depends on Shopify's rollout for your region and store type — most stores have it enabled by default).
  • Asking Sidekick about your returns works on all plans. Sidekick adds no separate restriction of its own — it simply matches what your current plan already gives you inside Synctrack.


No extra setup is needed — once Synctrack is installed, the integration is ready.



The first time you ask Sidekick a returns- or exchange-related question, Sidekick asks for your permission before accessing Synctrack data. Choose Yes to allow it for that one request, or Yes, and don't ask again to grant permission for future requests as well. You can manage this permission later in Sidekick.


What you can ask Sidekick


Tips: For the most accurate answer, be specific about the date range in your question — for example "returns created in the last 7 days" rather than a broad "recently" — and be specific about what you need instead of asking with general context.


1. Check your pending queue


See which requests are waiting on you, so nothing sits unanswered.


Example questions:


  • "Show me pending returns."
  • "Which returns are waiting for approval?"
  • "Any exchange requests I haven't handled this week?"


2. Look up a specific request


Pull the status of one return or exchange, by request or by the related order.


Example questions:


  • "What's the status of the return for order #1042?"
  • "Where is the return on order #1823 up to?"
  • "Show me the exchange request for order #1234."


3. Get reporting and totals


Ask for aggregates over a date range.


Example questions:


  • "What were the top return reasons last month?"
  • "What's the total refund amount this quarter?"
  • "How many returns did I get this week?"


4. Check a customer's history


Example questions:


  • "Has this customer returned anything before?"
  • "Show me the return history for [email protected]."


What Sidekick returns


For request lookups, Sidekick returns:


  • Status (e.g. Pending, Approved, Rejected, Resolved) and when it last changed
  • The order and the items being returned or exchanged
  • The return reason, and the refund amount where one applies


For list queries (pending returns, exchange requests), Sidekick returns a short list with the key details, so you can pick the one you want to work on.


For reporting queries, Sidekick returns the aggregated numbers for the date range you asked about.


Important: If Synctrack is disconnected, or the request isn't found on your store, Sidekick tells you so instead of guessing. It will not make up numbers.


Acting on a request


Unlike a read-only assistant, Sidekick can process a request for you — but only after it has opened that request in Synctrack. Nothing happens behind your back.


Step 1: Tell Sidekick which request you want — for example, "open the return for order #1042". Sidekick opens that exact request in Synctrack. Exchanges work the same way.


Step 2: With the request open, tell Sidekick what to do:


  • Approve — sets the request to Approved with the return method "Ship with any carrier". Your customer ships the items back themselves. No label is generated and no fee applies.
  • Reject — sets the request to Rejected. You can give a reason, which your customer sees.
  • Resolve — closes the request once it has been approved and handled.


Step 3: Sidekick confirms the result. If the request isn't in the right status for what you asked — for example, approving one that's already approved — Sidekick tells you why instead of trying again.


Important: These actions only work while the request is open in Synctrack. Sidekick cannot approve, reject, or resolve a request it hasn't opened.


Refunds


Ask Sidekick to refund a return and it opens the refund page for that request. You choose the resolution and confirm the amount yourself — exactly as you would in the app.


Sidekick never issues a refund on its own. Money only moves when you confirm it.


Limitations


  • Sidekick can only see data that is in Synctrack. If a return or exchange isn't in the app, Sidekick won't find it.
  • Actions require the request to be open. Sidekick approves, rejects, and resolves only on the request it has opened for you — it cannot process requests in bulk or in the background.
  • Sidekick does not issue refunds. It opens the refund page; you choose the resolution and confirm the amount.
  • Approving with a prepaid label isn't supported yet. Sidekick approves with "Ship with any carrier" only. To approve with a prepaid label, open the request and do it in Synctrack as usual.
  • Cancelling an order through Sidekick isn't supported.
  • Refunds apply to returns, not exchanges.
  • Exchange resolution is limited. Sidekick can resolve an exchange that already has a resolution set; choosing a replacement variant or product is still done on the page.
  • Multi-store: for security, you must be signed into a specific store to ask about that store — you cannot ask about one store's data from another store.
  • Response length is limited. If you ask Sidekick to list "all returns" for a large store, it returns the most recent subset — not the full list.
  • Sidekick availability depends on Shopify. If Sidekick isn't visible in your Admin yet, that's a Shopify rollout state, not a Synctrack issue.


Troubleshooting


Sidekick says it can't find my return or order


Open Synctrack and check whether the request is listed. Verify the order number you're asking about is correct.


Sidekick doesn't call Synctrack when I ask


Make sure Synctrack Returns & Exchanges is installed and active in your store. Try rephrasing with an explicit keyword — mention returns, exchanges, refunds, or the app name.


The link from Sidekick doesn't open the right request


Make sure you're logged into the same Shopify Admin (and the correct store) in this browser session. If it still doesn't open correctly, contact our support team with a screenshot.


Sidekick says it can't approve or refund the request


Each action has a status rule: approve and reject apply to Pending requests, and a request must be approved before it can be resolved. Refunds are declined on requests that are already refunded, rejected, or cancelled. Open the request in Synctrack to check its current status.


Sidekick isn't showing up in my Admin


Sidekick is a Shopify feature — Synctrack can't enable it for you. Contact Shopify support to check availability for your store.

Updated on: 17/07/2026

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