Sidekick / New

Sidekick now helps you set up checkout and customer accounts
No more hunting through docs or contacting support: get help right where you're working

Ask Sidekick questions inside the checkout and accounts editor (desktop) and the Checkout Blocks app. It guides you on the spot, from setup steps and app recommendations to how blocks and Functions work.

On this page
  1. What's changing? (30-second overview)
  2. How it works: the 2 places you can use Sidekick
  3. What you can ask Sidekick in the editor
  4. What you can ask in the Checkout Blocks app
  5. Before vs. with Sidekick
  6. Requirements and what the article doesn't cover
  7. 5 key points for developers
  8. 3 practical use cases
  9. One-line summary for proposals

1What's changing?

While customizing checkout and customer accounts, you can nowask Sidekick questions right in the screen you're working on.
You get answers and guidance on the spot, without searching docs or contacting support.

Before: look things up outside the editor

If you didn't know how to set something up, you had to search the Help Center or docs, or contact support.

Now: ask Sidekick in the editor

Ask a question in the editor or the Checkout Blocks app and get setup guidance, app recommendations, and Help Center search results.

2How it works: the 2 places you can use Sidekick

Merchant Ask while setting up Checkout and accounts editor Available in the desktop editor Setup / app recommendations / Help search Checkout Blocks app Understand and plan blocks and Functions Also reviews existing setups Sidekick Answers + guidance Make changes yourself
The article describes this as "getting answers and guidance" and "finding the settings and steps to make changes". It doesn't say whether Sidekick makes configuration changes on your behalf.

3What you can ask Sidekick in the editor

Checkout and accounts editor (desktop)

Configuration

Learn how to configure

Get guidance on how to configure your checkout and customer account settings.

Apps

App recommendations for your needs

Describe what you want to do and get app recommendations based on it.

Help

Search the Help Center

Search the Shopify Help Center through Sidekick.

4What you can ask in the Checkout Blocks app

Help understanding and planning blocks and Functions in the Checkout Blocks app (examples listed in the article)

1
Learn how to configure blocksHow to configure blocks for the checkout, thank you, and order status pages
2
Understand how Functions workHow payment, delivery, and validation Functions work
3
Review existing configurationsWhat's already configured, and why
4
Find the settings and steps needed for changesLocate the relevant settings or steps to make changes yourself
Pages blocks can target (per the article) Checkout checkout Thank you page thank you Order status page order status
According to the article, the items listed here are just examples. You can ask Sidekick for guidance throughout the process of building your checkout and customer account experiences.

5Before vs. with Sidekick

ItemBeforeWith Sidekick
Finding information Outside the editor Searching docs or contacting Support In the editor Ask questions right on the screen you're working in
Choosing apps Manual Search on your own Recommendations Suggests apps based on your needs
Understanding Functions Read through the documentation Ask how payment, delivery, and validation Functions work
Understanding existing settings Check each settings screen yourself Review what's configured and why
Making changes Do it yourself Find the settings and steps you need and do it yourself

6Requirements and what the article doesn't cover

Stated

Desktop editor

Sidekick in the checkout and accounts editor is stated to be available in the "desktop editor."

Stated

Also available in the Checkout Blocks app

Inside the Checkout Blocks app, it helps you understand and plan blocks and Functions.

Not stated: eligible plans / supported countries and languages / availability in the mobile editor / additional costs / whether Sidekick can apply settings automatically / API or developer specs.
Before rolling this out, check whether Sidekick actually appears in your own store's admin.

75 key points for developers

1. Its role is "guide"

The article describes it as providing "answers and guidance" and helping you "find the settings and steps to make changes yourself." It doesn't say Sidekick rewrites settings automatically, sohumans own the final changes and verification— plan your operations around that.

fn()

2. It explains Functions

You can ask how payment, delivery, and validation Functions work. It can serve as the first point of contact for non-engineer store staff trying to understand how Functions behave.

?

3. Ask "why" about existing settings

You can review what's configured in Checkout Blocks and why. Useful for auditing handed-over projects or stores where the intent behind past settings is unclear.

desktop

4. The editor assumes desktop

Availability in the checkout and accounts editor is explicitly the desktop editor. Mobile availability isn't mentioned. Keep this in mind when guiding people on their work environment.

5. Treat app recommendations as a shortlist

The editor gives app recommendations based on your needs. The article doesn't state the recommendation criteria or scope, souse it to shortlist candidates and have a person make the final pick based on requirements, cost, and fit with your existing setup— that's the safe approach.

83 practical use cases

USE CASE 1

Make store operators self-sufficient and reduce support inquiries

Challenge
Every time checkout or customer account settings change, store operators end up asking their agency or support team, "Where do I configure this?"
Approach
Add "Ask Sidekick in the desktop editor first" to the operations manual as the first line of response. Search the Help Center through Sidekick as well.
Impact
Operators resolve minor configuration questions on their own, so the agency can focus on requests that need real judgment.
Technical notes
In the editor, Sidekick is available on desktop. Assume the operator makes the final changes themselves, and agree separately on how to log those changes.
payment delivery validation ?
USE CASE 2

Auditing Checkout Blocks settings on inherited projects

Challenge
Blocks and payment, delivery, and validation Functions that the previous developer set up in Checkout Blocks are still in place, but their intent was never documented.
Approach
Have Sidekick in the Checkout Blocks app review "what's configured and why," then use the results to compile a list of settings and their intent.
Impact
You get up to speed on the current setup faster, which makes it easier to estimate the scope and risk of changes.
Technical notes
Treat Sidekick's explanation as a starting point, and verify the actual setting values against the admin.
plan
USE CASE 3

Lock down requirements for thank-you and order status page improvements faster

Challenge
You want to add information or blocks to the checkout, thank-you, and order status pages, but it takes time to work out which approach (block settings or an app) can deliver it.
Approach
Ask Sidekick in the Checkout Blocks app how to configure blocks, get app recommendations that fit your needs in the editor, and lay out the candidate approaches.
Impact
Cuts research time before requirements definition and proposals, so you can present options to clients sooner in meetings.
Technical notes
The article doesn't state the criteria for app recommendations. Evaluate candidates separately on cost, overlap with existing apps, and maintainability.

9One-line summary for proposals

"For checkout and customer account settings, you can nowwork through them while asking Sidekick right inside the screen you're working in.
From how to configure settings and which apps to choose, to how Functions work and the intent behind existing settings, you can understand it all on the spot without relying on documentation or support."