# Create your first function

FunctionFlow AI · Getting started · Updated October 3, 2026

> From install to a live rule in about five minutes — pick a goal, adjust the rule, test it on a sample cart and publish it in test mode first.

This guide walks you through building a real function — *free shipping on orders over $150* — from start to finish. The same steps work for every kind of function.

## Before you start

1. **Install FunctionFlow AI** from the Shopify App Store and open it from **Apps** in your Shopify admin.
2. **Choose a plan.** Every plan starts with a free trial and is billed through your Shopify invoice. See [Plans and billing](https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/plans-and-billing/).

## Step 1: Pick what you want to do

On **Home**, click **Create function** (or open **Functions** and click **Create function**). You’ll see *What do you want to do?* — every starting point, grouped by kind.

![The “What do you want to do?” screen with discount, shipping, payment and checkout rule options](https://help.fleekapps.com/media/functionflow-ai/create-screen.webp "Search or browse by kind. Popular starting points come first.")

Type what you’re after in the search box — for example *free shipping* — or open the **Shipping** tab and choose **Free shipping**. The builder opens with the rule already set up.

> **Tip:** Not sure where to start? **Start from a template** gives you complete, tested rules, and **Describe it to AI** builds one from a sentence.

## Step 2: Adjust the rule

The builder has everything on one page:

![The visual builder: title, When and Then cards on the left, the summary, quick test and settings on the right](https://help.fleekapps.com/media/functionflow-ai/builder.webp "The builder. The sidebar’s “What it does” card describes your rule in plain English as you edit it.")

1. **Title** — for discounts, customers see it at checkout next to the discount (for example *Free shipping*). For other kinds it’s only shown to your team.
2. **When** — the conditions. Here, **Cart total** **is at least** **150**.
3. **Then** — the action. Here, **Free / discounted shipping** set to **Free shipping**.

Check the **What it does** card in the sidebar: it should read *“Free shipping when the cart total is at least $150.”* If it doesn’t say what you mean, adjust the conditions until it does.

Click **Save draft** to keep your work. Nothing reaches your checkout until you publish.

## Step 3: Test it on a sample cart

The **Quick test** card runs the real compiled function against a sample cart — before anything is published.

1. Click **Edit cart** to see the sample cart: two products worth $250, a logged-in customer and a US address. Change anything you like.
2. Leave **I expect the rule to apply** selected and click **Run test**.

![A passing test result with the Why section showing each condition and action](https://help.fleekapps.com/media/functionflow-ai/test-result.webp "Pass: the rule applied. “Why” shows the cart total the function saw and which action ran.")

Try a cart under $150 with **I expect the rule NOT to apply** too. If a result surprises you, the **Why** section shows which condition didn’t match and what the cart had. More in [Test a function](https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/test-a-function/).

## Step 4: Publish in test mode

Click **Publish…** in the top right. FunctionFlow asks how the function should go live:

![The publish dialog with “Test mode first” selected](https://help.fleekapps.com/media/functionflow-ai/publish-dialog.webp "Test mode first is recommended: only customers tagged ff-test see the function.")

Choose **Test mode first** and click **Publish in test mode**. The function is now live in your store, but only for customers with the tag `ff-test`.

## Step 5: Try it in your real checkout

1. In Shopify admin, open **Customers**, find your own customer account and add the tag `ff-test`.
2. In your online store, log in with that account, add more than $150 of products to the cart and go to checkout. Shipping should be free.
3. Log out, or use a private window, and check out again: customers without the tag see your normal checkout.

## Step 6: Go live for everyone

Back in FunctionFlow, open the function. In the sidebar’s **Test mode** card, click **Go live for everyone**. That’s it — every customer now gets free shipping over $150.

![The Test mode card in the builder sidebar](https://help.fleekapps.com/media/functionflow-ai/test-mode.webp "Switch test mode off, or click “Go live for everyone” while it’s live.")

## What’s next

- See how often the rule is used in [Analytics](https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/analytics/).
- Learn every option in the [visual builder](https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/visual-builder/) and [conditions](https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/conditions/).
- Schedule a rule for a sale with [active dates](https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/publish-and-schedule/#schedule-a-function).

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Source: https://help.fleekapps.com/functionflow-ai/create-your-first-function/