Data Sync Overview

Learn how MerchantFlow background sync jobs pull data from Shopify, WooCommerce, Google, and ad platforms every 30 minutes.

MerchantFlow data sync is the background process that pulls commerce, analytics, advertising, and fulfillment data from your connected integrations into your workspace. Sync jobs run automatically on a recurring schedule, ensuring your dashboard stays current without manual intervention.

How the Sync Model Works

MerchantFlow uses queue-backed background jobs rather than a single foreground sync process.

That means:

sync requests can be queued and processed in order
jobs can continue while you navigate elsewhere in the dashboard
the dashboard refreshes after background processing completes
one stale provider does not necessarily mean the entire workspace is disconnected

What Is the Default Sync Frequency?

MerchantFlow runs recurring delta syncs for active live workspaces.

the default recurring delta cadence is every 30 minutes
there is one recurring job per workspace, not one per provider - every connected integration is synced sequentially inside that single job
exact freshness still depends on provider-side reporting latency
a recent manual sync does not disable the normal background cadence

The 30-minute cadence is the same for every data type. Commerce data, analytics, ad spend, Search Console, and Merchant Center are all refreshed in that one pass rather than on separate per-provider timers.

Where to Monitor Sync Health

Use these surfaces to check the current state of your data:

the Live indicator in the dashboard header
the Integration Health dropdown opened from that indicator
Settings > Integrations, including the Audit Logs panel on that page

The Integration Health dropdown is the fastest status view. It shows:

provider-level health
last synced time
warnings or error messages
the next scheduled sync countdown

How to Trigger a Manual Sync

MerchantFlow supports two user-facing manual sync entry points:

Quick sync from the dashboard

Click the Live indicator in the header, then choose Sync All Integrations in the Integration Health dropdown. This submits a background job for every connected provider, plus a separate job for your connected fulfilment (3PL) providers.

Detailed sync from settings

Open Settings > Integrations and click Manual Sync Runner in the Control Panel to open the runner modal. Use it when you need:

a provider-specific sync
a normal incremental sync
a full historical resync

See the Manual Sync guide for step-by-step instructions.

Who Can Trigger Syncs?

Manual sync requires:

onboarding completion - otherwise the request is rejected with ONBOARDING_NOT_COMPLETED and the message "Please complete onboarding before syncing data"
active subscription or trial access for the live workspace - otherwise the request is rejected with SUBSCRIPTION_REQUIRED
a role with sync:trigger permission - otherwise the request returns "Insufficient permissions"

Owners, admins, and analysts (including the legacy member role) can trigger syncs. Viewers, suppliers, and agency viewers can inspect integration status but cannot trigger live sync jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does MerchantFlow sync my data?

MerchantFlow runs one recurring delta sync every 30 minutes for each active workspace, covering all connected integrations in a single pass. Provider-side reporting latency may affect the freshness of specific metrics such as Google Analytics or ad platform data.

Manual Sync - Quick sync and detailed sync runner
Selective Sync - Provider-specific sync control
Sync Status - Understand job states
Sync Troubleshooting - Fix stale or incomplete data
Connect Integrations - Initial setup
First Sync - Post-onboarding data verification
Dashboard Overview - Navigate your analytics
Troubleshooting - General issue resolution

Last updated: August 23, 2026

Data Sync Overview - How Sync Works