Shopify just unlocked a powerful new capability for order routing functions: the ability to rank a single location across multiple fulfillment groups in the unstable Functions API. This change streamlines multi‑warehouse fulfillment strategies, reduces duplicate ranking logic, and gives developers a cleaner way to influence how orders are allocated. In this post we break down what the update entails, who needs to pay attention, and exactly how to adjust your existing functions to take advantage of the new ranking model.
What’s New
Previously, each fulfillment group in an order required its own call to rank locations, even when the same physical location could serve several groups. The new API introduces a cross‑group ranking model that lets a function compute a rank for a location once and then apply that rank to any number of fulfillment groups attached to the same order. The change is exposed through the LocationRanking object in the unstable Functions schema, and the applyLocationRanking helper now accepts an array of FulfillmentGroup identifiers. In short, you can now write a single ranking algorithm and reuse its result wherever it makes sense, cutting down on duplicated code and API calls.
Who’s Affected?
The primary audience is developers building custom order routing functions, whether you’re using the Shopify Functions framework or extending the Order Routing API with a private app. Merchants benefit indirectly because the streamlined logic can lead to faster order processing and more accurate inventory allocation, especially for stores that operate multiple warehouses, pop‑up shops, or third‑party fulfillment partners. Existing functions that already rank locations per‑group will continue to work, but they will miss out on the performance gains and reduced complexity the new model offers.
How to Implement the New Ranking Logic
To bring your function up to date, follow these three steps. 1️⃣ Update the import statement to pull the new LocationRanking type from @shopify/functions. 2️⃣ Compute the rank for your preferred location a single time, storing the result in a variable. 3️⃣ Loop over input.fulfillmentGroups and attach the same LocationRanking payload to each group via the locationRanks array. Below is a minimal example that demonstrates the pattern in JavaScript.
js
export default function orderRouting(input) {
const { order, fulfillmentGroups } = input;
const location = input.location;
// Rank location once and reuse across groups
const ranking = rankLocation(location);
return fulfillmentGroups.map(group => ({
...group,
locationRanks: [{ locationId: location.id, rank: ranking }]
}));
}
Key Benefits
By ranking a location a single time you reduce the number of API calls your function makes, which translates to lower latency and lower compute costs on the Functions platform. Consistency improves because the same rank is applied to every fulfillment group, eliminating edge‑case mismatches where one group might see a location as optimal while another does not. Finally, the codebase becomes easier to maintain and test—your ranking algorithm lives in one place, and you only need to verify its output against a single set of unit tests.
Action Checklist
Conclusion
The multi‑group location ranking update is a small but impactful tweak that can make complex fulfillment setups much more manageable. By updating your routing functions today, you’ll unlock faster allocations, cleaner code, and a better experience for both developers and merchants. Ready to upgrade? Dive into the official Shopify developer docs, refactor your function, and start seeing the benefits on the next order you ship. If you need help or have questions, drop a comment below or reach out to the Shopify developer community for guidance.
