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Shopify Installation

Step-by-step guide to installing the Functional AI app on your Shopify store.

What You'll Need

  • Active Shopify store (any plan)
  • Store owner or admin access
  • Functional AI account with at least one configured assistant

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

  • Active Shopify store (any plan)
  • Store owner or admin access
  • Functional AI account
  • At least one configured assistant

Installation Steps

Step 1: Access Shopify App Store

  1. Log in to your Shopify admin
  2. Go to Apps in the sidebar
  3. Click Shopify App Store
  4. Search for "Functional AI"

Or go directly to our app listing (link in your Functional AI dashboard).

Step 2: Add App

  1. Click on the Functional AI app
  2. Click Add app or Install
  3. Review the permissions requested

Step 3: Authorize Permissions

You'll be asked to authorize specific permissions. Understanding what each permission does helps you make an informed decision.

Requested Permissions

The Shopify App Store will list the exact scopes the app requests. Here is the full list and why each is needed — every scope is read-only except where noted.

Scope Purpose
read_products / read_product_listings Answer product questions and surface details in chat
read_content / read_legal_policies Pull store pages and legal/policy content into the assistant's knowledge
read_themes Required by Shopify to install the widget via App Embeds
read_orders / read_fulfillments / read_shipping Answer "where is my order?" and shipping/fulfillment questions
read_customers Personalize replies for the logged-in customer (name, order history)
read_discounts Validate and explain discount codes on request
unauthenticated_read_product_listings Show product info to anonymous shoppers
unauthenticated_read_checkouts / unauthenticated_write_checkouts (write) Enable in-chat checkout actions (create/recover a checkout for the visitor)
Security and minimization
  • The app does not request any other write scope (no product edits, no order changes, no theme code modifications).
  • Tokens are stored encrypted with Fernet on our side; Shopify also rotates them.
  • Permissions are revoked instantly when you uninstall the app from your Shopify admin.
  • We don't share Shopify data with third parties — it's used to answer the visitor in front of the chat and for the configured knowledge sync.

Click Install app to authorize these permissions.

Step 4: Connect Account

After installation:

  1. You'll be redirected to Functional AI
  2. Log in with your Functional AI account (or create one)
  3. Your Shopify store is now linked

Step 5: Initial Configuration

The app opens to the preferences page:

  1. Select which assistant to use
  2. Toggle the widget visibility ON
  3. Save your settings

See Configuration for detailed options.

Verifying Installation

Check in Shopify Admin

  1. Go to Apps in your Shopify admin
  2. Verify Functional AI appears in installed apps
  3. Click to open the app settings

Check on Your Store

  1. Visit your store's frontend
  2. Look for the chat widget (usually bottom-right)
  3. Click to open and test

May Take a Moment

The widget may take a few minutes to appear after enabling. If it doesn't appear, try refreshing your store page.

Post-Installation Checklist

After installation, complete these steps:

  • Select an assistant in app settings
  • Enable the widget
  • Customize appearance
  • Test the chatbot
  • Review conversations in your dashboard

Troubleshooting

App won't install

Possible causes: - Insufficient permissions - Plan limitations - Browser issues

Solutions: - Log in as store owner - Clear browser cache - Try a different browser

Can't see app after install

  1. Go to Apps in Shopify admin
  2. Look for Functional AI in the list
  3. If not visible, try reinstalling

Authorization fails

  • Check you're logged into the correct Shopify store
  • Verify your Functional AI account is active
  • Try logging out and back in

Widget not appearing

Updating the App

The app updates automatically. To ensure you have the latest version:

  1. Go to Apps in Shopify admin
  2. Check for update notifications
  3. Updates apply automatically when available

Uninstalling

If you need to remove the app:

  1. Go to Apps in Shopify admin
  2. Click on Functional AI
  3. Scroll to bottom and click Uninstall
  4. Confirm the uninstallation

Data Retention

Uninstalling removes the widget from your store. Your conversation history is retained in your Functional AI account.

Support

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check this documentation
  2. Review the Configuration guide
  3. Contact Functional AI support

Next Steps